The Law of Conducting Worship without Knowledge

Doing as much worship as possible is highly recommended in Islam. But in doing worship, it must also be followed by knowledge. In Islam, the law of worship without knowledge has its arguments.

الأصل في العبادات التحريم

“The law of worship is unlawful (until the argument is made).”

The law of worship is unlawful until the descent of the word of God or the hadith of the Prophet, therefore knowledge is needed in performing worship.

Ibnul Qayyim rahimahullah said,

العامل بلا علم كالسائر بلا دليل ومعلوم أن عطب مثل هذا أقرب من سلامته وإن قدر سلامته اتفاقا نادرا فهو غير محمود بل مذموم عند العقلاء

“People who do charity without knowledge are like people who walk without a guide. It is understandable that people who walk without a guide will have difficulty and are difficult to survive. Put it safely, but it is rare. According to someone who has a reason, he is still not praised and even criticized.”

The teacher from Ibnul Qayyim namely Ibn Taimiyah rahimahullah also said,

مَنْ فَارَقَ الدَّلِيْلَ ضَلَّ السَّبِيْل وَلاَ دَلِيْلَ إِلاَّ بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ الرَّسُوْلُ

“Who is separated from the guiding path, of course, he will get lost. There is no best guide for us other than by following the teachings of the Apostle sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.”

Al Hasan Al Bashri rahimahullah said,

العامل على غير علم كالسالك على غير طريق والعامل على غير علم ما يفسد اكثر مما يصلح فاطلبوا العلم طلبا لا تضروا بالعبادة واطلبوا العبادة طلبا لا تضروا بالعلم فإن قوما طلبوا العبادة وتركوا العلم

“People who do charity without knowledge are like people who walk not on the real road. People who do charity without knowledge only make a lot of damage rather than bringing good. Demand knowledge seriously but do not leave worship. Also, love worshiping, but do not leave science. Because there is a group of people who are diligent in worship but do not learn.” (See Miftah Daris Sa’adah by Ibnul Qayyim, 1: 299-300)

‘Umar bin Abdul ‘Aziz also once said,

مَنْ عَبَدَ اللَّهَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ كَانَ مَا يُفْسِدُ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُصْلِحُ

“Who is worshiping Allah without being based on knowledge, then the damage he does is more than the benefit obtained.” (Majmu’ Al-Fatawa by Syaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, 2: 282)

Ibn Kathir said, Rahimahullah, “And the difference between the two paths that is to avoid the two paths because the way of the believer combines knowledge and charity. Jews lose charity, while Christians lose knowledge. Therefore, the Jews gained wrath and the Christians got lost. Whoever knows, then does not practice it, deserves wrath. Unlike people who do not know. Christians have a specific purpose but they do not get their way because they do not enter in accordance with the door. That is to follow the truth. So, they fall into error.”

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The Importance of Science in Worship

It is so important to study in charity so that there is no error as has been said by Allah SWT,

يسألونك ماذا أحل لهم قل أحل لكم الطيبات وما علمتم من الجوارح مكلبين تعلمونهن مما علمكم الله فكلوا مما أمسكن عليكم واذكروا اسم الله عليه واتقوا الله إن الله سريع الحساب

They ask you, “What is lawful for them?” Say: “It is lawful for you who are good and (hunted) by the wild animals that you have taught by training them to hunt; you teach them according to what God has taught you. So, eat from what he caught for you, and call the name of God over the beast (when removing it). And fear Allah, verily Allah is quick in reckoning.” (Al Maidah: 4)

It is clear that the law of worship without knowledge is not recommended and can lead to wrong and deviant actions.

The Result of Worship without Knowledge

Someone who worships without knowledge will cause an error and fall into bid’ah.

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,

مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِى أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ

“Whoever makes a new case in our religion that has no origin, the case is rejected.” (Narrated by Bukhari no. 20 and Muslim no. 1718)

مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ

“Whoever does a practice that is not our teaching, then the practice is rejected.” (Narrated by Muslim no. 1718)

Likewise, in the hadith Al ‘Irbadh bin Sariyah, mentioned that the Prophet sallallaahu‘ alaihi wa sallam said,

وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الأُمُورِ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ

“Be careful with new matters in religion. Because every new case (in religion) is heresy and every heresy is misguided.” (Narrated by Abu Daud no. 4607, Tirmidhi no. 2676, An Nasa’i no. 46. Shaykh Al Albani said that this hadith saheeh)

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Difference between Worship and Non-Worship

Ibn Taimiyah clarified the method for distinguishing worship and non-worship. He rahimahullah said,

إنَّ الْأَصْلَ فِي الْعِبَادَاتِ التَّوْقِيفُ فَلَا يُشْرَعُ مِنْهَا إلَّا مَا شَرَعَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى . وَإِلَّا دَخَلْنَا فِي مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ : { أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُ } . وَالْعَادَاتُ الْأَصْلُ فِيهَا الْعَفْوُ فَلَا يَحْظُرُ مِنْهَا إلَّا مَا حَرَّمَهُ وَإِلَّا دَخَلْنَا فِي مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ : { قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مِنْ رِزْقٍ فَجَعَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ حَرَامًا وَحَلَالًا } وَلِهَذَا ذَمَّ اللَّهُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ الَّذِينَ شَرَعُوا مِنْ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُ وَحَرَّمُوا مَا لَمْ يُحَرِّمْهُ

“The law of origin of worship is tawqifiyah (carried out if there is a proposition). Worship is not ordered until there is a command from God. If not, then it is included in the word of God (which means), “Do they have prayers other than Allah that give them a religion that is not permitted by Allah?” (Surah ash-Shura: 21). Whereas customary (non-worship) cases, the original law is forgiven, so there is no prohibition to be carried out until the prohibition argument is forthcoming. If not, then it is included in the word of God (which means), “Say: “Explain to me about the sustenance that Allah has sent to you, then you make it partly unclean and (partly) halal” (Quran, 59). Therefore, Allah denounced the idolaters who made shari’a which were not permitted by Allah and forbade that which was not forbidden.” (Majmu’ Al-Fatawa, 29: 17)

That is a brief explanation of the law of worship without knowledge.