What is Bid’ah?
① Allama Aini Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
هي ما لم يكن له أصل فى الكتاب والسنة وقيل: إظهار شيء لم يكن فى عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا فى زمن الصحابة رضي الله عنهم.
“In religion, innovation (bid’ah) refers to every new act which has no basis in the Book and Sunnah, or an act that was not found during the time of the Noble Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his righteous companions, may Allah be pleased with them.”
② Allama Shatibi, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
طريقة فى الدين مخترعة تضاهي الشريعة يقصد بالسلوك عليها المبالغة فى التعبد لله سبحانه.
“An approach derived in imitation of the Shariah, whose purpose is exaggeration in worship, is called innovation (bid’ah).”
③ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
إن البدعة هي الدين الذى لم يأمر به الله ورسوله، فمن دان دينا لم يأمر به الله ورسوله فهو مبتدع بذلك، وهذا معنى قوله تعالى: ﴿أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُ﴾
“Innovation (bid’ah) is that religion which Allah and His Messenger have not commanded, and which has no ruling in the Shariah; whoever acts upon it is an innovator (mubtadi). This is the meaning of Allah’s statement: ﴿أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوْا لَهُمْ مِّنْ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللهُ ﴾ ‘Have they taken as partners those who have created for them a religion not permitted by Allah?'”
❀ He also says:
إن البدعة ما لم يشرعه الله من الدين فكل من دان الشيء لم يشرعه الله فذلك بدعة وإن كان متأولا فيه.
“Innovation (bid’ah) is a method not prescribed by Allah Almighty. Every act which Allah has not legislated is innovation, even if it is adopted based on interpretation.”
④ Hafiz Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
المراد بالبدعة ما أحدث مما لا أصل له فى الشريعة يدل عليه وأما ما كان له أصل من الشرع يدل عليه فليس ببدعة شرعا وإن كان بدعة لغة.
“Innovation (bid’ah) means that which has no origin or proof in the Shariah. However, that which has an origin and proof in the Shariah is not a Shariah innovation, even if linguistically it is called innovation.”
❀ He also says:
من تقرب إلى الله بعمل لم يجعله الله ورسوله قربة إلى الله، فعمله باطل مردود عليه، وهو شبيه بحال الذين كانت صلاتهم عند البيت مكاء وتصدية، وهذا كمن تقرب إلى الله تعالى بسماع الملاهي، أو بالرقص، أو بكشف الرأس فى غير الإحرام، وما أشبه ذلك من المحدثات التى لم يشرع الله ورسوله التقرب بها بالكلية، وليس ما كان قربة فى عبادة يكون قربة فى غيرها مطلقا، فقد رأى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم رجلا قائما فى الشمس، فسأل عنه، فقيل: إنه نذر أن يقوم ولا يقعد ولا يستظل وأن يصوم، فأمره النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يقعد ويستظل، وأن يتم صومه، فلم يجعل قيامه وبروزه للشمس قربة يوفي بنذرهما.
وقد روي أن ذلك كان فى يوم جمعة عند سماع خطبة النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو على المنبر، فنذر أن يقوم ولا يقعد ولا يستظل ما دام النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يخطب، إعظاما لسماع خطبة النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولم يجعل النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ذلك قربة توفى بنذره، مع أن القيام عبادة فى مواضع أخر، كالصلاة والأذان والدعاء بعرفة، والبروز للشمس قربة للمحرم، فدل على أنه ليس كل ما كان قربة فى موطن يكون قربة فى كل المواطن، وإنما يتبع فى ذلك ما وردت به الشريعة فى مواضعها.
“An act through which Allah has not made a means of nearness to Him, seeking nearness through it is invalid and rejected. For example, the polytheists of Makkah used to worship in the Ka’bah by whistling and clapping. The example of seeking nearness through innovative acts is like someone seeking Allah’s nearness by musical instruments, dancing, or keeping the head uncovered except during Ihram, or considering other innovations as means of nearness to Allah and acting upon them. If an act is considered virtuous in one form of worship, it does not mean that including it in other acts of worship will also be virtuous. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, saw a man standing in the sun and asked the reason. The man said he had vowed not to sit but to remain standing, not to come into the shade, and to fast in that state. The Prophet said, ‘Sit down and come into the shade, but complete your fast.’ The Prophet did not consider standing in the sun as a virtuous act that must be fulfilled as a vow. Narrations mention that this man made this vow on Friday while listening to the Prophet’s sermon from the pulpit. He vowed to stand respectfully and not come into the shade as long as the Prophet was delivering the sermon. However, the Prophet did not consider this a virtuous act that must be fulfilled. Although standing during prayer, adhan, and the standing at Arafah, including supplication, and facing the sun during Ihram are acts of worship, this shows that what is legislated in one act of worship may be prohibited in another. Therefore, following the Shariah is necessary to determine the permissibility or impermissibility of any act.”
⑤ Allama Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hasan Shamni Hanafi
says:
ما أحدث على خلاف الحق المتلقى عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من علم أو عمل أو حال بنوع شبهة واستحسان وجعل دينا قويما وصراطا مستقيما.
“Knowledge, action, or any state which is fabricated against the truth conveyed from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, due to doubt and called a good innovation (bid’ah hasanah) and declared as the upright religion and the straight path, is innovation (bid’ah).”
⑥ Allama Sharif Jurjani
says:
البدعة: هي الأمر المحدث الذى لم يكن عليه الصحابة والتابعون، ولم يكن مما اقتضاه الدليل الشرعي.
“Innovation (bid’ah) is a new act upon which neither the Companions nor the Successors acted, nor is there any Shariah proof requiring it.”
⑦ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi writes:
“The Shariah meaning of innovation (bid’ah) is that belief or acts which were not present during the apparent lifetime of the Prophet, peace be upon him, but were invented later. The conclusion is that innovation (bid’ah) in Shariah is of two types: innovation in belief and innovation in practice.”
