WHAT IS BID’AH
IN ISLAM
by Hakeemul Ummat Mufti Ahmad Yaar Khan
PUBLISHED BY
IMAM AHMED RAZA ACADEMY
DURBAN. SOUTH AFRICA
COPYRIGHT RESERVED
Date
of Publication:
Rajab 1422 A.H. (October 2001)
Number
of copies:
1 500
Publishers:
Imam
Ahmed Raza Academy
Ahmed
Raza Building
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Floor, 20-22 Lorne Street
Durban.
4001
South
Africa
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Address:
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Box 5325
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4000
South
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ISBN: 0-9584436-9-6
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
7
1.1 The word Bid’ah as mentioned in the Holy Quran
1.2 The two types of Bid’ah
1.2.1 Bid’ah I'tiqaadi (Innovation in Belief)
1.2.2 Bid’ah Amali (Innovation in Action):
A. Bid’ah Hasana and
B. Bid’ah Sai'yya
CHAPTER TWO
13
2.1 Types of Bid’ah and their status in the Shari'ah
2.2 Definition of the Categories of Bid’ah and their
Characteristics
A.
Bid’ah Ja'iz
B.
Bid’ah Mustahab
C.
Bid’ah Wajib
D.
Bid’ah Makruh
E.
Bid’ah Haraam
2.3 Bid’ah in our daily religious activities
2.4 Expostulations on the definition and categorisation
of Bid’ah - The definition of Bid’ah Amali (innovated action)
CHAPTER THREE
19
3.1 Two objections raised on the definition of Bid’ah
3.1.1 First Objection
3.1.2 Second Objection
3.2 Conclusion
“UMDATUL
AL-SALIK" - RELIANCE OF THE TRAVELLER
28
It
is indeed very distressing and disappointing to see within our society certain
groups of “scholars” who are continuously slandering true and sincere
Muslims by labelling them as “Bid’atis”, “grave-worshippers”,
proponents of Shirk and other derogatory terms that do not befit true Muslims.
These true and sincere Muslims belonging to the Ahle Sunnah School of Thought
have been practising certain aspects of the Deen over a long period, many of
which could be traced to earlier sources in Islamic history and culture and
which were never in dispute.
Today,
the term “Bid’ah” has been attached to these very actions. The frequency
with which this term has been used and is used creates uncertainty in the minds
of individuals who are not informed of the reality.
There exists, therefore, a dire need to explain in
simple terms what “Bid’ah” means and what acts constitute Bid’ah and
what acts do not. This book, the origin of which was in Urdu, and written by a
great Islamic scholar or Aalim, Hakeemul Ummat, Mufti Ahmed Yaar Khan(Radi ALLAH Anh),
purports to explain in great detail the concept of Bid’ah and thus clear the
minds of Muslims.
There are two types of Bid’ah:
1.
Bid’ah
Hasana (appreciable innovation) and
2.
Bid’ah
Sai’yya (offensive innovation).
These two Bid’ahs are called Bid’ah Amali
(innovation in action). Bid’ah I’tiqaadi (innovation in belief) is also
explained in detail. This book serves the need to differentiate between the
various types of Bid’ah – those that are acceptable and those that are not.
Many of the objections posed by the opposition have
also been answered with great authencity. It is highly recommended to read this
book and understand the contents of this book to avoid a feeling of uncertainty
about the behaviours and some practices of the Muslims.
May ALLAH, Most Merciful, grant the author of the book the
highest stages of Jannatul Firdous. May ALLAH Guide us on the Straight Path and save us from the
mischievousness of the misguided and save us from His Wrath and displeasure.
Insha-Allah, Aameen.
(Educationist and former Lecturer)
11 Rajab 1422 A.H.
29 September 2001
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 THE WORD BID’AH AS MENTIONED IN THE HOLY QURAN
The literary meaning of “Bid’ah” (in the dictionary) is “innovation; novelty.” In the following lines we see where in the Holy Quran this word has been used, and the meaning with which it is associated:
Says Almighty ALLAH in the Holy Quran:
the Apostles.”
