❖ Question:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Every innovation is misguidance.”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim: 867)
However, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) said:
“What a good innovation (ni‘mat al-bid‘atu hādhihi) this is.”
(Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2010)
How can these two statements be reconciled? If every innovation is misguidance, how did ʿUmar (RA) refer to something as a “good innovation”?
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. To proceed:
It is essential to understand that bid‘ah (innovation) is of two types:
This refers to any new action that did not previously exist, but falls under a valid Shar‘i principle.
It may be called a “new matter” in the general sense, but it is not considered religious innovation (bid‘ah shar‘iyyah).
When ʿUmar (RA) said “What a good innovation this is”, he was referring to linguistic innovation, not religious innovation.
This refers to introducing a new practice into religion, for which there is no basis in the Sharī‘ah.
This is the type of bid‘ah the Prophet ﷺ called “misguidance.”
Hence, the statement of the Prophet ﷺ and the statement of ʿUmar (RA) do not contradict each other, as they refer to different meanings of bid‘ah.
ʿUmar (RA) made this statement when he saw the Companions praying Tarāwīḥ in congregation during Ramaḍān.
The Prophet ﷺ had once led Tarāwīḥ in congregation, but ceased doing so publicly so that it would not become obligatory upon the Ummah.
When ʿUmar (RA) revived the congregational form, he referred to it as a “good bid‘ah”—not because it was newly invented in religion, but because it was reviving a Sunnah practice.
“The statement of ʿUmar (RA) regarding Tarāwīḥ as a ‘good bid‘ah’ was said in the linguistic sense, not the religious sense, because it is a practice proven from the Prophet ﷺ.”
[Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 22/234]
“Bid‘ah is of two types: linguistic and religious.
Religious innovation is that which contradicts the Qur’an and Sunnah, whereas linguistic bid‘ah is merely the adoption of a new action without altering the religion.”
[Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wa’l-Ḥikam: Ḥadīth 28]
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Beware of newly invented matters, for every bid‘ah is misguidance.”
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 4607]
“Any act introduced into the religion without an origin in the Qur’an or Sunnah is a bid‘ah, and every such bid‘ah is misguidance.”
[Al-Iʿtiṣām: 1/37]
Some later scholars divided bid‘ah into five categories:
◈ Wājib (obligatory) — e.g., learning Qur’anic recitation rules
◈ Mustaḥabb (recommended) — e.g., writing Islamic books
◈ Mubāḥ (permissible) — e.g., constructing mosques with new designs
◈ Makrūh (disliked) — e.g., unnecessary repetitive adhkār
◈ Ḥarām (forbidden) — e.g., inventing new forms of worship
However, this classification is incorrect, because the Prophet ﷺ used an absolute expression:
“Every bid‘ah is misguidance.”
“Classifying bid‘ah into ḥasanah (good) and sayyi’ah (bad) is wrong, because the Prophet ﷺ said ‘every bid‘ah is misguidance’ without exception.”
[Al-Iʿtiṣām: 1/191]
❖ The ḥadīth “Every innovation is misguidance” refers to religious innovations (bid‘ah shar‘iyyah)—that is, newly introduced religious practices with no basis in revelation.
❖ ʿUmar’s statement “What a good innovation this is” was in the linguistic sense, referring to reviving an established Sunnah.
❖ Dividing bid‘ah into “good” and “bad” is not supported by the Sharī‘ah, as the Prophet ﷺ condemned all forms of religious innovation.
❖ Acceptable linguistic innovations include things like Islamic schools, printing religious books, using modern technology for daʿwah, etc.—as long as they do not alter or add to religious rulings or acts of worship.
وَاللهُ أَعلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
May Allah keep us firm upon the Sunnah and protect us from all forms of bid‘ah.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Every innovation is misguidance.”(Saḥīḥ Muslim: 867)
However, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) said:
“What a good innovation (ni‘mat al-bid‘atu hādhihi) this is.”(Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2010)
How can these two statements be reconciled? If every innovation is misguidance, how did ʿUmar (RA) refer to something as a “good innovation”?
