❀ A Critical Review of Barelwi Interpretations on Worldly Innovations and “Bid'ah Hasanah” ❀
🖋 Adapted from the book “Eid Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ ki Shar‘i Haithiyat” by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi (Barelwi scholar) writes:
“Nowadays, the world has developed things that did not exist in the era of the Salaf, without which worldly life has become difficult — trains, motorcars, airplanes, ships, letters, telephones, loudspeakers, etc. All of these are technically innovations, yet every group uses them. Can Deobandis or Wahhabis live without this so-called 'Bid'ah Hasanah'? Certainly not!”
(Ja al-Haqq, p. 211)
Such reasoning confuses worldly tools with acts of worship or religious innovation. The Sharī‘ah permits worldly advancements as long as they do not conflict with any divine injunction.
For instance:
Imam Al-Shatibi رحمه الله (d. 790H) eloquently outlined two types of silence from the Lawgiver (the Prophet ﷺ):
This applies to situations that did not exist during the Prophet’s time.
Once they appeared later, the scholars examined them in light of existing Sharī‘ah principles, such as:
Such innovations fall under ijtihad and permitted worldly facilitations, not acts of worship.
This applies to actions for which a reason existed during the Prophet’s life, yet he did not perform them.
This intentional omission serves as a form of legislation, implying:
*“If the motive was present in the Prophet’s time and still he did not act upon it, then his silence is a textual proof that any later addition is a *reprehensible innovation (بدعة مذمومة).”
(Al-I‘tisam: 2/281–282)
Mufti Naeemi writes:
“Adding ‘religious’ to the definition of Bid‘ah is a personal interpretation. The hadith says: ‘Every innovation is misguidance’ — it doesn’t differentiate between worldly or religious.”
(Ja al-Haqq, p. 212)
Refutation:
This claim ignores the context and overlooks established scholarly consensus.
"Whoever introduces something into our religion that is not from it, it is rejected."
(Sahih Muslim, part of various collections)
"Beware of newly introduced matters. Every innovation is misguidance."
(Sunan Abi Dawud: 4607, Tirmidhi: 2676, Ibn Majah: 44 — Authentic)
❖ Scholars such as:
These clearly restrict the condemnation to religious innovations — not technological inventions or means of daily life.
"After me, there will be people who will extinguish the Sunnah and act upon bid‘ah..."
(Musnad Ahmad: 1/399, Ibn Majah: 2865 – Hasan)
→ This does not apply to cars or microphones — but to acts related to religious belief and practice.
"No people ever innovated in their religion except that Allah removed a Sunnah from them. And it never returns to them until the Day of Judgement."
(Sunan al-Darimi: 99 – Authentic)
"Every time bid‘ah is introduced, it increases in growth, and every time a Sunnah is abandoned, it distances further."
(Hilyat al-Awliya’: 6/72 – Hasan)
→ These statements apply only to religious matters, as the context is Sunnah vs Bid‘ah, not technology vs tradition.
The correct understanding upheld by:
🖋 Adapted from the book “Eid Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ ki Shar‘i Haithiyat” by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
Barelwi Argument: Equating Worldly Innovations with Religious Innovations
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi (Barelwi scholar) writes:
“Nowadays, the world has developed things that did not exist in the era of the Salaf, without which worldly life has become difficult — trains, motorcars, airplanes, ships, letters, telephones, loudspeakers, etc. All of these are technically innovations, yet every group uses them. Can Deobandis or Wahhabis live without this so-called 'Bid'ah Hasanah'? Certainly not!”
(Ja al-Haqq, p. 211)
Scholarly Response: Distinction Between Religious and Worldly Affairs
Such reasoning confuses worldly tools with acts of worship or religious innovation. The Sharī‘ah permits worldly advancements as long as they do not conflict with any divine injunction.
For instance:
- Using microphones, loudspeakers, printing books, setting Hijri calendar or holding educational religious gatherings — all fall under worldly facilitations (وسائل), not religious goals (مقاصد).
- They are not part of the religion itself, but means to serve religion, and do not represent new acts of worship.
❖ Al-Shatibi’s Scholarly Framework on Bid‘ah
Imam Al-Shatibi رحمه الله (d. 790H) eloquently outlined two types of silence from the Lawgiver (the Prophet ﷺ):
① Silence due to Non-Occurrence
This applies to situations that did not exist during the Prophet’s time.
Once they appeared later, the scholars examined them in light of existing Sharī‘ah principles, such as:
- Compiling the Qur’an
- Recording hadith and jurisprudence
- Creating institutions for education
- Judicial frameworks
Such innovations fall under ijtihad and permitted worldly facilitations, not acts of worship.
② Silence Despite Existing Motive
This applies to actions for which a reason existed during the Prophet’s life, yet he did not perform them.
This intentional omission serves as a form of legislation, implying:
- Addition or alteration is forbidden
- Example: Celebrating the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday — although the motive (love and reverence) existed, the Prophet ﷺ and companions never celebrated it, indicating its religious impermissibility
*“If the motive was present in the Prophet’s time and still he did not act upon it, then his silence is a textual proof that any later addition is a *reprehensible innovation (بدعة مذمومة).”
(Al-I‘tisam: 2/281–282)
Clarifying the Misuse of "Every Innovation" Hadith
Mufti Naeemi writes:
“Adding ‘religious’ to the definition of Bid‘ah is a personal interpretation. The hadith says: ‘Every innovation is misguidance’ — it doesn’t differentiate between worldly or religious.”
(Ja al-Haqq, p. 212)
Refutation:
This claim ignores the context and overlooks established scholarly consensus.
Authentic Hadiths Define Bid‘ah in the Religious Context
❖ Hadith of A’ishah رضي الله عنها:
"Whoever introduces something into our religion that is not from it, it is rejected."
(Sahih Muslim, part of various collections)
❖ Hadith:
"Beware of newly introduced matters. Every innovation is misguidance."
(Sunan Abi Dawud: 4607, Tirmidhi: 2676, Ibn Majah: 44 — Authentic)
❖ Scholars such as:
- Imam Tirmidhi (Hasan Sahih)
- Imam Ibn Hibban
- Al-Diya’ al-Maqdisi
→ all authenticated this narration.
These clearly restrict the condemnation to religious innovations — not technological inventions or means of daily life.
❖ Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه
"After me, there will be people who will extinguish the Sunnah and act upon bid‘ah..."
(Musnad Ahmad: 1/399, Ibn Majah: 2865 – Hasan)
→ This does not apply to cars or microphones — but to acts related to religious belief and practice.
Warnings from the Salaf Against Religious Bid‘ah
❖ Ḥassān ibn ‘Atiyyah رحمه الله:
"No people ever innovated in their religion except that Allah removed a Sunnah from them. And it never returns to them until the Day of Judgement."
(Sunan al-Darimi: 99 – Authentic)
"Every time bid‘ah is introduced, it increases in growth, and every time a Sunnah is abandoned, it distances further."
(Hilyat al-Awliya’: 6/72 – Hasan)
→ These statements apply only to religious matters, as the context is Sunnah vs Bid‘ah, not technology vs tradition.
Final Clarification: Bid‘ah Is in the Domain of Religion Only
The correct understanding upheld by:
- Qur’anic principles
- Prophetic ahadith
- Scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah
is that bid‘ah (innovation) refers exclusively to religious affairs — whether in beliefs, rituals, or worship — not worldly advancements.
