بـــــــــــــــــــســم الله الرحمن الرحــيــــــــــــــــم
Bid'aa - Innovation in Islam
Any invented act or path in the religion that is made to compete or resemble the Shari'a and that is followed for the same purpose as Shari'a is supposed to be followed.
The Sharee'ah definition of Bid'ah is:
"A newly invented way [beliefs or action] in the religion, in imitation of the Sharee'ah (prescribed Law), by which nearness to Allaah is sought, [but] not being supported by any authentic proof - neither in its foundations, nor in the manner in which it is performed."
Al-I'tisaam of ash-Shaatibee (1/37).
Allah's Messenger Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وآله و صحبه و سلم) said,
- "Beware of the newly-invented matters, for every such matter is a bid'ah and every bid'ah leads astray, and everything that leads astray is in the Fire,"[Reported by Aboo Daawood, Tirmidhee and others, no. 2549 in Saheehul-Jaami' without, "... every thing that leads astray is in the Fire ...", and hadith no.28 in an-Nawawees Forty Hadith].
- "Every innovation is misguidance and going astray" Reported by Abu Daawood (no. 4607), at-Tirmidhee (no. 2676) and it is saheeh. Ibn Hajr authenticated it Takhreej Ahaadeeth Ibn ul-Haajib (1/137).
- The Messenger(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) also warned against the People of Innovation, from befriending, supporting or taking from them saying: "Whoever innovates or accommodates an innovator then upon him is the curse of Allaah, His Angels and the whole of mankind." Reported by Bukhaaree (12/41) and Muslim (9/140)
- Allah's Messenger(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) also said, "Whoever enacts a GOOD SUNNAH into Islam, he will get the reward of it and of all those who act upon it up to the Day of Judgment," [Sahih Muslim]
What if someone asks...
Q.) How do you respond to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم)'s two "contradicting" statements? (i.e. point number 4 contradicting the other points)
The reply to this is:
Who is the one who said, "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam ... ?" He is the same one who also said, "... every bid'ah leads astray." It is not possible for a phrase to eminate from someone who is truthful and proven to be truthful, such that it would deny and negate another phrase of his, and it is absolutely impossible for any speech of Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam to be self-contradictory, nor is it possible to refute any particular meaning by claiming it to be contradictory.
Whoever thinks that the words of Allaah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) are self-contradictory, then let him look again, for indeed this kind of thought eminates from a person possessing thoughts that are either deficient or limited. Indeed it is completely impossible that one would find a contradiction in the words of Allaah, the Most High, or that of Allah's Messenger(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم).
If this is so, then it should be clear that the hadith, "... every innovation leads astray ..." does not contradict the hadith "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam ..." for the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) said, "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam...," while innovations are not from Islaam. And he (صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) said "... a good sunnah ..." while innovation is not good. So he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam made a distinction between enacting a Sunnah on the one hand and enacting an innovation on the other.
In any case, there is a reply that no one should have a problem with - that the meaning of, "Whoever enacts a sunnah ..." is, 'Whoever revives a sunnah that was present and then was lost.' Therefore it means that a matter has been revived, and thus in this way "... enacting a sunnah ..."is relative and secondary just as (in the case of 'Umar(Razi'Allahu Anhu), where his use of) the word bid'ah (innovation) was relative and secondary in the sense that it involved the revival of a sunnah that had been abandoned.
There is even a second reply that can be given: That is the background of the whole hadith, for it is a story concerning the tribe that came to see the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) while being in exceptionally difficult circumstances. So the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم)urged that donations be given to them, and hence one man form the Ansaar came forward with a bag of silver in his hand which was almost too heavy for him to carry. He placed it down before the Messenger(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) This made the face of the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) glow with joy and happiness and so he said, "Whoever enacts a good sunnnah into Islaam will have the reward of it and the reward of oil those who act upon it until the Day of Resurrection." So we have here that the meaning of " ... enacting a sunnah ..." means to enact an action in the sense of implementing it and not in the sense of setting up a new thing into the sharee'ah. Hence the meaning of his(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) saying, "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam ..." turns out to be, 'Whoever acts upon a good sunnah in the sense of implementing it as opposed to introducing a new thing in the sharee'ah,' for that would be prohibited as he(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) said, "... every bid'ah leads astray."
Who is the one who said, "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam ... ?" He is the same one who also said, "... every bid'ah leads astray." It is not possible for a phrase to eminate from someone who is truthful and proven to be truthful, such that it would deny and negate another phrase of his, and it is absolutely impossible for any speech of Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam to be self-contradictory, nor is it possible to refute any particular meaning by claiming it to be contradictory.
