Written by: Hafiz Abdul Hamid Azhar (may Allah have mercy on him)
There are multiple types of innovations (bid‘ah). These can be in beliefs, actions, and speech. Among the practical innovations, some are related to places and others to times.
Examples of innovations in belief include those of the Khawarij, Rafidah, and Mu‘tazilah. These groups often rely on speculative theology (kalam) and some fabricated and concocted narrations. Ibn Abdul Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in Jami‘ Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih (2/95):
"The consensus of the scholars of jurisprudence and hadith across all regions is that those who rely on speculative theology are innovators and misguided. According to these scholars, innovators are not considered part of the scholarly ranks because the title of a scholar is reserved for those who are associated with the knowledge of hadith and traditions, who engage in deriving jurisprudence from them, and whose ranks are determined by their specialization and expertise in this field."
Among innovations in speech is articulating the intention aloud, such as some people saying: "I intend to pray this many units of prayer" or "I intend to fast today," etc.
The rites of Hajj and Umrah are exceptions to this. A person performing Umrah says "Labbaik Umrah," and someone performing Hajj al-Ifrad says, "Labbaik Hajj," while the one performing Qiran says, "Labbaik Umrah wa Hajj," as these are proven from the Sunnah.
Another example in this category is making supplications through the intercession of someone’s status or personality, as such phrases are not part of the established Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Some innovations in speech can even be acts of disbelief, such as calling upon those buried in graves, seeking help from them, asking for relief from distress, or requesting things that only Allah can grant. Allah Almighty says:
[Al-Jinn:18]
"And the mosques are for Allah, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah."
And He also said:
[An-Naml: 62]
"Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember."
As for declaring someone who commits such acts a disbeliever, this is only done after the evidence has been established against them. This is also the stance of a significant group of scholars. In the introduction to Tathir al-I‘tiqad wa Sharh al-Sudur, I have mentioned seven of these scholars, among whom are Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) and, at the end, Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him).
Innovations in practice can be related to places or times. Spatial innovations (related to places) include practices such as wiping and kissing graves for blessings. Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) in al-Majmu‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (8/206) discusses the kissing and wiping of the wall around the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him), stating:
"One should not be deceived by the large number of common people engaging in actions contrary to the Shariah. Deeds are based on authentic hadith and the fatwas of scholars, not on the ignorant practices of the common folk."
In the two Sahihs, it is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
[Sahih Bukhari: 2697, Sahih Muslim: 1718]
"Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (Islam) that is not from it, it will be rejected."
And from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
[Sunan Abi Dawood: 2042, its chain is sound]
"Do not make my grave a place of celebration, and send blessings upon me, for your blessings reach me wherever you are."
Al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) said, whose meaning is: "Follow the paths of guidance, and even if the followers are few, it will not harm you. Avoid the paths of misguidance, and do not be deceived by the multitude of those who are destroyed." And if anyone thinks that touching graves for blessings brings more benefit, they are mistaken and ignorant because blessings are in following the Shariah. How can there be merit and blessings in opposing the truth? [al-Majmu‘ 8/275]
Temporal innovations (related to times) include celebrations like the Prophet’s birthday (Mawlid). This practice began in the fourth century of the Hijrah. There is nothing reported about it from the Prophet (peace be upon him), his caliphs, or his companions. Nor is there anything from the followers of the companions or the early righteous generations. The first three centuries passed without this innovation. Books compiled during this period are devoid of any mention of Mawlid celebrations. This innovation began in the fourth Hijri century, introduced by the Fatimid rulers of Egypt.
Taqi al-Din Ahmad bin Ali al-Maqrizi writes in his book al-Mawa‘izh bi Dhikr al-Khitat wal-Athar (1/490):
"Throughout the year, the Fatimids had festivals and celebrations. They mentioned these events extensively, including the Prophet’s birthday, the birthday of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the birthday of Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), the birthdays of Hasan and Husain (may Allah be pleased with them), and the birthday of the current ruler."
Ibn Kathir writes in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, describing the events of 567 AH: "In this year, the reign of the last Fatimid ruler, al-Adid, ended. Their rule was marked by the prevalence of innovations and evils, the abundance of troublemakers, and the scarcity of scholars and worshippers."
Earlier, Ibn Kathir also mentioned that Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (may Allah have mercy on him) removed the words "Hayya ‘ala khayr al-‘amal" from the call to prayer throughout Egypt. On this topic, the book al-Qawl al-Fasl fi Hukm al-Ihtifal bi Mawlid Khayr al-Rusul by Sheikh Isma‘il bin Muhammad al-Ansari (may Allah have mercy on him) is an excellent resource.
It is beyond doubt that a Muslim’s love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) should surpass his love for his parents, children, and all people, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
[Sahih Muslim: 44]
"None of you will have faith until I am more beloved to him than his father, his child, and all of mankind."
And loving the Prophet (peace be upon him) means following his way, not inventing new practices. As Allah Almighty said:
[Aal Imran: 31]
"(O Prophet) Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
There are multiple types of innovations (bid‘ah). These can be in beliefs, actions, and speech. Among the practical innovations, some are related to places and others to times.
