Imam al-Shafi‘i’s Classification of Innovation: Praiseworthy and Blameworthy
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The Question
What did Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله mean when he divided innovation (bid‘ah) into praiseworthy (maḥmūdah) and blameworthy (madhmūmah)? What is the meaning of bid‘ah according to Imam al-Shafi‘i?
Imam al-Shafi‘i’s Statement
It is narrated that Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله said:
«الْبِدْعَةُ بِدْعَتَانِ: بِدْعَةٌ مَحْمُودَةٌ، وَبِدْعَةٌ مَذْمُومَةٌ. فَمَا وَافَقَ السُّنَّةَ: فَهُوَ مَحْمُودٌ. وَمَا خَالَفَ السُّنَّةَ: فَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ. وَاحْتَجَّ بِقَوْلِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ: نِعْمَتِ الْبِدْعَةُ هِيَ»
[Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ, Abū Nuʿaym, 9/113]
Translation:
“Bid‘ah is of two kinds: praiseworthy and blameworthy. That which conforms to the Sunnah is praiseworthy, and that which contradicts the Sunnah is blameworthy. He used as proof the saying of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه about the night prayer in Ramadan (Taraweeh): ‘What an excellent bid‘ah this is.’”
Another Explanation by Imam al-Shafi‘i
Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله is also reported to have said:
«المحدثات من الأمور ضربان: أحدهما: ما أُحدث يخالف كتاباً أو سنة أو أثراً أو إجماعاً؛ فهذه البدعة الضلالة. والثانية: ما أحدث من الخير، لا خلاف فيه لواحد من هذا؛ وهذه محدثة غير مذمومة. وقد قال عمر، رضي الله عنه، في قيام شهر رمضان: نعمت البدعة هذه...»
[Manāqib al-Shāfi‘i, al-Bayhaqī, 1/469]
Translation:
“Newly introduced matters are of two types:
- That which contradicts Qur’an, Sunnah, Athar, or Ijmāʿ — this is the innovation of misguidance.
- That which is introduced as good, with no contradiction to any of these — this is a non-blameworthy innovation.
ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said about the night prayer in Ramadan: ‘What an excellent bid‘ah this is,’ meaning it was introduced in this form later, but it did not negate anything from what came before.”
Linguistic vs. Shar‘i Bid‘ah
- Linguistic Bid‘ah (بدعت لغوی): Every newly introduced matter is called bid‘ah in language. Some are good, others are bad.
Example: ʿUmar رضي الله عنه called Taraweeh in congregation a bid‘ah because it was revived in a new form, though based on the Sunnah. - Shar‘i Bid‘ah (بدعت شرعی): That which has no basis in the Sharīʿah. This is always blameworthy and misguidance.
Imam Abū Shāmah رحمه الله explained:
“New matters are divided into praiseworthy and blameworthy. Imam al-Shafi‘i also said bid‘ah is of two kinds: what agrees with Sunnah is praiseworthy, and what contradicts it is blameworthy. ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said about Taraweeh: ‘What an excellent bid‘ah this is.’”
[al-Bāʿith ʿalā Inkār al-Bidaʿ, p. 22]
The Meaning of “Ni‘mat al-Bid‘ah”
Many scholars clarified that ʿUmar’s statement “Ni‘mat al-Bid‘ah” was in the linguistic sense, not the Shar‘i sense. Taraweeh was already Sunnah, but when he gathered people behind one imam, it was a new arrangement.
Imam Abū Mūsā al-Madīnī رحمه الله said:
“قيام رمضان جماعةً، في حق التسمية: سنة غير بدعة.”
[al-Majmūʿ al-Mughīth, 1/137]
“Praying Ramadan night prayer in congregation is in reality Sunnah, not bid‘ah.”
Shar‘i Bid‘ah is Always Blameworthy
- Imam Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said:
“Whenever the Salaf described some innovations as good, it was in the linguistic sense, not the Shar‘i sense.”
[Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wa al-Ḥikam, 2/783] - Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله said:
“In Shar‘i terminology, bid‘ah is always blameworthy. But in linguistic usage, anything newly introduced is called bid‘ah — whether good or bad.”
[Fatḥ al-Bārī, 13/253]
Imam al-Shafi‘i and
Some misunderstood that Imam al-Shafi‘i endorsed good innovations. But his own words show his strong rejection of istihsān bil-ra’y (personal opinion-based approval).
He said:
«ولا يقول بما استحسن، فإن القول بما استحسن شيء يحدثه لا على مثال سبق»
[al-Risālah]
“One cannot speak by mere istihsān (approval), for it is something newly introduced without precedent.”
He also said:
«وإنما الاستحسان تلذذ»
“Istihsān is merely personal fancy.”
Testimonies of Other Imams
- Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal رحمه الله said:
"ما رأيت أحداً أتبع للأثر من الشافعي"
“I have not seen anyone more devoted to following Sunnah than al-Shafi‘i.” - Ibn Imām Sahnūn رحمه الله said:
"لم يكن في الشافعي بدعة"
“There was no trace of bid‘ah in Imam al-Shafi‘i.”
Clarifications by Modern Scholars
Dr. Muḥammad Ḥusayn al-Jīzānī (Qawāʿid Maʿrifat al-Bidaʿ, p. 22) notes three conditions for something to be a Shar‘i bid‘ah:
① It is newly introduced.
② It pertains to religion.
③ It has no Shar‘i basis (neither general nor specific).
Thus:
- If it lacks any Shar‘i basis → it is Shar‘i bid‘ah and blameworthy.
- If it has a basis in Sharīʿah → it may linguistically be called bid‘ah, but it is not bid‘ah in Shar‘i terms.
Conclusion
According to Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله:
- Bid‘ah Maḥmūdah (Praiseworthy): A newly introduced matter that conforms to the Sunnah and has a basis in Sharīʿah. This is linguistic bid‘ah, not Shar‘i.
- Bid‘ah Madhmūmah (Blameworthy): A newly introduced matter that contradicts Sunnah or has no Shar‘i basis. This is Shar‘i bid‘ah, and it is always misguidance.
References
- Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ, Abū Nuʿaym (9/113)
- Manāqib al-Shāfi‘i, al-Bayhaqī (1/469)
- al-Bāʿith ʿalā Inkār al-Bidaʿ, Abū Shāmah (p. 22)
- al-Majmūʿ al-Mughīth, Abū Mūsā al-Madīnī (1/137)
- Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wa al-Ḥikam, Ibn Rajab (2/783)
- Fatḥ al-Bārī, Ibn Ḥajar (13/253)
- Fatāwā Ḥadīthiyyah, Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī (p. 654)
- Ḥaqīqat al-Bid‘ah wa Aḥkāmuhā (1/432)
- Qawāʿid Maʿrifat al-Bidaʿ, Muḥammad Ḥusayn al-Jīzānī (p. 22)
- al-Risālah, al-Shāfi‘i
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