Imaam Maalik (d.179H) said, “How evil are the people of innovation, we do not give them salaam.”
Reported by Al-Baghawee in Sharhus-Sunnah, 1/234.
On The Prohibition Of Sitting With People Of Innovation, Listening To Them, Arguing With Them, To Abandon Them And Those Who Associate With Them
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, “Whoever innovates or accommodates an innovator then upon him is the curse of Allaah, His Angels and the whole of mankind.”
(Saheeh Bukhaaree, 12/41 and Saheeh Muslim, 9/140)
Qaadee Aboo Ya’laa (d.333H) said, “There is concensus (Ijmaa’) among the Sahaabah and the Taabi’een as regards dissociating and cutting-off from the Innovators.”
(Hajarul-Mubtadi, p. 32)
Al-Qurtubee (d.671H) said, “And when avoiding the people of sin has been established, as we have just explained, then avoiding the People of Innovations and Desires is foremost (i.e., more befitting).”
(Tafseerul-Qurtubee, 5/418)
Al-Baghawee (d.535H) said, “And the Sahaabah, the Taabi’een, their successors and the Scholars of the Sunnah passed away while they were upon this, united and unanimously agreed upon having enmity towards the People of Innovation and fleeing from them.”
(Sharhus-Sunnah, 1/227)
Al-Baghawee also said, “And the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) has informed about the splitting of this Ummah and the appearance of desires and innovations within it. And he ruled that deliverance would be for the one who followed his Sunnah and the Sunnah of his Companions (radhiyAllahu anhu). Therefore, it is necessary for the Muslim when he sees a man engaging himself with anything from the desires and innovations, believing in them, or belittling anything from the Sunnah, that he flees from him, disowns him and leaves him — dead or alive. So he does not give salaam to him when he meets him and nor does he respond to him if he salutes first (and he should continue doing this) until this person abandons his innovation and returns to the truth.”
(Sharhus-Sunnah, 1/224)
Ibn Qudaamah (d.620H) said, “The Salaf used to forbid sitting with the People of Innovations, looking into their books and listening to their words.”
(Al-Aadaabus-Shareah, 1/263)
Imaam Al-Laalikaa’ee (d.418H) said in Sharh Usoolil-I’tiqaad, 1/114, “What is related from the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) with regards to the prohibition of debating with the Innovators.” Aboo Daawood (d.275H) has a chapter in his Sunan, 4/197,“Chapter: Turning away from the Innovators and having hatred for them.” Al-Bayhaqee (d.458H) said in Al-I’tiqaad, pg.236,“Chapter: Prohibition of Sitting with the Innovators.” Imaam An-Nawawee (d.676H) mentions in Al-Adhkaar, pg.323, “Chapter: Disassociating from the People of Innovation and the People of Sin.”
Ibn ‘Abbaas (d.68H) said, “Indeed the most detestable of things to Allaah are the innovations.” Al-Hasan Al-Basree (d.110H) said, “Do not sit with the people of innovation and desires, nor argue with them, nor listen to them.”
(Reported by Ad-Daarimee in his Sunan, 1/121 and Al-Laaiikaaee, no.240)
Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187H) said, “I met the best of people, all of them people of the Sunnah and they used to forbid accompanying the people of innovation.”
(Reported by Al-Laalikaa’ee in Sharh Usoolil-I’tiqaad, no. 267)
Ibraheem Ibn Maysarah (d.132H) said, “Whoever honours an innovator has aided in the destruction of Islam.”
(Reported by Al-Laalikaa’ee, 1/39)
Sufyaan Ath-Thawree (d.161H) said, “Whoever listens to an innovator has left the protection of Allaah and is entrusted with the innovation."
(Reported by Aboo Nu’aym in Al-Hilyah, 7/26 and Ibn Battah, no. 444)
Imaam Maalik (d.179H) said, “How evil are the people of innovation, we do not give them salaam.”
(Reported by Al-Baghawee in Sharhus-Sunnah, 1/234)
Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187H) said, “Whoever sits with a person of innovation, then beware of him and whoever sits with a person of innovation has not been given wisdom. I love that there was a fort of iron between me and a person of innovation. That I eat with a Jew and a Christian is more beloved to me than that I eat with a person of innovation.”
(Reported by Al-Laalikaa’ee, no. 1149)
Al-Layth Ibn Sa’d (d.175H) said, “If I saw a person of desires (i.e., innovations) walking upon the water I would not accept from him.” So Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee then said, “He (Al-Layth) has fallen short. If I saw him walking in the air I would not accept from him.”
