He replied: It affects their creed if they listen to and follow innovated recordings. But if they listen to recordings of trustworthy scholars, it does not affect their creed; rather, it increases them in Eemaan, hope, and adherence to the correct creed". End of speech from "Liqa' al-Bab al-Maftuh" (Al-Maktabah ash-Shamilah).
So there is no argument for those who claim necessity to learn from innovators based on the practice of the Muhadithoon taking from innovators. That practice was bound by conditions not present today, including:
1. Necessity due to the absence of alternatives. Some narrators accused of innovation possessed hadiths not found elsewhere, like Qatadah bin Di'amah as-Sadusi, who was a leader in the Innovation of Qadr but had hadiths from Anas (due to his exclusive posession of his Hadith) of the Prophet ﷺ that no one else had. If hadith scholars had abandoned Qatadah due to his innovation - a legitimate interest -, it would have resulted in a great evil: the loss of part of the legislation. So they prioritised the greater interest of preserving the legislation over the interest of abandoning and humiliating the innovator by not narrating from him. This is from the profound fiqh of the Salaf, based on the Quran and Sunnah. Ibn Daqiq al-Eid, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "We hold that one who is a caller to his deviant madhab, fanatical about it, and manifesting his falsehood, should have narration from him abandoned to humiliate him and extinguish his innovation. Venerating an innovator gives prominence to his madhab. However, if that hadith is not available to us except through him, then the interest of the hadith takes precedence over the interest of humiliating the innovator". End of speech from "Al-Iqtirah fi Fann al-Ishtilah, p.32".
An example is Ibn Sa'd's statement in "At-Tabaqat, 6/406" about Khalid bin Makhlad al-Qatwani: "He was Munkar in hadith, extreme in Shi'ism, but they wrote from him out of necessity". End of speech.
This necessity no longer exists, as hadith, sunan, and athar have been compiled, and alternatives to learning from innovators are available.
2. They only took from innovators (who were not declared disbelievers) when their truthfulness in hadith and narration was established. Today's innovators are far more dishonest; their lies reach levels that earlier innovators would avoid.
3. They never took from them what agreed with their innovations and contradicted the creed of the Salaf. Today's innovators disseminate their innovations and strive in ways their predecessors never imagined, using tricks and schemes that astonish. When the Islamic University of Medinah was opened, Shaykh Muhammad bin Ibrahim, may Allah have mercy on him, needed to recruit skilled innovators from Al-Azhar University in the sciences which are tools, stipulating that they not speak about their innovations. Then they betrayed the trust and schemed, spreading their innovations and poisons that the dawah in those lands now suffers from. Will anyone take heed?! Therefore, the door must be closed in the faces of innovators, blocking the means to prevent the great evils caused by sitting with them. It is necessary to return to the original principle of prohibition and adhere to it firmly. Many reports emphasise this great principle. Ibn Sireen, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "They used not to ask about the chain of narration. But when fitnah occurred, they said: "Name your men". So they would look to Ahlussunnah and accept their hadith, and look to Ahlul-Bid'ah and reject their hadith". Reported by Muslim in the introduction to his Sahih with an authentic chain.
Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Do not listen to the people of Desires". "Ihkam al-Fusul, 1/384".
Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said about the Qadariyyah: "Do not narrate from them". "Al-Kifayah, p.124".
Ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Whoever hears from an innovator, Allah will not benefit him by what he hears". "Al-Jami' lil-Khatib, 1/210".