(al-Ahqauf: 9)
and He says:
“The Originator of the Heavens
and the Earth.” (al-Baqarah: 117)
and He says:
“But monasticism (which) they
invented - We ordained
it not for them.” (al-Hadid: 27)
In these Ayahs from the Holy
Quran the word Bid’ah has been used in it's literary meaning. It's definition
in the technical language of the Sharee’ah is different. In the Holy Quran it
has been used to mean “to invent” and “to create a new thing”, whereas
it's technical meaning is as written in the book Mirqat (under Babul I'tisaam bil Kitaab was-Sunnah) - "that
belief or action which was not in practice during the blessed age of Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him)
but was introduced after him." From this we see that Bid’ah
is of two kinds:-
A. Bid’ah I'tiqaadi (innovation in belief)
B. Bid’ah Amali (innovation in action)
1.2 THE TWO TYPES OF BID’AH
Now let us see the difference
between Bid’ah I'tiqaadi and Bid’ah Amali.
1.2.1 BID’AH I'TIQAADI (INNOVATION IN BELIEF)
Is that new belief (which is in
contradiction with the Holy Quran and Sunnah) which found its way into Islam
after the blessed age of the Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him). Christianity, Judaism, Zoroasterism and
Polytheism are not Bid’ah I'tiqaadi as these beliefs were in practice before
and during the blessed time and also because they do not claim themselves to be
Muslims whereas the Jabriyya, Qadriyya, Batiniyya, Bahaaism, Qadyanism, etc. are
Bid’ah I'tiqaadi (innovations in belief) because they come into being after
the blessed age and also claim themselves to be Muslims. (See Endbliss
Bliss, Vol. 2, Waqf Iklah Publications, for a brief history of some of these
sects).
BID’AH-E-HASANA: and its evidence from the Holy
Quran.
Allah Ta'ala says in the Holy Quran:
“And We placed compassion and
mercy in the hearts of those
who followed him (Jesus), but
Monasticism they invented -
We ordained it not for them -
only seeking Allah's pleasure,
and they observed it not with
right observance.” (al-Hadid: 27)
and then He says:
“So We gave those of them who
believe their rewards.” (al-Hadid: 27)
From this we see that the
believers of Hadrat Isa u invented Bid’ah Hasana, i.e. Monasticism, and Allah
Ta'ala raises them and also promises them
reward. But those who did not foster it (Monasticism) with right observance were
reproved:
“And they observed it not with
right observance.” (al-Hadid: 27)
Note that those who invented this Bid’ah are not reproved but those who did not observe it rightly were reprimanded. This proves that Bid’ah-e-Hasana is a good thing and has an incentive for reward.
The first Hadith of Miskhaat-ul-Masabih
under Babul-I'tisaam is "Whosoever
introduces a new belief in our religion which contradicts with it is
rejected." We have translated the word "Ma" in the Hadith as "belief" because another
name for religion is belief, and not as actions as actions are subsidiary and
take the secondary place. Let's take an example: A person who does not pray the
daily Salaah will be sinful but not as a disbeliever (Kaafir), while a person
whose beliefs are in contradiction with the beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat will either be of the misguided (astray) ones
or a disbeliever. This shows that were the word Bid’ah is mentioned it means
innovation in belief and not action.
The same book Miskhat
under Kitab-ul Imaan says that when Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar(Radi ALLAH Anh)
was
told that some person had given him Salaams, he said, "I have had news that he (the person who has given Salaams) has
become a Bid’ahi, if it is so then don't return him my Salaams." How
did he become a Bid’ahi? It is
said that he had become a Qadriyya[1].
Such a person is called a Bid’ahi.