(Reported by As-Suyooti in Al-Amr Bil-Ittibaa’ Wan-Nahee ‘Anil-Ibtidaa’)
Ath-Thaabit Ibn Al-Ajlaan said, “I met Anas Ibn Maalik, Ibn Al-Musayyah, Al-Hasan Al-Basree, Sa’eed Ibn Jubair, Ash-Sha’bee, Ibraaheem An-Nakha’ee, Ataa’ Ibn Abee Ribaah, Taawoos, Mujaahid, ‘Abdullaah Ibn Abee Mulaikah, Az-Zuhree, Makhool, Al-Qaasim Aboo ‘Abdur-Rahmaan, Ataa’ Al-Khurasaanee, Thaabit Al-Bunaanee, Al-Hakam Ibn ‘Utbah, Ayyoob As-Sakhtiyaanee, Hammaad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Seereen, Aboo ‘Aamir - and he had actually met Aboo Bakr As-Siddeeq (radhiyAllahu anhu), Yazeed Ar-Riqaashee, and Sulaimaan Ibn Moosaa — all of them were ordering me (to hold on to) the Jamaa’ah and forbidding me from the People of Desires (i.e., Innovators).”
(Sharh Usoolil-I’tiqaad of Al-Laalikaa’ee, no. 239)
Sa’eed Ibn ‘Aamir said, “I heard my grandfather, Ismaa’eel Ibn Khaarijah speaking, saying, “Two men from the People of Desires came to Muhammad Ibn Seereen (d.110H) and said, ‘O Aboo Bakr, can we narrate to you a hadeeth?’ He said, ‘No.’ They said,‘Then can we recite an aayah to you?’ He said, ‘No. Either you stand (and leave) or I will stand (and leave).’ So the two men stood and left. Some of the people said to him, ‘What harm would it do to you if they recited an aayah?’ He said, ‘I disliked that they read an aayah to me and then distort it, so that this falls into my heart.”
(Ibid, no. 242)
Al-Awzaa’ee (d.157H) reports from Yahyaa Ibn Katheer (d.129H) that he said, “If you meet a person of innovation along the path, then take a path other than it.”
(Ibid, no. 259)
Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187H) said, “If a man comes to a person to consult him and he directs him to an innovator, then he has made a deception of Islaam. Beware of going to a person of innovation for they divert (people) from the truth.”
(Ibid, no. 261)
Isma’eel At-Toosee said, “Ibn Al-Mubaarak said to me, ‘Let your company be the poor and needy and beware of sitting with a person of innovation.”
(Sharh Usoolul-I’tiqaad of Al-Laalikaa’ee, 110. 260)
Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad said, “Do not sit with a person of innovation — for I fear that curses will descend upon you.”
(Ibid, no. 262)
Aboo Qilaabah (d.104H) said, “Do not sit with them, do not mix with them for I fear that they will immerse you in their misguidance and confuse you in much of what you know.”
(Ibid. no 244)
Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad said, “Do not sit with a person of innovation. Allaah has rendered his actions futile and has taken the light of Islaam from his heart.”
(Ibid. no. 263)
He also said, “Do not feel safe about your deen with a person of innovation. Do not consult him in your affairs and do not sit with him, for whoever sits with a person of innovation Allaah will make him inherit blindness.”
(Ibid, no. 264)
And he said, “Verily, Allaah has angels who look for the gatherings in which remembrance is made, so look and see with whom is your sitting. Let it not be with a person of innovation for Allaah does not look at them. And a sign of hypocrisy is that a man stands and sits with a person of innovation.”
(Ibid. no. 265)
Ibn Battah (d.387H) reported from ‘Abdullaah Ibn As-Sariyy who said, “It is not the Sunnah with us, that the People of Desires should be argued with but the Sunnah with us, is that we do not talk to a single one of them.”
(Reported by Ibn Battah in Al-Ibanah 2/365-366)
He also reported from Hanbal ibn Ishaaq ibn Hanbal that he said, “A man wrote a book to Aboo ‘Abdullaah (Imaam Ahmad rahimahullah) seeking permission to write a book in which the refutation against the People of Innovation is explained and for meeting with the people of theological rhetoric (Ahlul-kalaam) to dispute with them and to present arguments to them. So Aboo ‘Abdullaah wrote a book back to him saying in it, ‘That which we used to hear and found whomever we met from the People of Knowledge upon, is that they used to detest speaking and sitting with the People of Deviation. The affair lies in submitting to and Stopping at whatever is in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), not in sitting with the People of Deviation and Innovation, seeking thereby to refute them, for they will only confuse you and they themselves do not return. So safety, if Allaah wills, is in abandoning sitting with them and not disputing with them regarding their innovations.”
(Al-Ibanah of Ibn Battah, 1/44)
Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187H) said, “It is not possible for a person of the Sunnah to support a person of innovation except out of hypocrisy.”
(Sharh Usoolil-I’tiqaad of Al-Lailaka’ee, no. 266)
‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Umar As-Sarkhasee, the Scholar of Khazar, said, “I ate with a person of innovation and that reached Ibn Al-Mubaarak who said, ‘I never spoke to him for thirty days.”
(Ibid. no. 274)
Aboo Daawood As-Sijistaanee (d.275) said, “I said to Aboo ‘Abdullaah, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, ‘If I see a man from the Ahlus Sunnah sitting with a man from the people of innovation, should I abandon speaking to him?’ He said, ‘No. You should first inform him that the one whom you saw him with is a person of innovation. Either he will cease speaking to the innovator, so continue speaking to him, or if not, then regard him to be like him.” Ibn Mas’ooj said, “A person is like his friend.”
(Reported by Ibn Abee Ya‘laa in Tabaqaatul-Hanabilah, 1/60)
Hammad ibn Zaid (d.179H) said, “I was with Ayyoob, Yoonus and Ibn ‘Awn (when) ‘Amr Ibn ‘Ubaid, and he was a Mu’taziliyy, passed by them and gave them salaam and stopped - but they did not return the salaam to him.”
(Meezaanul-I’tidaal, 3/274)
When Sulaymaan At-Taymee (d.143H) became ill he cried intensely and it was said to him, “What makes you cry, the apprehension of death?” He said, “No, but I passed by a Qadariyy and gave salaam to him — and I fear that my Lord will hold me to account for it.”
(Reported by Aboo Nu’aym in Al-Hilyah, 3/32 and Ibn Al-Jawzee in Talbees-Iblees, pp. 13-14)
Muhammad Ibn Ka’b Al-Qurtubee said, “Do not sit with the People of Qadar (i.e., the Qadariyyah, those denying Qadar) and do not argue with them. And when Hammaad ibn Salamah (d.167H) used to sit in a gathering he would say, “Whoever is a Qadariyy, let him stand and leave. Something similar to this has also been reported about Taawoos, Ayyoob, Sulaymaan At-Taymee, Yoonus Ibn ‘Ubaid and others. Al-Qaadee said, “And this is Ijmaa (consensus) of the Sahabah and the Taabi‘een (i.e., regarding fleeing from the People of Innovation).
(Al-Aadaabush-Sharee’a, 1/232)
One of the Innovators asked Ayyoob As-Sakhtiyaanee (d.131H), “0 Aboo Bakr, may I ask you about a word?
(Fathul-Qadeer of Ash-Shawkaanee, 2/128)
He turned away and indicated with his hand, “No, not even half a word. Ibn ‘Awn (d.150H) said, “Whoever sits with an innovator is worse than them.”
(Ibn Battah in Al-Ibaanatul-Kubraa, no. 446)
Ibn Haanee An-Neesaabooree said, “I witnessed Aboo ‘Abdullah, meaning Imaam Ahmad, on his way to the mosque and a man from the skeptics (innovators) gave him salaam. He did not return salaam to him and the man gave him salaam again. Imaam Ahmad pushed him away and did not return salaam to him.”
(Masaa’il Imaam Ahmad of Ibn Haanee An-Neesaabooree, 2/153)
Aboo ‘Uthmaan As-Saaboonee (d.449) said, “And they avoid the People of Innovation and Misguidance, having enmity for the People of Desires and Ignorance. They hate the People of Innovation who introduce into the Deen that which is not from it. They do not love them, they do not accompany them, they do not listen to their words, nor sit with them or argue or dispute with them regarding the Deen. And they protect their ears from listening to their falsehoods, which if they pass by the cars and settle in the hearts, harm the hearts and bring corrupt ideas and whisperings upon them.”
(Aqeedatus-Salaf Wa Ashaabil-Hadeeth, p. 99)
Abul-Jawzaa*** (d.83W) said, “That apes and pigs live next to me is more loved by me than if one of them (i.e., People of Desires)lives next to me.
***He was Aws Ibn ‘Abdullaah Ar-Raba’ee, Al-Basree, one of the great scholars. He narrated from ‘Aa’ishah, Ibn ‘Abbaas and ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Al-’Aas. He was one of the worshippers who stood up to Al-Hajjaaj, and it is said that he was killed on the day of ‘Al-Jamaajim’ (skulls). Hammaad Ibn Zayd reports from ‘Amr Ibn Maalik (who said), “I heard Abul-Jawzaa say, ‘I have never cursed anything, nor ate anything that had been cursed, nor harmed anyone ever,” and from him that he said: “I have never argued with anyone, ever.” And Abul-Jawzaa was extremely strong: Nooh Ibn Qays reports from Sulaymaan Ar-Raba’ee who said, “Abul-Jawzaa used to fast continuously for a week, and then seize hold of a young mans arm and almost break it.’
Taken from As-Siyar, vol. 4, pp. 371-372.
He also said, “That I should sit with pigs is more beloved to me than that I should sit with anyone from the innovated sects,” reported in Al-Hilyah, 3/78 and Ibn Sa’d, 7/224. He died in 83H, At-Taqreeb and Al-Kaashif. (AT.)
(Sharh-Usoolul-I’tiqaad, 1/131)
The Root Of The Word Bid’ah
The root of the word bid’ah in Arabic means initiating something without any precedent. For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Originator of the heavens and the earth…”(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: v117)
In the terminology of sharee’ah, bid’ah means something that has been introduced into the religion of Allaah that has no general or specific basis to support it.