Innovations in Belief
Examples of innovations in belief include those of the Khawarij, Rafidah, and Mu‘tazilah. These groups often rely on speculative theology (kalam) and some fabricated and concocted narrations. Ibn Abdul Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in Jami‘ Bayan al-Ilm wa Fadlih (2/95):
"The consensus of the scholars of jurisprudence and hadith across all regions is that those who rely on speculative theology are innovators and misguided. According to these scholars, innovators are not considered part of the scholarly ranks because the title of a scholar is reserved for those who are associated with the knowledge of hadith and traditions, who engage in deriving jurisprudence from them, and whose ranks are determined by their specialization and expertise in this field."
Innovations in Speech
Among innovations in speech is articulating the intention aloud, such as some people saying: "I intend to pray this many units of prayer" or "I intend to fast today," etc.
The rites of Hajj and Umrah are exceptions to this. A person performing Umrah says "Labbaik Umrah," and someone performing Hajj al-Ifrad says, "Labbaik Hajj," while the one performing Qiran says, "Labbaik Umrah wa Hajj," as these are proven from the Sunnah.
Another example in this category is making supplications through the intercession of someone’s status or personality, as such phrases are not part of the established Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Some innovations in speech can even be acts of disbelief, such as calling upon those buried in graves, seeking help from them, asking for relief from distress, or requesting things that only Allah can grant. Allah Almighty says:
وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا
[Al-Jinn:18]
"And the mosques are for Allah, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah."
And He also said:
أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ الْأَرْضِ أَإِلَٰهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ قَلِيلًا مَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
[An-Naml: 62]
"Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember."
As for declaring someone who commits such acts a disbeliever, this is only done after the evidence has been established against them. This is also the stance of a significant group of scholars. In the introduction to Tathir al-I‘tiqad wa Sharh al-Sudur, I have mentioned seven of these scholars, among whom are Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) and, at the end, Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him).
Innovations in Practice
Innovations in practice can be related to places or times. Spatial innovations (related to places) include practices such as wiping and kissing graves for blessings. Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) in al-Majmu‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (8/206) discusses the kissing and wiping of the wall around the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him), stating:
"One should not be deceived by the large number of common people engaging in actions contrary to the Shariah. Deeds are based on authentic hadith and the fatwas of scholars, not on the ignorant practices of the common folk."
In the two Sahihs, it is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
«من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد»
[Sahih Bukhari: 2697, Sahih Muslim: 1718]
"Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (Islam) that is not from it, it will be rejected."
And from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
«لا تجعلوا قبري عيداً، وصلوا عليَّ فإن صلاتكم تبلغني حيث كنتم»
[Sunan Abi Dawood: 2042, its chain is sound]
"Do not make my grave a place of celebration, and send blessings upon me, for your blessings reach me wherever you are."
Al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) said, whose meaning is: "Follow the paths of guidance, and even if the followers are few, it will not harm you. Avoid the paths of misguidance, and do not be deceived by the multitude of those who are destroyed." And if anyone thinks that touching graves for blessings brings more benefit, they are mistaken and ignorant because blessings are in following the Shariah. How can there be merit and blessings in opposing the truth? [al-Majmu‘ 8/275]
Temporal Innovations
Temporal innovations (related to times) include celebrations like the Prophet’s birthday (Mawlid). This practice began in the fourth century of the Hijrah. There is nothing reported about it from the Prophet (peace be upon him), his caliphs, or his companions. Nor is there anything from the followers of the companions or the early righteous generations. The first three centuries passed without this innovation. Books compiled during this period are devoid of any mention of Mawlid celebrations. This innovation began in the fourth Hijri century, introduced by the Fatimid rulers of Egypt.
Taqi al-Din Ahmad bin Ali al-Maqrizi writes in his book al-Mawa‘izh bi Dhikr al-Khitat wal-Athar (1/490):
"Throughout the year, the Fatimids had festivals and celebrations. They mentioned these events extensively, including the Prophet’s birthday, the birthday of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the birthday of Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), the birthdays of Hasan and Husain (may Allah be pleased with them), and the birthday of the current ruler."
Ibn Kathir writes in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, describing the events of 567 AH: "In this year, the reign of the last Fatimid ruler, al-Adid, ended. Their rule was marked by the prevalence of innovations and evils, the abundance of troublemakers, and the scarcity of scholars and worshippers."
Earlier, Ibn Kathir also mentioned that Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (may Allah have mercy on him) removed the words "Hayya ‘ala khayr al-‘amal" from the call to prayer throughout Egypt. On this topic, the book al-Qawl al-Fasl fi Hukm al-Ihtifal bi Mawlid Khayr al-Rusul by Sheikh Isma‘il bin Muhammad al-Ansari (may Allah have mercy on him) is an excellent resource.
It is beyond doubt that a Muslim’s love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) should surpass his love for his parents, children, and all people, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
«لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى أكون أحب إليه من ولده ووالده والناس أجمعين»
[Sahih Muslim: 44]
"None of you will have faith until I am more beloved to him than his father, his child, and all of mankind."
And loving the Prophet (peace be upon him) means following his way, not inventing new practices. As Allah Almighty said:
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
[Aal Imran: 31]
"(O Prophet) Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."