The Difference between Sin & Bida
Sufyaan ath-Thawri -rahimullaah- said:
(إن البدعة أحب إلى إبليس من المعصية لأن البدعة لا يُتاب منها والمعصية يُتاب منها
‘Indeed Bida is more beloved to Iblees than sinning because Bida is not repented from, whereas sinning is repented from.’
[Tuhfatul al-Iraqeeyah fil Amaal al-Qalbeeyah p.12]
Ibn al-Qayyim -Rahimullaah- said:
“قُبُورُ فُسَّاقِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَقُبُورُ عُبَّادِ أَهْلِ الْبِدَعِ حُفْرَةٌ مِنْ حُفَرِ النَّارِ، وَالتَّمَسُّكُ بِالسُّنَّةِ يُكَفِّرُ الْكَبَائِرَ، كَمَا أَنَّ مُخَالَفَةَ السُّنَّةِ تُحْبِطُ الْحَسَنَاتِ، وَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ إنْ قَعَدَتْ بِهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ قَامَتْ بِهِمْ عَقَائِدُهُمْ، وَأَهْلُ الْبِدَعِ إذَا قَامَتْ بِهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ قَعَدَتْ بِهِمْ عَقَائِدُهُمْ”اهـ
‘The graves of the evil ones from the people of Sunnah are gardens from the gardens of Paradise. The graves of the worshippers from the people of Bida are trenches from the trenches of the Hell fire. Adhering to the Sunnah expiates major sins just as opposing the Sunnah cancels out good deeds. If the people of Sunnah are held back due to their actions then they are strengthened with their beliefs (Aqeedah). If the people of Bida are strengthened due to their actions then they are held back due to their beliefs (Aqeedah).
[I’laam al-Muwaqaeen un Rabil Alameen 3/329]
قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله : “كثرة الذنوب مع صحة التوحيد خير من قلة الذنوب مع فساد التوحيد” اﻹستقامة ص 1/466
Shaykh ul Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah -rahimullaah said:
كثرة الذنوب مع صحة التوحيد خير من قلة الذنوب مع فساد التوحيد
‘Having the correct Tawheed along with a lot of sins is better than having few sins and having the incorrect Tawheed.’
[Al-Istiqamma 1/466]
The Imam of the Sunnah and Hadeeth Ahmad bin Hanbal said:
“قبور أهل السنَّةِ من أهل الكبائر روضة، وقبور أهل البدعة من الزهاد حفرة. فساق أهل السنة أولياء، وزهاد أهل البدعة أعداء الله”.اهـ
‘The graves of the people of the Sunnah from the people of major sins are gardens and the graves of the people of Bida from the Zuhaad (Ascetics) are trenches.
The evil ones from the people of Sunnah are Aawaliya and the Zuhaad (Ascetics) of the people of Bida are the enemies of Allaah.
[From Tabaqaat al-Hanabila 1/184]
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya for Miraathpubs.net