This is because disputes among people can be settled only by a Book sent down from heaven; if they are referred to their own reason, each reasons in his own way. This reveals the misguidance of anyone who introduces a method or belief and claims that faith cannot be complete without it, despite knowing that the Messenger never mentioned it. Whatever contradicts the scriptural texts is an innovation by the agreement of the Muslims. Whatever is not known to contradict them, however, may not be called an innovation.

Al-Shāfiʿī—may Allah have mercy on him—said:

“Innovations are of two kinds: an innovation that contradicts the Book, the Sunnah, consensus, or a report from any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace—this is an innovation of misguidance. An innovation that contradicts none of these may be good, as indicated by ʿUmar’s statement: ‘What an excellent innovation this is!’”

Al-Bayhaqī related these words, or words to this effect, with an authentic chain of transmission in his Introduction. It is also related from Mālik—may Allah have mercy on him—that he said:

“When knowledge becomes scarce, coarseness appears; and when transmitted reports become scarce, opinions born of desire proliferate.”

Thus, you find many people loving some and hating others because of views born of desire, whose meaning and supporting evidence they do not know. Rather, they base their loyalties and hostilities on the mere profession of these views, although they have not been authentically transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, or the early generations of the Muslim community, and although they themselves neither understand their meaning nor know what they imply and entail. The cause of this is the unqualified assertion of statements not set forth in the scriptural texts, making them into doctrines and calling people