and the anniversary of the Prophet’s Hijrah, and such celebrations have no foundation in the Sacred Law.

• The practices introduced into the month of Rajab—such as the so-called “Rajab ʿumrah,” or special acts of devotion claimed to belong to that month, like extra prayers and fasting—are groundless. Rajab enjoys no distinction over any other month, whether in ʿumrah, fasting, prayer, ritual slaughter, or anything else.

• The adhkār ṣarfiyya in all their varieties—non-canonical invocations composed of isolated words—are innovations, for they contradict the sanctioned remembrances in their wording, manner, and timing.

• Singling out the night of mid-Shaʿbān for night-prayer, or the day of mid-Shaʿbān for fasting, is unsupported by any authentic report traced back to the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—specific to that date.

• Building structures over graves, turning them into mosques, visiting them for blessing, petitioning the dead, and other polytheistic aims, as well as women visiting graves—despite the Messenger’s curse on women who frequently visit graves and on those who erect mosques or lights over them.

In conclusion we say:

Innovations are the pathway to unbelief. They add to the religion what neither Allah nor His Messenger has legislated. An innovation is worse than a major sin, and Satan rejoices over it more than he does over grave sins, for the sinner is aware of his sin and may repent from it, whereas the innovator believes his deed to be worship that draws him near to Allah and therefore does not repent. Innovations extinguish the sunnah, make its practice and its people repulsive to those devoted to them, distance a person from Allah, incur His wrath and punishment, and cause hearts to deviate and become corrupt.