Shaykh al-Islām—may Allah have mercy on him—said:

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Acts of worship are founded on revealed law and adherence to it, not on whims and religious innovation. Islam rests on two foundations:

First: that we worship Allah alone, without any partner.

Second: that we worship Him as He has prescribed through His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, not according to whims and innovations. Allah Most High said:

“Then We set you on a clear path in matters of religion, so follow it, and do not follow the desires of those who do not know.”

“They can be of no help to you against Allah”—to the end of the verse.

He also said:

“Or do they have partners who have prescribed for them a religion that Allah has not authorized?”

No one may therefore worship Allah except through the obligatory and recommended acts prescribed by His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. One must not worship Him through innovated practices, as is established in the Sunan collections in the hadith of al-‘Irbād ibn Sāriyah. Al-Tirmidhī said: “A sound and authentic hadith.” It is also reported in Muslim that the Prophet used to say in his sermons:

“The best speech is the speech of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. The worst matters are newly introduced practices, and every innovation is misguidance.”

No one may worship anyone but Allah alone: one must pray only to Allah and fast only for Allah