Durr-e-Mukhtar (Babul-Imaamat) says,
"It is Makruh to pray behind an Imam who is a Bid’ati. Bid’ah is that
belief (I'tiqaad) which contradicts that which has been conveyed to us from
Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him)."
This shows that new fangled
beliefs are Bid’ahs and wherever the Hadiths have mentioned about punishments
for Bid’atis these punishments are meant for those who practice Bid’ah in
beliefs, i.e. those beliefs which are in contradiction with Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat. A Hadith says, "He who exalts those people who commit Bid’ahs has helped in
demolishing Islam."
Fatawa Rashidiyya (considered as authentic by
scholars of Deoband) writes in it's first volume (page 90) under Kitabul
Bid’ah: "Such threats of
punishments for Bid’ahs are meant for those who have innovated a belief
(Aqeedah) which contradicts with that of the Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat, for
example, the Rawafidh, the Khawarij, the Mu'tazila, etc."
1.2.2 BID’AH AMALI (INNOVATION IN ACTION)
Is that action which came into
practice after the blessed period of Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him)
be
it secular or religious, in the eye of the Sahaaba-Kiraam(Radi ALLAH Anh)
or after it. Mirqat
Babul-I'tisaam says, "In the
Sharee’ah, Bid’ah is that innovation which was not there in the blessed age
of Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him)." The book, Ashi'atul
Lam'at under the same chapter says, "Bid’ah
is that which came into being after the blessed period of Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him)."
So
from the above definitions of Bid’ah we see that a Bid’ah Amali (innovated
action) can be religious or secular but it has to be after the blessed period of
the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him)
and
i.e. even that action which was introduced into Islam in the age of the
respected Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh)
will be considered a Bid’ah.
NOTE: If the innovation was brought into practice in
the age of the Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh) then
we should not call it Bid’ah but Sunnah of the Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh)
as it is respectful to call it so, though it is
Bid’ah-e-Hasana. Because the word Bid’ah is mostly understood to mean
Bid’ah-e-Sai'yya (vile innovation).
Hadrat Umar (Radi ALLAH Anh)
in the time of his Caliphate, called the people to
perform Tarawih prayers in congregation (Jamaat), whereas it used to be prayed
individually in the time of the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) and commented on seeing the
Jamaat, "This is a very nice
Bid’ah."
Bid’ah Amali (innovated action)
is classified in two:-
A. Bid’ah-e-Hasana (praiseworthy innovation)
B. Bid’ah-e-Sai'yya (offensive innovation)
A. BID’AH-E-HASANA
Is that action which does not
contradict with the Holy Quran and the Sunnah and was brought into practice
after the time of the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) for example, to construct
religious institutions, to print the Holy Quran in the press, to hold gatherings
of Meelad, to eat nice food and to put on attractive clothes, etc.
Bid’ah-e-Hasana is not only permissible (Ja'iz) but at times it can be
appreciable (Mustahab) and even essential (Wajib) as you will see later on.
B. BID’AH-E-SAI'YYA
Is that action which was not in
practice in the blessed age of the Holy Prophet and which contradicts with the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, for example,
to say the Khutba of Eid or Jum’ah in a language other that Arabic, etc.
Bid’ah-e-Sai'yya can be Makruh
Tanzhi or Makruh Tahrimi or even Haraam.
The first volume of Ashi'atul
Lam'aat (Babul I'tisaam) says about Bid’ah Hasana and Sai'yya under the
Hadith: "Every Bid’ah is a delusion (misleading)," that any
Bid’ah which is in accordance with the principles, the canons of Islamic Law
and the Sunnah and has been deduced analogically from the Quran or Sunnah
(through Qiyas) is Bid’ah-e-Hasana and that which is in contrasts to the above
definition is Bid’ah-e-Sai'yya.
A Hadith in Miskhat under Babul-I'lm says: "He
who sets a good precedent in Islam, there is reward for him for this (act of
goodness) and a reward for him also who acts according to it subsequently,
without any deduction from their rewards and he who sets in Islam an evil
precedent there is upon him the burden of that, and the burden of him also who
acts upon it subsequently, without any deduction from their burdens." From
this Hadith we see that to introduce a nice way in Islam which is in accordance
with the Holy Quran and Sunnah will induce rewards and to do vice versa will
provoke punishment.
In the preface of the book, Shaami,
under Faza'il Imam Abu Hanifa(Radi ALLAH Anh), it says: The scholars say these
Ahaadith are the canons of Islam and that is whoever introduces a bad way in
Islam, he will get the burden of the sins of all those who act upon it and
whoever introduces a nice way he will get reward of all those who act upon it
till the Day of Judgement.
An offensive Bid’ah is that
which contradicts with the Sunnah. Mishkaat
Babul I'tisaam says: "Whoever
introduces something in our religions which is not of it (i.e. not in accordance
with it) is rejected." The book Ashi'atul Lam'aat under the commentary of the same Hadith says, "It
means that thing which is not in accordance with Islam or which will alternate
the religion." A Hadith in Miskhat
Babul I'tisaam in the third chapter says, "No
people introduce a Bid’ah but a Sunnah of its kind is erased from them, so to
hold on to Sunnah is better that introducing a Bid’ah." Under the
commentary of this Hadith, the book Ashi'atul
Lam'aat says, "So if by
introducing a Bid’ah a Sunnah is removed from among the people, then surely
holding fast to the Sunnah will lead to the annihilation of every
Bid’ah."
NOTE: By this Hadith and its commentary we come to know that an offensive Bid’ah is that which will annihilate a Sunnah. For example, it is Sunnah to say the Friday or Eid Khutba in Arabic, but if someone says that it in some other language then it is Bid’ah-e-Sai'yya because he has obliterated the Sunnah of saying it in Arabic. So to hold gatherings of Meelad Shareef wherein the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) is praised is not Bid’ah because no Sunnah has been erased because of it. Likewise you may compare other things like Fateha, Khatam Shareef, Esaale-Thawaab, etc. with this principle and see for yourself if they are Bid’ahs or not. The difference between an offensive Bid’ah and appreciable Bid’ah should be well understood because this is where many get confused.
2.1 TYPES OF BID’AH AND THEIR STATUS IN THE SHARI'AH
We have seen that Bid’ah is of
two kinds, viz. Bid’ah Hasana (appreciable innovation) and Bid’ah Sai'yya
(offensive innovation).
Bid’ah Hasana is divided into three categories:
(A) Bid’ah Ja'iz (permissible)
(B) Bid’ah Mustahab (appreciable)
(C) Bid’ah Wajib (essential)
Bid’ah Sai'yya is categorised in two:
(A) Bid’ah Makruh (abominable)
(B) Bid’ah Haraam (prohibited)
In substantiation, we present the
words of the book Mirqat Babul
I'tisaam bil Kitaab was Sunnah: Bid’ah is either Waajib, for example to learn
Nahv (Arabic syntax) and to gather the principles of Fiqh, etc. or it is Haraam
for example, the introduction of new beliefs like the Sects Jabriyya, Qadriyya,
etc. or it is Mustahab for example, to construct religious institutions and
every good thing which was not there in the first era of the Islamic century or
to make congregation in the Taraweeh prayers, etc. or it is Makruh for example,
to vie in the decoration of mosques (with the intention of ostentatious pomp and
pride) or it is Ja'iz for example, to shake hands after the (Fajr) prayers or to
partake of nice food and drink, etc.
