Misconceptions of Innovators and Their Clarification

❖ Introduction​

This content is adapted from the book “Dīn-e-Islām aur Bidʿat” by respected Abu Hamzah Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi. Innovators (Ahl al-Bidʿah) often attempt to validate their invented innovations by presenting various doubts and misinterpretations. Refuting these doubts is essential to protect the general public from their misleading influence.

◈ Doubt ①: Innovation is a Good Sunnah​

They quote the Hadith of Jarīr ibn ʿAbdullāh (رضي الله عنه):

"مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً..."
“Whoever initiates a good practice in Islam…”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-ʿIlm, 6800

Clarification:

• Islam is complete and preserved. This Hadith refers to reviving an abandoned Sunnah, not creating something new in religion.
• The Hadith’s context relates to charity, where a companion set an example for others to follow in giving. This was not an innovation, but revival of a virtuous act.
• Using this Hadith as a proof for creating innovations in religion is a clear misinterpretation and signifies ignorance of Islamic Shariʿah.
  

◈ Doubt ②: Division Between Good and Bad Innovations​

They quote the incident where ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) gathered people under one imam for Tarāwīḥ, calling it a “good innovation”.

Clarification:

• Congregational Tarāwīḥ prayer is established from authentic Sunnah.
• The Prophet ﷺ led it in congregation, and so did his companions.
• When ʿUmar (RA) re-instituted this practice, he was reviving a Sunnah, not inventing a bidʿah.
• His statement “نعمت البدعة هذه” was linguistic, not Sharʿī; i.e., new in appearance, not in essence.
• The Prophet ﷺ clearly stated:

"عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ..."
“Hold firmly to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs...”
Musnad Aḥmad 4/127, Sunan Abū Dāwūd, Sunan al-Tirmidhī (2671) — graded ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī

• The Prophet ﷺ would declare in every sermon:

"وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ"
“Every innovation is misguidance.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Jumuʿah, 2005

• And ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (RA) said:

"وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَاِنْ رَآهَا النَّاسُ حَسَنَةً"
“Every innovation is misguidance, even if people regard it as good.”
Sharḥ al-Sunnah by al-Marwazī, p. 85

Thus, dividing innovations into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ has no basis in Sharīʿah.

◈ Doubt ③: Compilation of the Qur’an as a Justification for Innovation​

Some claim that the compilation of the Qur’an into book form was also a “good innovation”.

Clarification:

• The Prophet ﷺ prohibited writing from him anything other than the Qur’an:

"لا تَكْتُبُوا عَنِّي غَيْرَ الْقُرْآن"
“Do not write anything from me besides the Qur’an.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 4/2298

• The compilation of the Qur’an was based on:
  
  • Prophetic instruction
  • Sahabah’s consensus (ijmāʿ)
  • A necessity to preserve revelation
• The Prophet ﷺ commanded adherence to the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs.
• The compilation was not an innovation, but a means of preserving a divine obligation.

Using it as a basis for justifying newly invented religious practices is utterly incorrect and deceptive.

❖ Conclusion​

The misconceptions presented by Ahl al-Bidʿah to support their self-fabricated innovations are flawed, misleading, and against authentic Islamic teachings. Islam is complete, and introducing any new practice into it is a rejected innovation, no matter how appealing it may seem.

وَاللهُ أَعْلَم، وَعِلْمُهُ أَحْكَم!