Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Know that whoever revives a Sunnah of mine that has been neglected after me will receive a reward equal to that of all who act upon it—without diminishing their rewards in the slightest. And whoever introduces a misguided innovation that does not please Allah and His Messenger will bear a burden of sin equal to that of all who practice it—without that diminishing their burdens in the slightest.”
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اعْلَمْ إِنَّهُ مَنْ أَحْيَا سُنَّةً مِنْ سُنَّتِي قَدْ أُمِيتَتْ بَعْدِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مِنْ الْأَجْرِ مِثْلَ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا وَمَنْ ابْتَدَعَ بِدْعَةَ ضَلَالَةٍ لَا تُرْضِي اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلُ آثَامِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا لَا يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِ النَّاسِ شَيْئً
Sunan Al-Tirmidhi 2677
Ponder This Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ speaks here of reviving a Sunnah that has been abandoned after him – and promises a reward equal to all who act upon it. Yet Ismaili doctrine teaches that the Sunnah itself is no longer binding, having been superseded by the guidance of living Imams.
If the Sunnah were truly meant to be abandoned, why would the Prophet ﷺ praise its revival rather than its replacement? Why would reviving prophetic guidance be a source of immense reward – rather than a mistake or regression?