Bid'ah — Innovation in Religion

Bid'ah (innovation in religion) is a significant concept in Islamic theology and jurisprudence. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned: "Every innovation is a going astray, and every going astray is in the Fire" (Sahih Muslim). This hadith establishes the general principle that introducing new practices into the religion that have no basis in the Quran or Sunnah is prohibited. Understanding what constitutes bid'ah and what does not is essential for preserving the authenticity of Islamic worship.

Definition and Scope

Linguistically, bid'ah means anything new or unprecedented. In Islamic terminology, it refers to a newly invented matter in the religion that has no precedent in the Quran, Sunnah, or the practice of the Companions. Imam al-Shatibi defined it in his masterwork al-I'tisam as: "An invented way in the religion that resembles the Shariah, by which nearness to Allah is sought, but has no evidence for it." The key distinction is between matters of religion (ibadah) and matters of worldly life (dunya). Innovations in technology, medicine, or daily life are not bid'ah in the religious sense.

The Scholarly Discussion

Among Ahl us-Sunnah, scholars have differed on whether bid'ah can ever be categorized as "good." Imam al-Shafi'i and al-Izz ibn Abd al-Salam divided bid'ah into five categories parallel to the five legal rulings: obligatory, recommended, permissible, disliked, and prohibited. They pointed to Umar ibn al-Khattab gathering people for Tarawih prayer behind one imam and saying "What an excellent bid'ah this is" (Sahih al-Bukhari). The Hanbali school, following the apparent meaning of the hadith, considers all religious innovation blameworthy, explaining that Umar's use of the word was linguistic, since Tarawih prayer has a basis in the Sunnah.

Examples and Boundaries

Scholars agree that adding a sixth prayer to the five daily prayers would be bid'ah. Similarly, inventing new rituals, designating specific days for specific worship without evidence, or adding conditions to worship that the Shariah did not prescribe are all considered innovations. However, building Islamic schools (madrasas), compiling hadith collections, adding vowel marks to the Quran for non-Arab readers, and establishing Islamic universities are considered praiseworthy actions that serve the religion without altering its worship practices.

The Balanced Approach

The balanced position recognizes that the Shariah is complete, as Allah declared: "This day I have perfected for you your religion" (Quran 5:3). Acts of worship are tawqifiyyah (based on evidence only). A Muslim should not worship Allah except in ways that He and His Messenger prescribed. At the same time, means and tools that serve established forms of worship (like microphones for the adhan, printed Quran copies, or online Islamic education) are permissible tools, not innovations in religion. The guiding principle is: worship requires evidence; worldly matters are permissible unless prohibited.