The book Shaami (Vol. 1) Kitaabus Salaat, Babul Imamat says: "It
is Makruh to perform Salaah behind an Imam who perpetrates a Bid’ah which is
Haraam, but otherwise Bid’ah is sometimes Waajib, for example, to furnish
proof in defence of Islam (against stray Sects) and to learn the knowledge of
Nahv (Syntax), and it is sometimes Mustahab, for example, to construct
caravanserais and madressas and all those favourable things which were not there
in the first era, and sometimes it is Makruh for example to vie in the
decoration of mosques with a sense of pride and sometimes it is Mubah (Ja'iz),
for example, to partake in nice food and drink and wear nice clothes." The
book Jaame’us-Sagheer says the same thing.
It is now clearly understood that
Bid’ahs is of five categories and every Bid’ah is not Haraam.
2.2 DEFINITION OF THE CATEGORIES OF BID’AH AND THEIR
CHARACTERISTICS
We have seen that a Bid’ah,
which does not contradict with the Holy Quran and Sunnah, is Bid’ah Hasana and
that which contradicts with the Holy Quran and Sunnah or leads to an
annihilation of a Sunnah is Bid’ah Sai'yya.
Bid’ah is divided into five
categories and the characteristic of each is given below.
A. BID’AH JA’IZ: is that action which the
Sharee’ah prohibited and which is
done without expecting any reward or punishment for it. For example, partaking
in a variety of delicious dishes or wearing nice and attractive clothing, etc.
B. BID’AH MUSTAHAB: is that act which is done with an
anticipation for earning reward, for example to pray the Meelad-un-Nabi(Peace Be Upon Him) or to pray Fatiha for the souls
of deceased Muslims, etc. If is done with the intention of gaining rewards, he
will gain reward for it, and if one does not do it, he will not be reprimanded
for omitting it.
Mirqat Bab-ul I'tisaam says, "Hadrat Abdullah ibn-e Mas'ood(Radi ALLAH Anh) has
narrated from the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) that, 'What the Muslims consider as good then it is
also considered as good by Allah.' Another Hadith which is Marfu' says, 'My
Ummah will not agree upon a thing which is misleading.'" In the first pages of Miskhat
there is a Hadith, "Verily
actions depend upon intentions and a man will get whatever he intends for."
The book of Fiqh Darr-e-Mukhtaar
(Vol.1) under the chapter of Mustahabs of Ablutions says, "A
Mustahab action is that action which the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) at times did and at times omitted and also that which
the Muslims preceding us thought to be good."
The book Shaami (Vol. 5) under the Chapter of Qurbani says, "Verily
good intentions change habits into worship." It is also written
similarly in the book Mirqat under
the Chapter of Intentions.
From these Hadiths and quotations from different books of Fiqh we come to know that whatever permissible action done with an intention of anticipating rewards or that which the Muslims consider as reward earning is also considered as rewarding in the Judgement of ALLAH. Muslims are witnesses of ALLAH and whatever they witness to be good is good and whatever they witness to be evil is evil.
C. BID’AH WAJIB: is that new action which has not
been prohibited in the Shari’ah but to omit it will lead to critical
complications in the religion. For example, to put the expressions (I'raab) in
the Holy Quran such as Fatha (Zabar), Kasra (Zer) and Dhumma (Pesh), to
construct madressas for teaching the Holy Quran and Hadith and to learn and
teach the knowledge of nahv (Arabic
syntax), etc. are all Bid’ah Wajib. Let's
take an example of the complication, which the Muslims will face if one of these
things was to be omitted. Supposing the expressions of the Holy Quran were to be
erased, then millions of Muslims who are not familiar with the Arabic syntax
(Nahv - the learning of which is also Bid’ah Wajib) will not be able to read
the Holy Book correctly and will be sinful for reading it incorrectly.
D. BID’AH MAKRUH : Is that innovation
the performing of which will lead to the annihilation of a Sunnah. If a
Ghaiyr Mu'akkidah Sunnah is annihilated then it is Makruh Tanzihi and if a
Mu'akkidah Sunnah is annihilated then it is Makruh Tahrimi. For example, to pray the
Eid Khutba in a language other than Arabic, etc. is Bid’ah Makruh Tahrimi.
