Corrupted Beliefs and Dangerous Deviations
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) foretold that Muslims would eventually fall into misguidance unless they steadfastly learned their religion and adhered closely to the Qur'an and the Sunnah. He warned of the dangers of following the ways of previous nations:
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَتَتْبَعُنَّ سَنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ شِبْرًا شِبْرًا وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ، حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلُوا جُحْرَ ضَبٍّ تَبِعْتُمُوهُمْ ". قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى قَالَ " فَمَنْ ".
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch) so much so that even if they entered a hole of a mastigure, you would follow them." We said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (Do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?" He said, "Whom else?" (Hadith: Bukhari)
Below are examples of some of the most significant deviations and false beliefs that have corrupted Islamic teachings throughout history, causing divisions within the Muslim Ummah and leading to various sects and partisanship:
a) Belief in the supernatural powers of saints, viewing them as Allah’s assistants, eternal beings, and controllers of the world.
b) Seeking intercession from saints and engaging in worship at graves.
c) Labelling other Muslims as disbelievers (Kaafir) or Khawaarij without legitimate or reliable justification.
d) Adopting the belief in the Unity of Existence, or pantheism.
e) Commemorating the Mawlid (the Prophet’s birthday).
f) Reinterpreting the Qur'an and Sunnah to conform to modern ideologies.
g) Advocating for the unification of all religions.
These deviations have severely impacted the unity and purity of Islamic beliefs, leading many astray from the authentic teachings of Islam.