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Bid'ah - Innovation in
Islam
Wa sharrul Umoori Muhdathaatuhaa,
Wa kulla Bid'atin dhaialah, wa kulla dhalatin fin-naar" Al-Hadith
(Sahih Muslim). Translation of the above Hadith: Every innovation is a
misguidance and every misguidance goes to Hell fire.
IMAM SHAFI'S
EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE HADITH:
Kullu bida'tin daiala:
"Every innovation is a misguidance"? Doesn't the term
"every" include all innovations?" Such an objection stems
from the misinterpretation of the term kull ("every") in the
Hadith to be all encompassing without exception, whereas in Arabic it may
mean "Nearly all" or "the vast majority." This is how
al-Shafi'i understood it or else he would have never allowed for any
innovation whatsoever to be considered good, and he is considered a hujja
or "Proof," that is, reference without peer for questions
regarding the Arabic language. The stylistic figure of meaning the part by
the whole, or nechdoche in English is in Arabic: 'abbara 'an al-kathratf bi
at-kulliyya. This is illustrated by the use of kull in the following verse
46:25 of the Quran in a selective or partial sense not a universal sense:
"Destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning
found them so that naught could be seen save their dwellings". Thus,
the dwellings were not destroyed although "all" things had been
destroyed. "All" here means specifically the lives of the
unbelievers of 'Ad and their properties except their houses.
ARE THERE GOOD OR BAD
INNOVATIONS IN ISLAM?
Prophetic saying as
stated in Sahih Muslim is known even to common Muslims, let alone scholars:
"He who inaugurates a good practice (sanna fil-islam sunnatun hasana)
in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him,
without diminishing their own rewards in the least. " Tirmizi, Page
92.
Imam Nawawi said in
Sahih Muslim (6-21):
"The Prophet's saying 'every innovation is a general-particular
and it is a reference to most innovations. The linguists say, 'Innovation
is any act done without a previous pattern, and it is of five different
kinds."' Imam Nawawi also said in Tahzeeb al Asma'wal Sifaat,
"Innovation in religious law is to originate anything which did not
exist during the time of the Prophet, and it is divided into good and
bad." He also said, "al-muhdathat (pi. for muhdatha) is to
originate something that has no roots in religious law. In the tradition of
religious law, it is called innovation, and if it has an origin within the
religious law, then it is not innovation. Innovation in religious law is
disagreeable, unlike in the language where everything that has been originated
without a previous pattern is called innovation regardless of whether it is
good or bad."
Sheikh al-Islam lbn
Hajar Al Asqalani, the commentator on al-Bukhari, said, "Anything that
did not exist during the Prophet's time is called innovation, but some are
good while others are not."
Abu Na'eem, narrated
from Ibrahim al-Junaid, said, "I heard Ash-Shafi'i saying, 'Innovation
is of two types: praiseworthy innovation and blameworthy innovation, and
anything that disagrees with the Sunnah is blameworthy."
Imam al Bayhaqi
narrated in Manaqib Ash-Shafi'i that he said, "Innovations are of two
types: that which contradicts the Quran, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement
of the Muslims is an innovation of deception, while a good innovation does
not contradict any of these things."
IN CONCLUSION:
Clearly, we can see
from the opinions of the righteous scholars, that to define innovations in
worship as wholly negative without exception is ignorant. For these pious
knowers, among them, Imam Shafi'i and Imam Nawawi, declared that
innovations could be divided into good and bad, based on their compliance
with, or deviance from religious law. Can the latter day scholars of Islam
(who came after I 1 00 years) claim that they understand the Quran and
Hadith better than the Sahaba and the Salaf-Us-Saliheen? If 'every'
innovation is a misguidance then the following too are all innovations
which originated two centuries or more after Sahaba RA: Reading eight raka
in Tarawih; Translations of Quran; Writing Tafseers; collection and
classification of Ahaadiths; Principles of Jurisprudence; The four schools
of Fiqh, Stoned and carpeted Mosques, use of loud speakers in mosques etc.