For example, the innovated adhkaar (dhikr) such as saying the name of Allaah on its own (“Allaah…Allaah… Allaah”) or the pronoun (“Hu… Hu… Hu…”, meaning “He… He… He…”). This is a new thing that has been innovated in the religion, intended as worship of Allaah, but there is no evidence for this, either specific or general, so it is bid’ah.
With regard to praying more than 8 rak’ahs in Taraweeh, the Sunnah as reported in the saheeh ahaadeeth, and as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) did regularly, is to pray eleven rak’ahs at night. He used to pray eight rak’ahs (saying Tasleem after each two rak’ahs in most cases), ending with two rak’ahs of shaf’ and one rak’ah of witr.
He sometimes prayed thirteen rak’ahs, as was narrated in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah and Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both). Doing more than this is permitted, but it is not Sunnah. What indicates that it is permissible is the saheeh hadeeth in which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “Night prayer is two by two” – meaning two rak’ahs by two rak’ahs; he did not limit it to a set number. And Allaah knows best.
Bid’ah
This issue may be divided into three topics:
1. Definition of bid’ah
2. Categories of bid’ah
3. Rulings on one who commits bid’ah – does that make him a kaafir or not?
1. Definition of bid’ah
Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “According to sharee’ah, the definition is ‘Worshipping Allaah in ways that Allaah has not prescribed.’ If you wish you may say, ‘Worshipping Allaah in ways that are not those of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his rightly guided successors (Al-Khulafaa’ Ar-Raashidoon).’”
The first definition is taken from the aayah:
“Or have they partners with Allaah (false gods) who have instituted
for them a religion which Allaah has not ordained?”(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Al-Shooraa, 42: v21)
The second definition is taken from the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), who said:
“I urge you to adhere to my way (Sunnah) and the way of the rightly-guided successors (Al-Khulafa’ Ar-Raashidoon) who come after me. Hold fast to it and bite onto it with your eyeteeth [i.e., cling firmly to it], and beware of newly-invented matters.”
So everyone who worships Allaah in a manner that Allaah has not prescribed or in a manner that is not in accordance with the way of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) or his rightly-guided successors (Al-Khulafa’ Ar-Raashidoon), is an innovator, whether that innovated worship has to do with the names and attributes of Allaah, or to do with His rulings and laws.
With regard to ordinary matters of habit and custom, these are not called bid’ah (innovation) in Islam, even though they may be described as such in linguistic terms. But they are not innovations in the religious sense, and these are not the things that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was warning us against.
And there is no such thing in Islam as bid’ah hasanah (good innovation).”
(Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, vol. 2, p. 291)
2. Categories of bid’ah
Bid’ah may be divided into two categories:
(i) bid’ah which constitutes kufr
(ii) bid’ah which does not constitute kufr
If you ask, what is the definition of bid’ah which constitutes kufr and that which does not constitute kufr?
The answer is:
Shaykh Haafiz al-Hukami (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The kind of bid’ah which constitutes kufr is when one denies a matter on which there is scholarly consensus, which widely-known, and which no Muslim can have any excuse for not knowing, such as denying something that is obligatory, making something obligatory that is not obligatory, or making something haraam halaal, or making something halaal haraam; or believing some notion about Allaah, His Messenger and His Book when they are far above that, whether in terms of denial of affirmation, because that means disbelieving in the Qur’aan and in the message with which Allaah sent His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).
Examples include the bid’ah of the Jahamiyyah, who denied the attributes of Allaah; or the notion that the Qur’aan was created; or the notion that some of the attributes of Allaah were created; or the bid’ah of the Qadariyyah who denied the knowledge and actions of Allaah; or the bid’ah of the Mujassimah who likened Allaah to His creation… etc.
The second category, bid’ah which does not constitute kufr, is defined as that which does not imply rejection of the Qur’aan or of anything with which Allaah sent His Messengers.
Examples include the Marwaani bid’ahs (which were denounced by the greatest Sahaabah who did not approve of them, although they did not denounce them as kaafirs or refuse to give them bay’ah because of that), such as delaying some of the prayers until the end of the due times, doing the Eid khutbah before the Eid prayer, delivering the khutbah whilst sitting down on Fridays, etc.
(Ma’aarij Al-Qubool, 2/503-504)
3. The ruling on one who commits bid’ah - is he regarded as a kaafir or not?
The answer is that it depends.
If the bid’ah constitutes kufr, then the person is one of the following two types:
(i) Either it is known that his intention is to destroy the foundations of Islam and make the Muslims doubt it. Such a person is definitely a kaafir; indeed, he is a stranger to Islam and is one of the enemies of the faith.
(ii) Or he is deceived and confused; he cannot be denounced as a kaafir until proof is established against him, fair and square.
