Classification of Bid’ah
It is not correct to divide bid’ah into سيئة (bad) and حسنة (good), because every bid’ah is سيئة (bad); no bid’ah is حسنة (good).
Consider the evidences:
Evidence Number 1:
The very definition of bid’ah is that its origin is not in the Quran, Sunnah, and Ijma, so how can something without evidence be considered Hasanah (good)?
❀ Allama Shatibi, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
إن هذا التقسيم أمر مخترع، لا يدل عليه دليل شرعي، بل هو نفسه متدافع، لأن من حقيقة البدعة أن لا يدل عليها دليل شرعي، لا من نصوص الشرع، ولا من قواعده.
“The division of bid’ah itself is an innovation and bid’ah, because there is no Shariah evidence for this division; rather, the definition of bid’ah itself rejects this division. The definition of bid’ah is that no Shariah text or Shariah principle supports it.”
Evidence Number 2:
❀ The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَٰذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ﴾
“Do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, ‘This is lawful and this is unlawful,’ to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
يدخل فى هٰذا كل من ابتدع بدعة ليس لها فيها مستند شرعي أو حلل شيئا مما حرم الله أو حرم شيئا مما أباح الله بمجرد رأيه وتشهيه.
“Every person who introduces an innovation without any Shariah evidence or proof is an example of this verse. Such a person, based solely on his own opinion and desires, declares what Allah has forbidden as lawful and what Allah has made lawful as forbidden.”
Introducing innovation means lying against Allah, so can a lie attributed to Allah be classified as bad or good?
Argument number 3:
❀ Allah Almighty said about the Jews:
وَقَالُوا لَن تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ إِلَّا أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَةً قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ عَهْدَهُ ۖ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
(
“They say, ‘We will only be punished for a few days in the fire.’ Say, ‘Have you taken a covenant with Allah? Then Allah will not break His covenant, or do you say about Allah that which you do not know?'”
It is understood that speaking about religious rulings and matters without evidence is slander and false accusation against Allah. What else can it be called other than lying about Allah? And this is exactly what happens in innovation (bid’ah), where something that Allah has not called religion is called religion. Therefore, under no circumstances can lying about Allah be considered a good deed (hasanah).
Evidence number 4:
❀ Allah Almighty’s command is:
يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ
“O People of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not say about Allah except the truth.”
In this verse, “exceeding the limits in religion” (ghuluww fi ad-deen) is prohibited, and innovation (bid’ah) is a form of excess, so such a forbidden act cannot be called a good deed (hasanah), it is an evil (sayyi’ah).
Evidence number 5:
❀ Our master Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
شر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالة
“Innovation is the most evil of deeds, and every innovation is misguidance.”
❀ Allama Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
يريد ما لم يوافق كتابا أو سنة، أو عمل الصحابة رضي الله عنهم
“The Prophet, peace be upon him, meant every act that is not in accordance with the Book, Sunnah, and the practice of the Companions.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
المراد بقوله: كل بدعة ضلالة، ما أحدث ولا دليل له من الشرع بطريق خاص ولا عام
“Every innovation is misguidance; this means every new thing for which there is no specific or general evidence in the Shariah.”
Evidence Number 6:
❀ Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
من أحدث فى أمرنا هٰذا ما ليس منه فهو رد
“Whoever introduces into our religion something that is not originally part of it (in the Book, Sunnah, or consensus), it is false.”
Translation: Any action not proven from the Book, Sunnah, and consensus of the Ummah is an innovation (Bid’ah) and false, and falsehood cannot be a good deed.
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله
says:
إن المحافظة علىٰ عموم قول النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم: كل بدعة ضلالة، متعين، وأنه يجب العمل بعمومه، وأن من أخذ يصنف البدع إلىٰ حسن وقبيح، ويجعل ذلك ذريعة إلىٰ أن لا يحتج بالبدعة على النهي فقد أخطأ
“The Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Every innovation is misguidance. It is necessary to act upon this and also necessary to apply it generally. Those who divide innovations into bad and good and argue that a certain act is not prohibited in religion, therefore it is a good innovation, are clearly mistaken.”
Evidence Number 7:
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما says:
كل بدعة ضلالة، وإن رآها الناس حسنة
“Every innovation is misguidance, even if people call it good.”
Evidence Number 8:
❀ Sayyiduna Muadh bin Jabal رضي الله عنه says:
إياكم وما ابتدع، فإن ما ابتدع ضلالة
“Avoid innovations, for innovation is misguidance.”
Imam Hakim رحمه الله
has declared this statement as “authentic” according to Imam Muslim’s criteria, and Hafiz Zahabi رحمه الله has agreed with him.
The Companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم have declared every innovation as misguidance, therefore there is no goodness or beauty in innovation.
Evidence Number 9:
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما says:
إياي والبدع فى دين الله
“Avoid introducing innovations in the religion of Allah.”
The esteemed Companion absolutely forbids innovations, therefore every innovation is prohibited and bad. If some innovations were good, Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas would have said to avoid bad innovations and continue with good innovations.
Evidence Number 10:
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه used to say in every sermon:
كل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالة، وشر الأمور محدثاتها
“Every new matter in religion is an innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and the worst of deeds are innovations.”
If every innovation is misguidance, then how can it be correct to call misguidance good?
Argument Number 11:
Allama Shatibi رحمه الله
says:
إجماع السلف الصالح من الصحابة والتابعين من يليهم على ذمها كذلك، وتقبيحها والهروب عنها وعمن اتسم بشيء منها، ولم يقع فى ذلك منهم توقف ولا مثنوية فهو بحسب الإستقراء إجماع ثابت تدل على أن كل بدعة ليست بحق، بل هي من الباطل.
“There is consensus among the righteous predecessors, the noble companions, the great followers, and the followers of the followers on condemning innovations and innovators, considering them corrupt, and staying away from them. There is no hesitation or exception proven from the Salaf regarding this matter. According to our research, there is consensus on calling every innovation false and indeed wrong.”
The texts that condemn innovations are general; no specification or division is proven in them.
Argument Number 12:
❀ The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا﴾
“The Christians invented monasticism as an innovation in religion, which We did not prescribe for them; they did it seeking the pleasure of Allah, but they did not observe it with due observance.”
This verse indicates that adding to the religion on one’s own is an innovation. Allah Almighty has condemned this corrupt act of the Christians.
❀ Abdul Rahman bin Umar Rasta, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that in the presence of Imam Abdul Rahman bin Mahdi, may Allah have mercy on him, the efforts of the people of innovation in worship were mentioned, so he said:
لا يقبل الله إلا ما كان على الأمر والسنة، ثم قرأ: فلم يقبل ذلك منهم، ووبخهم عليه، ثم قال: الزم الطريق والسنة.
“Allah Almighty will only accept that action which is according to Tawheed and Sunnah.” Then he recited this verse: ﴿وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ﴾ “They invented monasticism, which We did not prescribe for them.” Allah did not accept their action, rather He reprimanded them for it. Then the Imam said: Hold firmly to Tawheed and Sunnah.”
﴿وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ﴾
