Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
Please explain the meaning of bidʿah and clarify the Islamic ruling on celebrating Eid Milad al-Nabi ﷺ. Some people use the ḥadīth:
«مَنْ سَنَّ فِی الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Zakāh, Bāb al-Ḥath ʿalā al-Ṣadaqah, Ḥadīth: 1017)
“Whoever starts a good practice in Islam…”
to justify introducing new religious customs such as Eid Milad. How should this claim be refuted?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ سَنَّ فِی الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَلَهُ اَجْرُهَا وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 1017)
“Whoever starts a good practice in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him.”
But the same Prophet ﷺ also said:
«عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِی، وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ… وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ»
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ḥadīth: 4607; Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ḥadīth: 43)
“Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs… and beware of newly introduced matters, for every newly introduced matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.”
The statement:
«مَنْ سَنَّ فِی الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً»
was said on an occasion when some people from the tribe of Muḍar came to the Prophet ﷺ in extreme poverty. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged the Companions to give charity. A Companion then brought a bag of silver and placed it before the Prophet ﷺ. At that point, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever starts a good practice in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it until the Day of Judgment.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 1017)
When read in context, the meaning becomes clear:
◈ “Starting a good practice” means reviving or initiating action upon an existing Sunnah, not inventing a new act of worship or new religion.
◈ The authority to prescribe acts of worship belongs solely to Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ.
◈ The ḥadīth praises those who revive a Sunnah, encouraging others to follow it.
Correct understanding:
◈ Whoever begins acting upon an established Sunnah, and others follow his example, will receive a reward equal to theirs.
This ḥadīth can also include introducing permissible means that serve legitimate Sharʿī objectives, provided they do not contradict the Shari'ah.
Examples:
◈ Writing Islamic books
◈ Organising knowledge into chapters
◈ Building religious schools
These are tools, not acts of worship in themselves, and are permitted as long as they align with the Sharʿīah.
If someone claims this ḥadīth allows creating new religious practices (such as Eid Milad), it implies that the religion was incomplete during the Prophet ﷺ’s time — which is false.
Such a view would open the door for every group to invent its own version of the religion.
The Prophet ﷺ refuted this directly:
«كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Jumuʿah, Ḥadīth: 867)
“Every innovation is misguidance.”
Conclusion:
The ḥadīth of “Sunnah Ḥasanah” does not support inventing religious festivals like Eid Milad al-Nabi. It refers to reviving and encouraging action upon existing Sunnah practices, not introducing new acts of worship. Therefore, Eid Milad remains an innovation (bidʿah) and is impermissible in Islam.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Question
Please explain the meaning of bidʿah and clarify the Islamic ruling on celebrating Eid Milad al-Nabi ﷺ. Some people use the ḥadīth:
«مَنْ سَنَّ فِی الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Zakāh, Bāb al-Ḥath ʿalā al-Ṣadaqah, Ḥadīth: 1017)
“Whoever starts a good practice in Islam…”
to justify introducing new religious customs such as Eid Milad. How should this claim be refuted?
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ سَنَّ فِی الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَلَهُ اَجْرُهَا وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 1017)
“Whoever starts a good practice in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him.”
But the same Prophet ﷺ also said:
«عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِی، وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ… وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ»
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ḥadīth: 4607; Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ḥadīth: 43)
“Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs… and beware of newly introduced matters, for every newly introduced matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.”
Context of the Ḥadīth “Sunnah Ḥasanah”
The statement:
«مَنْ سَنَّ فِی الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً»
was said on an occasion when some people from the tribe of Muḍar came to the Prophet ﷺ in extreme poverty. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged the Companions to give charity. A Companion then brought a bag of silver and placed it before the Prophet ﷺ. At that point, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever starts a good practice in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it until the Day of Judgment.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 1017)
Meaning of “Sunnah Ḥasanah”
When read in context, the meaning becomes clear:
◈ “Starting a good practice” means reviving or initiating action upon an existing Sunnah, not inventing a new act of worship or new religion.
◈ The authority to prescribe acts of worship belongs solely to Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ.
◈ The ḥadīth praises those who revive a Sunnah, encouraging others to follow it.
Correct understanding:
◈ Whoever begins acting upon an established Sunnah, and others follow his example, will receive a reward equal to theirs.
Allowance for Permissible Means (Wasāʾil Mashrūʿah)
This ḥadīth can also include introducing permissible means that serve legitimate Sharʿī objectives, provided they do not contradict the Shari'ah.
Examples:
◈ Writing Islamic books
◈ Organising knowledge into chapters
◈ Building religious schools
These are tools, not acts of worship in themselves, and are permitted as long as they align with the Sharʿīah.
Innovation (Bidʿah) is Unacceptable
If someone claims this ḥadīth allows creating new religious practices (such as Eid Milad), it implies that the religion was incomplete during the Prophet ﷺ’s time — which is false.
Such a view would open the door for every group to invent its own version of the religion.
The Prophet ﷺ refuted this directly:
«كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Jumuʿah, Ḥadīth: 867)
“Every innovation is misguidance.”
Conclusion:
The ḥadīth of “Sunnah Ḥasanah” does not support inventing religious festivals like Eid Milad al-Nabi. It refers to reviving and encouraging action upon existing Sunnah practices, not introducing new acts of worship. Therefore, Eid Milad remains an innovation (bidʿah) and is impermissible in Islam.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
