Question

Which narration (with authentication) warns against bid‘ah, and what is the meaning of bid’ah?

 

Answer

Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“…every bid’ah (innovation) is misguidance.’”

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2002)

Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Whoever innovates [any deed] which doesn’t concur with what Islam demands is rejected.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 2697 and Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 4467)

Definition of Bid’ah

The bid’ah (innovation) that is referred to in the above authentic Hadiths are those deeds that have been added into din, with no clear or distant basis in the Quran, Hadith or practice of the Sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum), the Tabi’un and Tabi’ Tabi’un.

(See details in Iqamatul Hujjah of Mawlana ‘Abdul Hay Laknawi (rahimahullah) – Majmu’ Rasail Laknawi, vol. 2)

Note 1: The above is the definition of the Islamic (Shar’i) usage of the word bid’ah. Sometimes, the word bid’ah appears in certain narrations in its linguistic meaning, which refers to anything new. Not all bid’ah of this kind is evil.

Note 2: It is the duty of the highly qualified Scholars to judge what is considered a bid’ah in Din. The uneducated masses should avoid labelling anything as baseless or as innovations, as many such claims have been proven as false by the ‘Ulama!

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar