Does Allah block the Tawbah of Innovators?

Question:

Is this Hadith authentic?

إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَجَبَ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ صَاحِبِ كُلِّ بِدْعَةٍ

Answer:

It is reported from Anas b. Malik that the Prophet ﷺ said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَجَبَ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ صَاحِبِ كُلِّ بِدْعَةٍ

“Allah blocks the repentance of all those who commit heretical innovations.”

This Hadith of Anas b. Malik is reported by Al Tabarani (Al Mu’jam Al Awsat 4202) via the path of Harun b. Musa Al Farwi from Abu Damrah Anas b. Iyadh from Humayd Al Taweel from Anas b. Malik.

The narrators in this report are all thiqaat except for Harun b. Musa Al Farwi who is viewed as a narrator who is laa ba’sa bihi as mentioned by Al Nasaa’i and Ibn Hajar. Abu Hatim labelled him a shaykh. Others have however labelled him a thiqah like Al Daraqutni and Ibn Hibban mentioned him in his Thiqaat.

Some have labelled the report as hasan like Al Munthiri (Al Targheeb Wal Tarheeb 1/45)

رواه الطبراني وإسناده حسن

However, Al Dhahabi said the report is munkar when he spoke about Harun b. Musa in Meezaan Al I’tidaal (9175).

٩١٧٥ – هارون بن موسى الفروى
شيخ صدوق من شيوخ النسائي
روى الساجي، وابن ناجية عنه، عن أبي ضمرة، عن حميد، عن أنس، عن النبي ﷺ، قال: إن الله يحجب التوبة عن كل صاحب بدعة
هذا منكر

I said: Perhaps he means munkar in meaning as there have been many innovators who repented from their innovation. This reality therefore contradicts this report and as this report is only relayed by Harun b. Musa Al Farwi who, whilst saduq, being entirely reliant on him for such a report is not strong enough.

However, there is another path for this report as reported by Al Bayhaqi in Shu’ab Al Iman (6846 & 9010) via Baqiyyah b. Al Waleed from Muhammad b. Abdurrahman Al Qushayri Kufi from Humayd from Anas.

But this path is extremely weak due to Muhammad b. Abdurrahman Al Qushayri Kufi who is munkar Al Hadith and was described as majhul by Ibn Adi (Al Kaamil Fi Du’afaa Al Rijaal (7/505 no.1735)

روى عنه بقية وغيره منكر الحديث

وهَذِهِ الأحادِيثُ لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبد الرَّحْمَنِ القُشَيْرِيِّ بِأسانِيدِها كُلُّها مَناكِيرُ بِهَذا الإسْنادِ ومِنها ما مَتْنُهُ مُنْكَرٌ، ومُحمد هَذا مَجْهُولٌ، وهو مَجْهُولِي شُيُوخِ بَقِيَّةَ

This report is supported by the report of Ibn Abbas as reported by Ibn Majah in his Sunan (50) via the path of Bishr from Abu Zayd from Abu Al Mugheerah from Ibn Abbas with the wording:

أَبَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقْبَلَ عَمَلَ صَاحِبِ بِدْعَةٍ حَتَّى يَدَعَ بِدْعَتَهُ

“Allah refuses to accept the good deeds of one who follows innovation until he gives up that innovation”

Note that this report is weak due to the unknown status of Bishr, Abu Zayd and Abul Mugheerah.

When Ahmad b. Hanbal was asked about Allah blocking the repentance of the innovator, he explained that it signifies Allah’s denial of tawfeeq, i.e., guidance, to the innovator, making the act of repentance difficult for them. (Badaa’i Al Fawaa’id 4/1387).

لا يوفق ولا ييسر صاحب بدعة

The reason for an innovator’s difficulty in recognizing the truth presented by their Sunni opponent is that the innovator’s innovation prevents them from giving adequate attention to any evidence presented. Unless Allah grants them tawfeeq (guidance) and tayseer (facilitation), it becomes challenging for them to see and acknowledge the truth.

And this is why the Salaf would say that Bid’ah is far more beloved to Satan than sin.

The reason behind the difference in seeking repentance for committing sins like murder or usury, as opposed to Bid’ah, is that the individual who commits these sins is aware of the wrongdoing and the need to repent for their heinous crimes. However, in the case of Bid’ah, the person genuinely believes that they are doing good and worshipping Allah in the way that is expected of them. Hence, the thought of repenting for their actions never crosses their mind.

With these people, these verses (18:103-104) comes to mind:

قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـٰلًا. ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا

“Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Shall we inform you of who will lose the most deeds? ˹They are˺ those whose efforts are in vain in this worldly life, while they think they are doing good!”

It can also be said that this Hadith is supported by Quranic verses such as 61:5:

فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ

“So when they ˹persistently˺ deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.”

Meaning that an innovator who has chosen to persistently deviate from the light of Allah and the guidance of the Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is deserving of having their hearts sealed blocked from being guided to repenting from this innovation.

Nevertheless, if Allah grants them the opportunity to realize their mistake and they turn back to seek repentance, Allah will accept their repentance. Many people who were once deviated from the right path and were innovators, have returned to the straight path after realizing the darkness of their ways and have repented from their innovations.

And Allah knows best.