Question posed to The Noble Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (may Allāh preserve him):

Question: Which of the two is more severe in punishment, the disobedient or the people of innovation?

Answer: The people of innovation have more of a severe punishment because the matter of innovation is more severe than the matter of disobedience. The affairs of innovation are more beloved to the shaytān than the acts of disobedience. That is due to the fact that the disobedient one repents (from his sins), whereas the person of innovation rarely repents due to him thinking that he is upon truth, contrary to the one who is disobedient, for he (the disobedient) knows that he is disobedient and that he is committing an act of disobedience.

As for the person of innovation, he sees that he is one who is obedient (to Allāh) and that he is upon obedience. Based upon this, the matter of innovation (and refuge is sought with Allāh) is more evil than acts of disobedience. For this reason, the Salaf used to warn against sitting with the people of innovation because they (negatively) affect the one who sits with them and their evil is severe. There is no doubt that the matter of innovation is more severe than the acts of disobedience. Likewise the danger of the innovator is more severe upon the people than the danger of the disobedient person. For this reason, the Salaf used to say:

Moderation upon a matter of Sunnah is better than striving upon a matter of innovation.

Source: Al-Ajwibah al-Mufīdah ‘an As-ilah al-Manāhij al-Jadīdah, pg. 27-28

Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah
4th of Rabī’ al-Thāni, 1437 (01-15-2016)
Masjid Nur Allah, Queens, NYC

Original Arabic

سؤال: أيهما أشد عذابا: العصاة أم المبتدعة ؟

:الجواب
المبتدعة أشد ؛ لأن البدعة أشد من المعصية، والبدعة أحب إلى الشيطان من المعصية؛ لأن العاصي يتوب ، وأما المبتدع فقليلا ما يتوب؛ لأنه يظن أنه على حق، بخلاف العاصي؛ فإنه يعلم أنه عاص، وأنه مرتكب لمعصية، أما المبتدع فإنه يرى أنه مطيع ، وأنه على طاعة، فلذلك صارت البدعة – والعياذ بالله – شرا من المعصية، ولذلك يحذر السلف من مجالسة المبتدعة ؛ لأنهم يؤثرون على الذي يجالسهم، وخطرهم شديد

ولا شك أن البدعة شر من المعصية ، وخطر المبتدع أشد على الناس من خطر العاصي ، ولهذا قال السلف اقتصاد في سنة خير من اجتهاد في بدعة

المصدر: كتاب الأجوبة المفيدة عن أسئلة المناهج الجديدة للشيخ
صالح الفوزان : ص 27 – 28