Praise be to `Allaah, the Creator of the universe Who exists without being bound to place or time. May `Allaah raise the rank of Prophet Muhammad.
In the Arabic language the term innovation bid^ah refers to any newly introduced matter, which is not based on a preceding example. In the religious context bid^ah is any newly introduced matter that is neither mentioned in the Qur`aan nor ordered by the Prophet.
Imam Ash-Shafi^iyy mentioned that there are 2 categories of innovation:
- Firstly the innovations of misguidance (bid^atu dalaalah): This is the innovation which contradicts the Qur`aan and the sunnah.
- Secondly the innovation of guidance (bid^atu hudaa): This is the innovation which conforms to the Qur`aan and the Sunnah. [`Al-Bayhaqiyy in Manaaqib Ash-Shaafi^iyy].
Hence, not all innovations (new matters) are bad, rather the innovations are of two types: some are good and others are bad. If something was new, but agrees with the Qur`aan and the sunnah, then this is regarded as a good innovation. However, if it was a new matter which is against the Qur`aan and sunnah, then it is regarded as a bad innovation.
The basis for categorising innovations into these 2 types are the ahadeeth of the Prophet narrated by Bukhaariyy and Muslim in their saheeh from the route of ^Aa`ishah who narrated that the Messenger of `Allaah said:
مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِى أَمْرِنَا هٰذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ
This means: «Whoever innovates in our religion that which does not comply with it, then that matter is judged as rejected».
This saying of the Prophet clarifies two things: firstly it is not just any new matter in general which is judged as rejected, but rather only that new matter which does not conform to the rules of the religion; and secondly it is understood that if a new matter conforms to the rules of the religion then it is not rejected.
The companions in fact innovated matters that the Prophet did not do. Moreover, the Prophet encouraged innovations that complied with rules of the religion, such as is evidenced by what was narrated in by Al-Bukhaariyy in his Saheeh and by others that the Prophet straightened up from ruk-^ooh in the prayer and said:
سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَـمِدَهُ
A man praying behind the Prophet ﷺ added:
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْـحَمْدُ حَـمْدًا كَثِيـْرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًـا فِيْهِ
When the Prophet finished his prayer, he enquired about the person who made the addition, when the person identified himself, the Prophet told him what means, «I saw 30 something angels rushing to write it down first».
Some people misinterpret a Saheeh hadeeth of the Prophet narrated by `Aboo Daawood, claiming that every innovation (bid^ah) is bad. However, this is refuted by what Al-Bukhaariyy narrated in his Saheeh and `Imaam Maalik in his Muwattaa` that after the Prophet , ^Umar during his Caliphate, he gathered the Muslims in `Al-Madeenah to pray the taraaweeh prayer in Ramadaan behind one `Imaam, `Ubayy ibnu Ka^-b.
^Umar later looked at them praying behind `Ubayy and said:
نِعْمَتِ الْبِدْعَةُ هٰذِهِ
This means: «What a good innovation this is». Hence, ^Umar radiyallaahu ^anhu praised what had been innovated. This is a strong proof against all those who say that every bid^ah is bad and at the same time claim to be followers of the Salaf (the first 3 centuries of Muslim followers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ).
Another example of a widely accepted good bid^ah is the writing of after writing the name of the Prophet . The Prophet did not used to write this after his name as is evidenced by the letters that he sent to other kings and various rulers. Rather he just had written in them from Muhammad the Messenger of `Allaah to so and so as was narrated by Bukhaariyy and others. Hence, writing after the name of the Prophet was an innovation that was started later and it became a widespread practice to be found in more or less every religiously authored work.
Moreover, there are many things that the Prophet did not do and nor did he order that they be done, but they were still done by the companions. Why? Not because the companions knew better than the Prophet or that they were adding to the religion, rather they were innovating practices that agreed with the rules of the religion. Another famous example is the collection of the Qur`aan into a single book from which other copies were made. Al-Bukhaariyy narrated that this was not done by the Prophet ﷺ but by `Aboo Bakr after an advice that was given by ^Umar radiyallaahu ^anhumaa. This good endeavour was then added to by ^Uthman ؓ when he made copies and dispatched them to different cities. Some people claim that the companions were allowed to innovate, but all other people are not. However, this claim is without any proof and it is rejected further by the fact that all Muslims agree that the Prophet did not come with two religions, one for the companions and one for all others. Rather the rules of the religion were the same for us and for them.
There are numerous other examples of good innovations, practices in the religion that were started after the time of the companions. For example when the Qur`aan was written without the use of dots on letters. For example, at the time of the companions the letter ب did not have a dot underneath it, the letterت did not have two dots on top of it and so on. Those dots were later innovated, by a scholar from amongst the followers of the companions called Yahyaa ibn Ya^mar as was narrated by Ibn `Aboo Daawood `As-Sijistaaniyy in his book `Al-Masaahif (pg141). Another famous example which was innovated around 600 years after the Prophet died is to gather people to celebrate the birth of the Prophet by doing good deeds such as reciting the Qur`aan and giving religious lessons.
Despite the fact that there are many good innovations, most innovations are bad and some of these even reach the level of kufr. Examples of bad innovations in creed are such as denying that everything good and evil is by the eternal will of `Allaah; or claiming that the creation does not have a beginning; or claiming that God is one place or every place.
An example of a bad innovation in writings: It is disliked to only write the letter ص or صلعم , «SAW» or «pbuh’ after the name of the Prophet .
An example of a bad innovation in speech is to distort the name of `Allaah whilst making dhikr. Some people distort the name «`Allaah» and say ‘Alla» or `Allaah without the elongation and some even say «`ah», which the linguists agreed is an expression of pain and illness.