Bidah Causes & Classification
Chapter 1. Causes of Bid’ah
1. Lack of Knowledge.
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Jathiyah 45:18[1],
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيْعَةٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا
وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ
وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ
“Then We put you, [O Muhammad], on an ordained way concerning the matter [of religion]; so follow it and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know.”
2. Following assumptions and desires.
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah An-Najm 53:23,
إِن يَّتَّبِعُوْنَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنفُسُ
وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى
وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى
“They follow not except assumption and what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance.”
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Al- Qasas 28:50,
فَإِنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيْبُوْا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُوْنَ أَهْوَاءْهُمْ
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللَّهِ
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللَّهِ
“But if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.”
Chapter 2. About Bid’at e Hasanah- The “good” Bid’ah
[NOTE: THIS TERM “GOOD BID’AH” IS USED BY SOME PEOPLE. HOWEVER THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “GOOD” BID’AH. ALL BID’AH ARE MISGUIDANCE AS EXPLAINED AHEAD.]
Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما said,
كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَإِنْ رَآهَا النَّاسُ حَسَنَةً
“All innovations are misguidance, even if people consider them to be good”
[RECORDED IN AITIQAAD AHLUS-SUNNAH: No 126]
Imam Malik رحمه الله said,
مَنْ اِبْتَدَعَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ بِدْعَةً يَرَاهَا حَسَنَةً
فَقَدْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً قَدْ خَانَ الرِّسَالَةَ
لِأَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُوْلُ : الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ
وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلاَمَ دِيْنًا
فَمَا يَكُنْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دِيْنًا فَلَا يَكُوْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ دِيْنًا
فَقَدْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً قَدْ خَانَ الرِّسَالَةَ
لِأَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُوْلُ : الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ
وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلاَمَ دِيْنًا
فَمَا يَكُنْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دِيْنًا فَلَا يَكُوْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ دِيْنًا
“Whoever starts a “Bid’ah” in Islam which he considers to be good, he has considered that Prophet Muhammed (P) has cheated in his responsibility of conveying the message of Allah, since Allah, the Most High, has said in the Qur’an 5:3,
“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.”
“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.”
- Then (know that!), what was not a part of religion on that day is not a part of religion today!”
[RECORDED IN AL-AITISAAM, VOL: 1, PAGE: 37, SUNAN SHAFAI, AL-UMM SHAFAI MURSALA, SUNAN AL-BAIHAQI, AUTHENTICATED (SAHEEH) BY ALBANI]
Chapter 3. Classification of Bid’ah
[NOTE: ALL THE EXAMPLES MENTIONED BELOW ARE EXAMPLES OF BID’AH (INNOVATIONS). ALL OF THESE ACTIONS ARE NOT PROVEN FROM THE QUR’AN AND THE AUTHENTIC HADITH.]
1. Time زَمَان
[I.E. FIXING A PARTICULAR TIME / DAY / PERIOD WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FIXED IN THE QUR’AN AND THE SUNNAH FOR SOME DEED MAKES THAT DEED INTO A BID’AH]
E.g. - Performing Hajj in other than Dhil-Hijjah and
- Fasting the fasts of Ramadaan in other than Ramadaan.
- Fasting the fasts of Ramadaan in other than Ramadaan.
2. Place مَكَان
[I.E. FIXING A PARTICULAR PLACE WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FIXED IN THE QUR’AN AND THE SUNNAH FOR SOME DEED MAKES THAT DEED INTO A BID’AH]
E.g. - Tawaaf of other than the Kaba
- Sa’ee of other than Safa and Marwah
3. Quantity / Number مِقْدَار
[I.E. FIXING A PARTICULAR NUMBER WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FIXED IN THE QUR’AN AND THE SUNNAH FOR SOME DEED MAKES THAT DEED INTO A BID’AH]
E.g. - Fixing the number in Dhikr (Words of Remembrance of Allah) as 11. Offering Salah before and after the chanting (Wird).
- Increasing the number of Ruku and Sujood
- Fixing the number of Surahs in Tahajjud and in other Salahs.
4. Material جِنْس
[I.E. FIXING A PARTICULAR MATERIAL WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FIXED IN THE QUR’AN AND THE SUNNAH FOR SOME DEED MAKES THAT DEED INTO A BID’AH]
E.g. - Slaughtering a Horse on “Eid ul Azha”
- Throwing Shoes and large stones instead of small pebbles (on the Jamarah, in Hajj)
5. Condition (Manner) كَيْفِيَة
[I.E. ADOPTING A PARTICULAR MANNER WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FIXED IN THE QUR’AN AND THE SUNNAH FOR DOING SOME DEED MAKES THAT DEED INTO A BID’AH]
E.g. - The manner of performing Zikr and other actions by the Sufis
- Leaving backwards (without turning the back towards it) from tombs and graves, Masjid al Haraam and Masjid e Nabawi
6. Sequence تَرْتِيْب
[I.E. CHANGING THE SEQUENCE OF A PARTICULAR RIGHTEOUS DEED TURNS IT INTO A BID’AH]
E.g. - Reading the Darood on the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم before the Adhaan (rather than reading after it)
7. Cause سَبَب
[I.E. DOING THE ACTION DUE TO A CAUSE NOT PROVEN FROM THE QUR’AN AND THE AUTHENTIC HADITH MAKES THAT ACTION A BID’AH]
E.g. - Organising special Programs on the nights of 15th Shabaan and Me’raj (27th Rajab) due to the Fazeelat (as considered by people) of these nights.
- Doing special actions of Ibadah in the month of Rabi-ul Awwal due to the birth of Prophet Muhammed صلى الله عليه وسلم in it.
[MANY OF THESE ACTIONS ARE RIGHTEOUS DEEDS BUT THEY BECOME BID’AH WHEN THEIR TIME, PLACE, NUMBER, MATERIAL, CONDITION, SEQUENCE AND CAUSE IS FIXED BY PEOPLE WHEN ALLAH HAS NOT FIXED THEM IN THE QUR’AN NOR HAS THE PROPHET صلى الله عليه وسلم FIXED THEM IN THE SUNNAH. THIS CHANGES A RIGHTEOUS DEED INTO A BID’AH]
[1] The Qur’an translation quoted is from the English translation by Saheeh International, available in print by Al-Qaasim Publishing House, also available on the internet atwww.islamsmessage.com
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