If the bid’ah does not constitute kufr, then he should not be denounced as a kaafir. Rather, he remains a Muslim, but he has done a gravely evil action. If you ask, how should we deal with those who commit bid’ah?
The answer is:
Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “In both cases, we have to call these people – who claim to be Muslim but who commit acts of bid’ah which may constitute kufr or may be less than that – to the truth, by explaining the truth without being hostile or condemning what they are doing. But once we know that they are too arrogant to accept the truth – for Allaah says, ‘And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allaah, lest they insult Allaah wrongfully without knowledge.’ [Soorah Al-An’aam, 6: v108] – if we find out that they are stubborn and arrogant, then we should point out their falsehood, because then pointing out their falsehood becomes an obligation upon us.
With regard to boycotting them, that depends upon the bid’ah. If it is a bid’ah which constitutes kufr, then it is obligatory to boycott the person who does it. If it is of a lesser degree than that, then it is essential to examine the situation further. If something may be achieved by boycotting the person, then we do it; if no purpose will be served by it, or if it will only make him more disobedient and arrogant, then we should avoid doing that, because whatever serves no purpose, it is better not to do it. And also in principle it is haraam to boycott a believer, because the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: ‘It is not permissible for a man to forsake [not speak to] his brother for more than three [days].’”
(Adapted from Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, vol. 2, p. 293)
Allah Described His Awliyaa’
1. Allaah described His awliyaa’ (close friends) as having two characteristics: Eemaan (faith) and Taqwa (piety, awareness of Allaah). Allaah says:
“No doubt! Verily, the Awliyaa’ of Allaah [i.e., those who believe in the Oneness of Allaah and fear Allaah much
and love Allaah much], nor fear shall be upon them nor shall they grieve, - those who believe
(in the Oneness of Allaah) and used to fear Allaah much”
(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Yoonus, 10: v62-63)
2. The true awliyaa’ of Allaah do not go against what the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) brought. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) warned against innovated matters in religion, because Allaah has perfected His religion and completed His favour upon His slaves. Allaah says:
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you,
and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”
(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Al-Maa’idah, 5: v3)
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not a part of it, will have it rejected.”
3. Therefore one can distinguish between the walee (close friend) of Allaah and the walee of the Shaytaan, by looking at the person’s character, behaviour and religious commitment – does he pray regularly in jamaa’ah in the mosque, for example? Does he avoid wrongfully consuming people’s property? Does he avoid going against Islam by either adding or taking away anything? And so on.
4. It is not permissible for a Muslim to innovate any dhikr to recite regularly or to tell others to do so – such as awraad/wird, ma’thooraat or du’aas. The adhkaar that were reported in the saheeh Sunnah are sufficient for this, otherwise a person is an innovator or one who calls others to bid’ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not a part of it, will have it rejected.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari, 2550; Muslim, 1718). According to a report narrated by Muslim: “Whoever does any action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) will have it rejected.”
Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali (rahimahullah) said:
“This hadeeth represents one of the most important principles in Islam. It is like a scale against which the external appearances of deeds are measured, just as the hadeeth “Actions are but by intention” is the scale against which the inner motivations of actions are measured. Just as every deed which is not done for the sake of Allaah will bring no reward for the one who does it, so also every deed which is not in accordance with the way of Allaah and His Messenger will be rejected and thrown back at the one who does it. Anyone who innovates new things in the religion and does things for which Allaah and His Messenger have not granted permission, this is not a part of the religion at all.”
(Jaami’ Al-‘Uloom Wa’l-Hukam, 1/180)
Al-Nawawi (rahimahullah) said:
“This hadeeth is one of the most important basic principles of Islam, and it is one of the most concise and comprehensive sayings of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). It clearly states that innovations and newly invented matters will be rejected. The second report adds another idea, which is that some of those who follow the innovations of others may become stubborn when they are presented with the evidence of the first report which says, “Whoever innovates something…” They may say, “I am not innovating anything”. But he may in this case be presented with the evidence of the second report, which says, “Whoever does any action…” This clearly shows that all innovated actions will be rejected, whether the one who does them innovates them himself or is following someone else who innovated it. This hadeeth is one that should be learned by heart and used to denounce evil actions and be spread as evidence so that all people may use it.”
(Sharh Muslim, 12/16)
5. Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (rahimahullah) said:
“No doubt adhkaar and du’aa’s are among the best forms of worship, and worship is one of the matters in which there is no room for personal opinions – we have to follow what the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) did and taught, not our own whims and desires or innovations. The du’aa’s and adhkaar of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) are the best that anyone could find. The one who follows this way will be safe and sound, and the benefits and positive results that he will gain are beyond description. Any other du’aa’s and adhkaar may be haraam or they may be makrooh; they may involve shirk even though most people do not realize that – the details of this would take too long to explain here.