E. BID’AH HARAAM: Is that innovation which will
lead to the annihilation of a Wajib. For example, the introductions of beliefs
which are in contradiction with the Kitaab and Sunnah, such as Qadriyya who
believe, that man has got all the power to do whatever he wishes, and Jabriyya,
who believe that man has got no power at all and all actions are done under
compulsion, whereas the belief of the Ahle
Sunnah Wal Jamaat is that man has been given option in some things and is
under compulsion in some. So to believe as the Qadriyya or the Jabriyya will
lead to the annihilation of a Wajib, which is Haraam. Many sects have been
introduced into Islam after the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him). Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him) said: "My Ummah will be divided into seventy three Sects and all will be
in Hell except one. That upon which I
and my Sahaba are."
2.3 BID’AHS IN OUR DAILY RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES
We will now see that no worship
in Islam is void of Bid’ah-e-Hasana.
IMAAN: Every Muslim child is taught Imaan-e-Mujmal and
Imaan-e-Mufassal whereas no such categories or names for Imaan were in practice
in the age of the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) or the three blessed generations [2]
after him.
KALIMAH: Every Muslim memorises six Kalimahs. These six
Kalimahs, their enumeration and their sequence that, this is the first Kalimah,
this the second, etc. are all Bid’ahs which were not there in the commencing
period of Islam.
QURAN: To divide the Holy Quran into thirty Paras
(sections) and to divide the Paras into Rukus, to put the I'raab (expressions
such as Zabbar, Zer, Pesh) in the Holy Quran and to have the Holy Book printed
by offset in the press are Bid’ahs which could not be traced in the commencing
era of Islam.
HADITH: To collect the Hadith in book form and state the
chain or narrators and to characterise the Hadiths by saying this is Sahih, this
is Hassan or Da'if, Mu'addaal or Mudallas, etc. and to establish the commands
with the help of Hadith such as Makruh, Mustahab, etc. are all appreciable
Bid’ahs which were not in practice in the blessed age of Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him).
PRINCIPLES OF HADITH (USUL-E-HADITH): This whole branch of knowledge
along with its rules is itself Bid’ah Hasana.
FIQH: Nowadays all the matters in our daily life
depend upon this knowledge because it contains the rules and commands for
everything, which may come across our lives, but this field of knowledge, also
is Bid’ah Hasana.
USUL FIQH AND I'LM-E-KALAAM: These two branches of knowledge
too, along with their principles and injunctions are all Bid’ah Hasana.
SALAAT: It is Bid’ah-e-Hasana to intend for praying
Salaah by proclaiming the intention loudly or to pray the 20 Rakaah Taraweeh
prayer in congregation during the Holy Month of Ramadaan.
FASTING: At the time of breaking fast (Iftaar) to say the
Dua: "O Allah, for Thee have I Fasted
and in Thee I believe and upon Thee I trust and with the food given by Thee I
open my fast" and to intend for fasting by saying this Dua audibly at
the time of Sehri: "O Allah, I intend
to fast for Thy sake tomorrow" are all Bid’ah Hasana.
ZAKAAT: To give Zakaat with the currency which is
currently used such as coins and paper notes is Bid’ah because these were not
in vogue in the commencing centuries of Islam.
HAJJ: To perform Hajj by travelling in aeroplanes,
ships, cars, lorries, buses and to go to the field of Arafaat by car or bus are
all Bid’ahs because such conveyances had not been invented in that age.
When Bid’ah has been introduced
in such things as Imaan and Kalimah then how will we succeed in abstaining from
it? So we will have to agree that all Bid’ahs are not Haraam and only those
Bid’ahs are Haraam, which contradict the Kitaab and Sunnah.