Whoever thinks that the words of Allaah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) are self-contradictory, then let him look again, for indeed this kind of thought eminates from a person possessing thoughts that are either deficient or limited. Indeed it is completely impossible that one would find a contradiction in the words of Allaah, the Most High, or that of Allah's Messenger(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم).
If this is so, then it should be clear that the hadith, "... every innovation leads astray ..." does not contradict the hadith "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam ..." for the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) said, "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam...," while innovations are not from Islaam. And he (صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) said "... a good sunnah ..." while innovation is not good. So he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam made a distinction between enacting a Sunnah on the one hand and enacting an innovation on the other.
In any case, there is a reply that no one should have a problem with - that the meaning of, "Whoever enacts a sunnah ..." is, 'Whoever revives a sunnah that was present and then was lost.' Therefore it means that a matter has been revived, and thus in this way "... enacting a sunnah ..."is relative and secondary just as (in the case of 'Umar(Razi'Allahu Anhu), where his use of) the word bid'ah (innovation) was relative and secondary in the sense that it involved the revival of a sunnah that had been abandoned.
There is even a second reply that can be given: That is the background of the whole hadith, for it is a story concerning the tribe that came to see the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) while being in exceptionally difficult circumstances. So the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم)urged that donations be given to them, and hence one man form the Ansaar came forward with a bag of silver in his hand which was almost too heavy for him to carry. He placed it down before the Messenger(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) This made the face of the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) glow with joy and happiness and so he said, "Whoever enacts a good sunnnah into Islaam will have the reward of it and the reward of oil those who act upon it until the Day of Resurrection." So we have here that the meaning of " ... enacting a sunnah ..." means to enact an action in the sense of implementing it and not in the sense of setting up a new thing into the sharee'ah. Hence the meaning of his(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) saying, "Whoever enacts a good sunnah into Islaam ..." turns out to be, 'Whoever acts upon a good sunnah in the sense of implementing it as opposed to introducing a new thing in the sharee'ah,' for that would be prohibited as he(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) said, "... every bid'ah leads astray."
This matter has also been indicated by Imaam Maalik (rahimahullaah) in a reported saying of his that ought to be recorded in golden ink. And it is his saying:
"Whosoever introduces into Islaam an innovation, which he deems is good, then he has claimed that Muhammad has betrayed (the trust of conveying) the Message. Read the saying of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic: 'This day I have completed your Religion for you, and I have perfected My favour upon you, and I am pleased with Islaam as a Religion for you.'
[Surat-ul-Maa'idah: 3]
[Surat-ul-Maa'idah: 3]
So whatever was not (part of) the Religion on that day, is not (part of) the Religion on this day. And the last part of this ummah (nation) will not be rectified, except by that which its first part was rectified by."
Indeed, Allaah Subhaanu wa ta'ala has said:
- "So let those who oppose his (Muhammad's sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) command beware that they will be afflicted with a trial or a painful punishment."
(An Nûr 24:63)
- “This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion”
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:4)
- “And We have revealed to you a Book explaining everything” (Surah An-Nahl 16:89),
- “We have neglected nothing in the Book” (Surah Al-An’am 6:37)
- "So if you obey him (i.e. Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم)), then you will be guided” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:54)
- "And who is more astray then the one who follows his own whims and desires devoid of revelation” (Surah Al-Qasas 28:50)
Al-'Irbaad ibn Saariyah, , reports that the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله و صحبه و سلم) said, "....
I have left you upon clear guidance. Its night is like its day. No one deviates from it after me except that he is destroyed."
Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Maajah (no. 43) and al-Haakim. It is declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no. 937).
It is reported that Al-Musayyib Bin Rafi’ Al-Asadi said,
► “We only follow, we do not innovate; we follow behind and do not start anything (in the religion), and we will never stray as long as we adhere to the narrations.”
– [Al-Harawi, Dhamm Al-Kalam wa Ahlihi, vol. 2, pg. 265.]
*****
- "Practice Sunnah with patience, Stop where the companions had stopped, Say as they had said and Abstain from what they had abstained from. What was sufficient for them, can be sufficient for you." ~Imam Awzaa'ee (Rahimahullah)
► Lastly, I am also a learner just like you, so please forgive me if i am wrong somewhere. May Allah save us all from a Bid'dah which leads us to hell.
Astagfirullah.
Aameen.
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