No one has the right to teach the people any kinds of du’aa’s or adhkaar apart from those that are mentioned in the Sunnah, or to make it a kind of regular worship which he expects the people to do regularly as they do the five daily prayers – this is the innovation in religion which Allaah does not allow. As for adopting a wird or regularly reciting a dhikr that is not prescribed in sharee’ah, this is one of the things that is not allowed. The du’aa’s and adhkaar prescribed by sharee’ah are the best that anyone could ever hope to find, and no one ignores them in favour of newly-invented, innovated adhkaar except one who is ignorant, negligent or a wrongdoer.”
(Majmoo’ Al-Fataawa, 22/510-511)
Compiling The Qur’aan, Is It Bid'ah?
With regard to Abu Bakr compiling the Qur’aan, this is not bid’ah, rather it is Sunnah such as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) enjoined us to adhere to when he said: “I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided khaleefahs after me.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 2676; Abu Dawood, 4607; Ibn Maajah, 42. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by At-Tirmidhi, by Al-Haakim, 1/177; and by Al-Albaani in Saheeh Al-Jaami’, 2549, from the hadeeth of Al-‘Irbaad Ibn Saariyah). This is one of the Sunnahs of the Rightly-Guided Khaleefah Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq (radhiyAllahu anhu).
Bid’ah means seeking to draw close to Allaah by means of acts of worship for which there is no precedent (in sharee’ah). The Qur’aan was compiled in people’s hearts and it was compiled on tablets kept by some of the Sahaabah. Compiling all of it in one place or on one tablet does not involve anything that is to be denounced.
Zayd Ibn Thaabit said – when Abu Bakr delegated him to collect the Mushaf – I sought the Qur’aan and I gathered it from pieces, i.e., leaves, patches of leather, shoulder-blades of sheep and camels, leaves of palm trees, and the hearts of men.
Al-Qaadi Abu Bakr Al-Baaqillaani mentioned the justification for the action of Abu Bakr, the five most important points of which were:
1. That the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) did not do that for a reason, and Abu Bakr did it because there was a need for it.
2. Allaah referred in the Qur’aan to al-Suhuf al-Oola (the former Scriptures – Al-A’laa, 89: v19), and He stated that Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) had something similar in the aayah:
“reciting (the Qur’aan) purified pages [purified from Al-Baatil (falsehood)].
Wherein are correct and straight laws from Allaah”
(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Al-Bayyinah, 98: v2-3)
So this [action of Abu Bakr] was following that which was prescribed by Allaah and His Messenger.
3. By doing that, their intention was to fulfil the words of Allaah:
“Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely,
We will guard it (from corruption)”(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Al-Hijr, 15: v9)
It was preserved with Him, and He told us that He would preserve it after it had been sent down. Part of His preserving it was His enabling the Sahaabah to gather it and to agree upon how its spelling and punctuation were to be regulated.
4. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) had scribes to whom he dictated it, so that everyone would understand from this that it should be written down and preserved on sheets. If Allaah’s guarantee to preserve it meant that the ummah would have nothing to do with it, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) would not have had it written down after Allaah had told him of His guarantee to preserve it. But it is known that the way in which Allaah has preserved it is by causing us to preserve it and making that easy for us, and showing us how it is to be written down.
5. It is proven that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) forbade traveling with the Qur’aan to the land of the enemy. This indicates that it was written down and that the people used to take it with them when they travelled.
Abu Bakr Ibn Al-‘Arabi said: "this is the clearest evidence for anyone who studies the issue."
(See Ahkaam Al-Qur’aan, 2/612)
Added Adhaan, Is It Bid'ah?
With regard to your saying that ‘Umar added “something new” to the adhaan, we know nothing of that. But perhaps you were referring to the fact that ‘Uthmaan added the first call to the Jumu’ah prayers. This is correct, because at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), there was just one adhaan, but when ‘Uthmaan became khaleefah and Madeenah became larger, ‘Uthmaan thought that the call for Jumu’ah should be given before the time, so the people could get ready for the prayer. This is what is called the first adhaan.
It was narrated that Al-Saa’ib Ibn Yazeed said: At the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, the first call on Friday used to be when the imaam was sitting on the minbar. But at the time of ‘Uthmaan (radhiyAllahu anhu), when the number of people increased, he added the third call. According to one report, ‘Uthmaan gave orders for the first call. According to another report, the second adhaan was enjoined by ‘Uthmaan. There is no contradiction here, because it is called the third call in the sense that it was something added; the first in the sense that it comes before the adhaan and iqaamah; and the second in the sense that this is an adhaan given in addition to the real adhaan, which was given in Al-Zawraa’. Abu ‘Abd-Allaah – i.e., Al-Bukhaari – said that Al-Zawraa’ was a place in the market of Madeenah.
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari, 870)
This adhaan is not a bid’ah or reprehensible innovation, rather it is one of the Sunnahs of the Rightly-Guided Khaleefah ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan (radhiyAllahu anhu), which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) urged us to adhere to when he said: “I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided khaleefahs after me.”