BID’AH IN WORDLY AFFAIRS: Now days we see around us such
new inventions that could not be found in the first three centuries of Islam and
we got so much accustomed to them that life would be very difficult without
them. Everyone is compelled to use these things such as trains, cars,
aeroplanes, watches, electricity, and hundreds of other things, without which we
cannot imagine how life would be. But all these things are Bid’ahs and cannot
be traced back to the blessed age of Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him) or the Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh).
2.4 EXPOSTULATIONS ON THE DEFINITION AND CATEGORISATION
OF BID’AH - THE DEFINITION OF BID’AH AMALI (INNOVATED ACTION)
Is that action which came into
practice after the blessed age of Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him)
be it in the religious field or
secular. If it was innovated in the age of the respected Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh) even then it will be considered
to be a Bid’ah. We will not call that action innovated in the time of the
respected Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh) a Bid’ah, but in the terminology of the Shari’ah it is called Sunnah
of the Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh). Because mostly the Bid’ah is used to mean Bid’ah Sai'yya (vile
innovation) and it is not respectful to assign such a word towards the respected
Sahaba(Radi ALLAH Anh).
This is the definition of
Bid’ah.
There are two well-known
objections regarding this definition and we will answer them one by one.
3.1 TWO OBJECTIONS RAISED ON THE DEFINITION OF BID’AH
3.1.1 FIRST OBJECTION
Bid’ah is that innovation in
religious matters which was brought into practice after the blessed age of
Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him) and if any novelty is introduced in worldly
matters it will not be called a Bid’ah. So Meelad and Fateha are Bid’ahs
(because they are considered as religious activities) and things such as
telegrams, telephones and other inventions will not be called Bid’ahs because
they have nothing to do with religion. The Hadith says, "Whosoever innovates a new thing in our religion is rejected."
The word “in our religion” in the Hadith proves that any new thing,
which is introduced in religion, will be Bid’ah and not that which is secular.
And Bid’ah in religious matters is Haraam, and lastly, there is nothing like
Bid’ah-e-Hasana because the Hadith says that all types of innovations are
rejected.
ANSWER TO FIRST OBJECTION
Bid’ah is not confined to
matters concerning religion only because the Sahih Hadiths and the sayings of
the Ulama, Fuqaaha and Muhadditheen are against this. A Bid’ah is that
innovation, which came into practice after the blessed age of the Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him), be it worldly or religious. A
Hadith in the book Miskhat (Babul
I'tisaam) says, "Every new thing is a
Bid’ah." There is no restriction of Bid’ah being religious or
worldly and we have also quoted the statements from the books Ashi'atul
Lam'aat and Mirqaat in the
preceding pages, which say that Bid’ah is not restricted to religious matters
only.
The chapter, "Types of
Bid’ah and their Status in Shari’ah," in this book, we have quoted from
the books Mirqaat and Shaami
that to partake of good food and drink and to wear nice clothes in Bid’ah
Ja'iz. These are worldly affairs but they have been mentioned as Bid’ahs,
which are permissible (Ja'iz), therefore this restriction of Bid’ah to matters
religious only is wrong and baseless.
Let us, for a moment, suppose
that Bid’ah is restricted to religious matters only. Now what can be called a
religious matter? The answer will be that thing which induces Thawaab (Reward).
Mustahab, Nafil, Wajib, Fardh, etc. are all religious affairs, which are done to
gain reward and any worldly action done with a good intention, will surely
induce reward. It is said in a Hadith that "to
meet a Muslim brother with a cheerful face is equal to giving Sadaqa (charity)
in Allah's way." Likewise, it is rewarding to foster one's children
with a good intention. A Hadith says, "Even
that morsel of food you put in your wife's mouth is rewarding." Therefore,
a Muslim's every action, be it religious or secular is rewarding because it is
done with the intention of pleasing ALLAH.
We will now list a few things
which were not during the blessed age of Rasoolullah(Peace Be Upon Him) but were innovated afterwards
and made part and parcel of religion.
a)
Construction of Madressas.
b)
Dividing the Quran into thirty parts.