Therefore, anything
that does not have roots originating to the Quran and Sunnah is considered
a bad innovation. But the following practices, such as recitation of the
Quran in gatherings; Recital of Darud-Sharif (Salaat-o-Salaam) in
gatherings and Mawlid (commemorating the birth and Seerah of the Holy
Prophet Muhammed (Peace be Upon Him) has clear and authenticated roots to
the Quran and Sunnah. Where in Quran and Hadith all these gatherings are
declared as haram or prohibited? Proof of such acts is indicated as
follows: On Mawlid: "Abi Qatadat said that the Prophet was asked about
fasting on Monday and he said 'That was the day I was born."' This
Hadith is a clear evidence of the importance of the commemoration of the
Prophet's e birthday through worship. Al-Hafiz ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, in his
book Lataif al-maarif (p. 98), in explaining this Hadith of Muslim said,
"It is good to fast on the days that Allah honored and favored his
servants."
It is incumbent not
only on Muslims but on all human beings to rejoice in his advent, the day
of his birth. As al-Hafiz ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said, "The best favor
that Allah has granted this nation is the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
when he was sent to humanity. " We did not send you except as a mercy
to the whole Universe' (AlAnbiya'107. So we review and recall Allah's favor
of sending the Prophet by fasting on that day". 'Of the favor and
mercy of Allah let them rejoice" (Yunus, 58).
Below is a divine order
for all the believers to send Salutations on Prophet Muhammad (Peace be
upon HIM). Allah has said in the Quran- Allah and His angels sends
blessings on the Prophet (Peace be upon HIM)"-. O'you believes! You
too send Salutation on beloved Prophet (Peace be upon HIM)" (33:56)
What does the Quran say
about Dhiker in gatherings'?
"Those men and
women who engage much in Allah's praise. For them has Allah prepared forgiveness
and a great reward." (33:35)
"Those who remember their Lord standing, and sitting, and lying
on their sides" (3:191)
" Men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from
Remembrance of Allah nor from regular Salaat, nor from regular practice of
Zakaat. (24:37)
"Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the
remembrance of Allah! Aye! It is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts
can find comfort;" (13: 28)
What do the Hadith say
about Dhiker in gatherings?
Hadith Qudsi: "Those that remember Me in their heart, I remember
them in My heart; and those that remember Me in a gathering, I remember
them (i.e. make mention of them) in a gathering better than theirs. (This
can include recitation of Quran, Durood (Salat-o-Salaam) and other Dhiker
Allah)
In Bukhari and Muslim:
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said that Allah has angels roaming the
roads to find the people of dhikr, i.e. those who say La ltaha ltiabah and
similar expressions, and when they find a group of people (Qaom) reciting
dhikr, they call each other and encompass them in layers until the first
heaven -- the location of which is in Allah's knowledge. (This is to say,
an unlimited number of angels are going to be over that group
Ibn 'Umar reported that
the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "When you pass by the gardens of
Paradise, avail yourselves of them." The Companions asked: "What
are the gardens of Paradise, 0 Messenger of Allah?" He replied:
"The circles of dhikr. There are roaming angels of Allah who go about looking
for the circles of dhikr, and when they rind them they surround them
closely." Tirmidhi narrated it (Hasan Gharib) and Ahmad.
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri and
Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "When
any group of men remember Allah, angels surround them and mercy covers
them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who
are with Him." Narrated by Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, lbn Majah, and
Bayhaqi.
Those who call upon
Bida'h (innovations):
For those who insist on
scrutinizing Bida'h should rather pay more attention to Haram and major
sins. The following are typical examples that majority of the Ummah is
engaged in everyday and so routinely which are often overlooked and
justified through obtaining Fatwa's for the purpose of legitimizing their
actions:
Buying houses on
mortgages (interest);
Holding Credit on
credit cards;
Eating non halal meat
and foods (MacDonald, KFC, etc.)
Disobedience to parents
and ill treatment of either wife or husband;
Sending of children to
Islamic school but not practicing Islam themselves
Calling other Muslim
brothers Miskeen (poor) based upon nationality
Undue extravagance:
Luxuries (Castles, Rolls Royces, Cadillacs etc);
Engaging in fraud and
corruption
Celebrating own anniversaries
and birthdays yet raise objection on Mawlid. Etc.
Islam cannot be
customized to suit individual needs and lifestyles. This is a great
hypocrisy. One can ask themselves how pious and strict follower of the
Quran and Sunnah, am I in reality? Stay away from haram, shirk and Kufr and
try to follow other Hadiths as well in order to fulfill the claim of being
strict followers of Quran and Sunnah.
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