Moreover there is a sound reason behind it, which is to alert the people to the fact that the time of prayer is at hand. And it is worth noting that there are no rulings attached to this (first) adhaan, such as the prohibition on buying or selling or the obligation to go to the mosque, and that ‘Uthmaan was wise to have this call made in the marketplace and not in the mosque. This is no more than an alert to the people, to let them know that the time for prayer is at hand, because the houses were far away and far from one another, as mentioned above.
Hence it was narrated that ‘Ali (radhiyAllahu anhu) did not do that in Kufa because there was no need for it.
Bid'ah According To Islamic Teaching
Firstly, we should know what "bid'ah" means according to Islamic teaching.
It is defined as: any invented way in religion that is aimed at worshipping or drawing closer to Allaah. This means anything that is not referred to specifically in Sharee'ah, and for which there is no evidence (daleel) in the Qur'aan or Sunnah, and which was not known at the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) and his Companions. At the same time, it is quite obvious that this definition of religious inventions or innovations, which are condemned, does not include worldly inventions such as cars and washing machines, etc.
If your confusion has to do with an apparent contradiction between the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah and the hadeeth narrated by Jareer ibn 'Abdullaah, then let us examine these two reports and find out what they mean:
Jareer Ibn 'Abdullaah Al-Bajali (radhiyAllahu anhu) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: 'Whoever starts a good thing and is followed by others, will have his own reward and a reward equal to that of those who follow him, without it detracting from their reward in any way. Whoever starts a bad thing and is followed by others, will bear the burden of his own sin and a burden equal to that of those who follow him, without it detracting from their burden in any way.'"
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi, no. 2675. He said, This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth)
There is a story behind this hadeeth, which will explain what "whoever starts a good thing" means. Imaam Muslim reported this story from Jareer Ibn 'Abdullaah, who also narrated the hadeeth itself. He said: "Some people from the Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), wearing woollen garments. He saw that they were in bad shape and in desperate need, so he urged the people to give them charity. They people were very slow to respond, and it could be seen in his face (that he was upset). Then a man of the Ansaar brought a package of silver, then another came, and another and another, and his face was filled with joy. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: 'Whoever starts a good thing in Islam, and others do likewise after him, there will be written for him a reward like that of those who followed him, without it detracting in the least from their reward. Whoever starts a bad thing in Islam, and others do likewise after him, there will be written for him a burden of sin like that of those who followed him, without it detracting in the least from their burden.'"
(Reported by Muslim, no. 1017)
Further explanation may be found in a report recorded by An-Nisaa'i, also from Jareer Ibn 'Abdullah (radhiyAllahu anhu), who said: "We were with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) early one day, when some people who were almost naked(not dressed properly) and barefoot, with their swords by their sides, came to him. Most, if not all of them, were of (the tribe of)Mudar. The Messenger's face changed when he saw how poor they were (i.e., he became upset). He went into (his house), then he came out and ordered Bilaal to give the call to prayer. He led the people in prayer, then he addressed them, saying:
'O people, "be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife,
and from them both he created many men and women, and fear Allaah through Whom you demand
your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship)"(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah An-Nisaa', 4: v1)
"Fear Allaah, and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look
to what he has sent forth for the morrow…"
(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Al-Hashr, 59: v18)
Let a man give charity from his dinars, his dirhams, his clothing, his wheat or his dates - even if it is only half a date.' A man from the Ansaar brought a package which he could hardly carry in his hand, then another and another came, until there were two piles, of food and clothing, and I saw the face of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) beaming with joy. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: 'Whoever starts a good thing in Islam will have his own reward and a reward equal to that of those who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward, and whoever starts a bad thing in Islam will have to bear the burden of his own sin and a burden equal to that of those who followed him, without it detracting in the least from their burden.'
(Reported by An-Nisaa'i in Al-Mujtaba: Kitaab Al-Zakaat, Bab Al-Tahreed 'Ala Al-Sadaqah)
From the context of the story, it is clear that what is meant by the words "whoever starts a good thing (sunnah hasanah) in Islam"means: Whoever revives a part of the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), or teaches it to others, or commands others to follow it, or acts according to it so that others see him or hear about it and follow his example. This is also indicated by the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (radhiyAllahu anhu), who said: "A man came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), and he urged the people to give him charity. A man said: 'I have such-and-such,' and there was no person left in the gathering who did not give something in charity to him, whether it was a large amount or a little. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: 'Whoever starts something good, and others follow his lead, will have a complete reward and a reward like that of those who followed him, without it detracting in the least from their reward. Whoever starts something bad, and others follow his lead, will bear a complete burden of sin, and a burden like that of those who followed him, without it detracting in the least from their burden.'