❀ Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. To proceed:
It is essential to understand that bid‘ah (innovation) is of two types:
➊ Linguistic Innovation (Bid‘ah Lughawiyyah):
This refers to any new action that did not previously exist, but falls under a valid Shar‘i principle.
It may be called a “new matter” in the general sense, but it is not considered religious innovation (bid‘ah shar‘iyyah).
When ʿUmar (RA) said “What a good innovation this is”, he was referring to linguistic innovation, not religious innovation.
➋ Religious Innovation (Bid‘ah Shar‘iyyah):
This refers to introducing a new practice into religion, for which there is no basis in the Sharī‘ah.
This is the type of bid‘ah the Prophet ﷺ called “misguidance.”
Hence, the statement of the Prophet ﷺ and the statement of ʿUmar (RA) do not contradict each other, as they refer to different meanings of bid‘ah.
❖ Context of ʿUmar’s Statement:
ʿUmar (RA) made this statement when he saw the Companions praying Tarāwīḥ in congregation during Ramaḍān.
The Prophet ﷺ had once led Tarāwīḥ in congregation, but ceased doing so publicly so that it would not become obligatory upon the Ummah.
When ʿUmar (RA) revived the congregational form, he referred to it as a “good bid‘ah”—not because it was newly invented in religion, but because it was reviving a Sunnah practice.
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:
“The statement of ʿUmar (RA) regarding Tarāwīḥ as a ‘good bid‘ah’ was said in the linguistic sense, not the religious sense, because it is a practice proven from the Prophet ﷺ.”
[Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 22/234] Imām Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (رحمه الله) said:
“Bid‘ah is of two types: linguistic and religious.
Religious innovation is that which contradicts the Qur’an and Sunnah, whereas linguistic bid‘ah is merely the adoption of a new action without altering the religion.”
[Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wa’l-Ḥikam: Ḥadīth 28]❖ Explanation of the Ḥadīth:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Beware of newly invented matters, for every bid‘ah is misguidance.”
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 4607] Imām al-Shāṭibī (رحمه الله) clarified:
“Any act introduced into the religion without an origin in the Qur’an or Sunnah is a bid‘ah, and every such bid‘ah is misguidance.”
[Al-Iʿtiṣām: 1/37]
Misconception: Are There Five Types of Bid‘ah?
Some later scholars divided bid‘ah into five categories:
◈ Wājib (obligatory) — e.g., learning Qur’anic recitation rules
◈ Mustaḥabb (recommended) — e.g., writing Islamic books
◈ Mubāḥ (permissible) — e.g., constructing mosques with new designs
◈ Makrūh (disliked) — e.g., unnecessary repetitive adhkār
◈ Ḥarām (forbidden) — e.g., inventing new forms of worship
However, this classification is incorrect, because the Prophet ﷺ used an absolute expression:
“Every bid‘ah is misguidance.”
Imām al-Shāṭibī (رحمه الله) stated:
“Classifying bid‘ah into ḥasanah (good) and sayyi’ah (bad) is wrong, because the Prophet ﷺ said ‘every bid‘ah is misguidance’ without exception.”
[Al-Iʿtiṣām: 1/191]✔ Summary:
❖ The ḥadīth “Every innovation is misguidance” refers to religious innovations (bid‘ah shar‘iyyah)—that is, newly introduced religious practices with no basis in revelation.
❖ ʿUmar’s statement “What a good innovation this is” was in the linguistic sense, referring to reviving an established Sunnah.
❖ Dividing bid‘ah into “good” and “bad” is not supported by the Sharī‘ah, as the Prophet ﷺ condemned all forms of religious innovation.
❖ Acceptable linguistic innovations include things like Islamic schools, printing religious books, using modern technology for daʿwah, etc.—as long as they do not alter or add to religious rulings or acts of worship.
وَاللهُ أَعلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
May Allah keep us firm upon the Sunnah and protect us from all forms of bid‘ah.