(Reported by Ibn Maaajah in Al-Sunan, no. 204)
It should be clear from the above, with no room for doubt, that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was not allowing innovation in matters of deen (religion), nor was he opening the door to what some people call "bid'ah hasanah" for the following reasons:
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) stated repeatedly that: "Every newly-invented thing is a bid'ah (innovation), every bid'ah is a going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire."
(Reported by An-Nisaa'i in Al-Sunan, Salaat Al-'Eedayn, Baab Kayfa Al-Khutbah). Reports with the same meaning were narrated via Jaabir (radhiyAllahu anhu) by Ahmad, via Al-'Irbaad Ibn Saariyah by Abu Dawud and via Ibn Mas'ood (radhiyAllahu anhu) by Ibn Maajah.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) used to say, when beginning a khutbah (sermon): "…The best of speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of things are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going astray…"
(Reported by Muslim, no. 867)
If every bid'ah is a going astray, how can some people then say that there is such a thing in Islam as "bid'ah hasanah"? By Allaah, this is an obvious contradiction of the statement and warning of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) stated that whoever innovates something new in the deen (religion) will have his deed rejected, and Allaah will not accept it, as is stated in the hadeeth narrated by 'Aa'ishah (radhiyAllahu anha), who said: "The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: 'Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours that is not a part of it will have it rejected.'"
(Reported by Al-Bukhaari, Fath Al-Baari, no. 2697). How can anybody then say that bid'ah is acceptable and it is permitted to follow it?
When a person innovates something and adds to the deen something that does not belong to it, he is implying a number of bad things, each worse than the last, for example: That the religion is lacking, that Allaah did not complete and perfect it, and that there is room for improvement. This clearly contradicts the statement in the Qur'aan:
"…This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you,
and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…"(Glorious Qur'aan: Surah Al-Maa'idah, 5: v3)
That the religion remained imperfect from the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) until the time when this innovator came along and completed it with his own ideas. That the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was "guilty" of either of two things: either he was ignorant of this "good innovation," or he knew about it but concealed it, thus letting his ummah down by not conveying it.
That the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), his Companions and the righteous salaf (early generations) missed out on the reward of this "good innovation" - until this innovator came along and earned it for himself, despite the fact that he should say to himself, "If it was truly good, they would have been the first to do it."
Opening the door to bid'ah leads to changing the deen (religion) and opens the way for personal whims and opinions, because every innovator implies that what he is introducing is something good, so whose opinion are we supposed to follow, and which of them should we take as a leader? Following bid'ah leads to the cancelling out of sunnah practices and the ways of the salaf. Real life bears witness that whenever a bid'ah is followed, a sunnah practice dies out; the reverse is also true.
We ask Allaah to save us from the misguidance of personal whims and from all trials whether they are open or secret. And Allaah knows best.
There Is No Such Thing As Bid'ah Hasanah
Firstly, how can there be any such thing as bid’ah hasanah (“good innovation”) when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “Every bid’ah is a going astray and every going astray is in Hell-fire.” So, if anyone says that there is such a thing as bid’ah hasanah, he can only be insisting on going against the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).
Secondly, saying “al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah)" when coming out of rukoo’ is a well-known phrase of dhikr which is proven in sound ahaadeeth reported from the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). All that this Sahaabi did was to come up with a new phrase expressing praise to Allaah. How can this be used as evidence to support innovations in worship and dhikr that have no basis in the sources of Islam?
Thirdly, what this Sahaabi did cannot be taken as evidence in and of itself. It was not even considered to have been a correct action until after the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) had approved it, and not before. But how on earth could this innovator obtain the approval of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) after he has passed away?"
Fourthly, if we accept the use of this report as evidence, it is still no more than an isolated incident which cannot be generalized, whereas the hadeeth “every bid’ah is a going astray” is clearly a general statement. It is a well-known principle among the ‘ulamaa’ (scholars) that what is stated clearly takes precedence over what is merely implied.
Fifthly, how can we know what is good or not with our limited minds alone and without the input of Revelation? Is there not the possibility of differences of opinion? What one person sees as good will be seen differently by another, so what would the standard be? Whose reasoning could we rely on or refer to? Would this not be confusion, even anarchy itself?
Sixthly, (which confirms the third point made above), when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) approved of an act of worship or a dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) on the part of one of his Sahaabah, it would thus become a part of sharee’ah and hence be regarded as a sunnah hasanah. But with the death of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) and the ceasing of Revelation, how can we know whether innovated acts of worship or dhikr are correct or would be approved? We have no way of knowing, so we should limit ourselves only to the forms of worship that have been narrated in sound reports.
The great scholar Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajr (rahimahullah) narrated many comments by Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah in Fath Al-Baari; he agreed with some and disagreed with others. This is the business of the scholars: they discuss and debate with one another, with the aim of reaching the truth – which may lie with the one who is disagreeing or with the one whose opinion is being criticized. May Allaah forgive all the scholars and reward them for their efforts and concern.
Subhanak Allaahuma wa bihamdika ash-hadu anlaa illaaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk.
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan.
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan.
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