بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
Most of this series of articles will be taking information presented in Sh. Abdul-Fattah al-Yafi’i’s book on the subject. It is by no means the ‘best’, as each book written on this subject presents this topic with its own unique insights. However it is the easiest to convert into a blog format in the English language.
To download the PDF version of both Parts 1 & 2, Click here.
1. Introduction
Bid’ah is currently one of those hot-button topics among young or headstrong people when discussing ‘orthodoxy’ in Islam.
When one studies the traditional sciences through the works of scholars in the past, one finds a very different style of discourse about bid’ah than that of the currently popular one disseminated by certain types of thinking in the Muslim world, and which is assumed by some to be the correct or only one. As I will attempt to show in this article & subsequent follow-ups, the popularity of this understanding is a temporal, socio-cultural phenomenon. The books of fiqh across all four madhhabs paint a startlingly different picture.
As Muslims seeking to understanding Islam ‘properly’, we should try to understand Islam the way our scholars have historically understood it. Otherwise any non-scholarly understanding of Islam is fair game for orthodoxy. If expertise is not required to determine the most ‘correct’ understandings of the Qur’an & Sunnah, then the progressive, extremist, Islamophobic, Orientalist etc – all should be considered equal regardless of how heretical we feel they are.
This article will explore the understandings of Bid’ah the way most scholars in Islamic History understood it.
1A. What is Bid’ah?
All of the following points will be expounded upon in subsequent sections.
1.01 – A bid’ah (innovation in religion) can be of two types: a bid’ah in belief, or a bid’ah in action. The first is discussed in theology. The latter is discussed in fiqh.
1.02 – All bid’ahs in theology are blameworthy. They are of two types: those that are sinful, and those that remove a person from Islam. Bid’ah in theology should not be confused with clarifications & explanations of Orthodox theology using rational discourse or scientific data.
1.03 – Bid’ah in actions are divided into two categories: praiseworthy & blameworthy. This is the subject of the current article.
1.04 – Bid’ah in actions can also be divided into two different categories: Bid’ah in acts of worship or bid’ah in acts of ‘human habits’.
1.05 – Bid’ah in acts of worship are divided into two categories: Restricting the unrestricted, or unrestricting the restricted.
1.06 – Bid’ah in acts of worship that involve restricting the unrestricted are of five types: restricting by time, by place, by number, by appearance or by type. Each of these five types are categorized into restrictions that are intended, and restrictions that are not intended.
1.07 – Bid’ah in acts of worship that involve restricting the unrestricted – all five types of it – can be categorized into two – ‘swapping it out’ or ‘increasing’. Increasing can be either in number of wording.
1B – The ‘Good’ Bid’ah According to Scholars Across the 4 Madhhabs in Fiqh
1.08 – Most of the scholars in Islamic History followed one of the 4 madhhabs in fiqh.
1.09 – The consensus of scholars in Islamic History is that following a madhhab is not just permissible, but recommended or obligatory to ensure that fiqh is learned and implemented properly.
1.010 – The majority of scholars across all 4 madhhabs said that bid’ah is divided into two types – praiseworthy and blameworthy.
1.11 – Some scholars who agreed on the praiseworthy/blameworthy division further categorized bid’ah according to the 5 rulings in fiqh. They said bid’ah can be either obligatory, recommended, permissible, disliked or impermissible.
1.12 – Some scholars said that bid’ah cannot be divided into praiseworthy and blameworthy, rather that all bid’ah is blameworthy. This was the view of some Malikis, and some Hanbalis.
The Categorization of Bid’ah According to the Four Madhhabs
2. The Categorization of Bid’ah According to the Hanafis
2.01 – The Hanafi madhhab was one of the most dominant in Islamic History in its presence in courts & government. The Ottoman, Mughal and Ilkhanid empires were all Hanafi. Egypt was largely a Hanafi region until recently.
2.02 – Abu Sai’d Al-Khadimi (d. 1176 AH) said in Bariqah Mahmudah, “Bid’ah is what contradicts the Sunnah in belief, action or statement. This is the meaning of those who said, bid’ah in the Shari’ah (Islamic Law) is an innovation that was not present during the time of the Prophet SAW.
Zaynul-Arab said, “Bid’ah was what was innovated without any basis in the foundations of the religion.” Al-Harawi said, “Bid’ah is an opinion that does not have any basis in the Qur’an or Sunnah, whether via an apparent connection, or a concealed derivation.”
It was said of Bid’ah in fiqh, “blameworthy bid’ah are those that contradict a Sunnah or a wisdom of legislation in a Sunnah. A praiseworthy bid’ah therefore, must have a basis in a Sunnah, whether by apparent connection or a concealed derivation.”
It was said of the Prophetic hadith, ‘Whoever innovates something in the religion which is not from it, it is rejected‘: “(Which is not from it) refers to an opinion that has no apparent connection or obscure statement or derivation and (it is rejected) refers to its rejection from its doer.”
Al-Munawi said, “There is an indication in this that our religion has been perfected and made apparent like the light of the sun with the witness [from the Qur’an] ‘Today I have perfected your religion’. Thus additions to the religion are not acceptable. As for the principles of the law bear witness to, then those are acceptable, such as the building of spiritual lodges, schools and authoring of books.“
2.03 – Al-Khadimi also said in the same book, “If you follow up on everything that has been said on praiseworthy bid’ah, whether in theology, fiqh, statements, or character, within the category of acts of worship (as whatever is in human habits is not from bid’ah in the first place, as discussed previously), then you will find it to be permissible in the Shariah, whether by Allah, His Messenger, by scholarly consensus, or analogy – but by means of an implied or indicated meaning of a text, not the text itself in explicit terms.”
2.04 – Al-Khadimi also said in the same book, “Impermissible bid’ah is what contradicts a Sunnah, or the wisdom of legislation of a Sunnah. For example the wisdom of legislation of brushing the teeth so as not to harm others and remove bad breath and clean the mouth, so there is not doubt that smoking contradicts this Sunnah. It is thus established that a praiseworthy bid’ah is one that aids in the fulfillment of an objective in the religion.”
2.05 – Al-Khadimi also said in the same book, “[As for the hadith] ‘And the worse of matters are the innovations’ [then this refers to] innovations that occurred after the Prophet SAW, and he did not imply them to be permissible, as well as those that occured after the righteous caliphs, the companions and the followers.”
2.06 – Badr-ul-Din al-Ayni (d. 855 AH) said in his commentary on Sahih Al-Bukhari, “Bid’ah in its original meaning means an innovation that was not present at the time of the Prophet SAW. Then bid’ah is of two types: if it falls under whatever is approved of in the Shariah then it is a praiseworthy bid’ah. If it falls under whatever is disapproved of in the Shariah then it is a disapproved-of bid’ah.”
2.07 – Al-Ayni also said in the same book, “Lexically, bid’ah is an action done without any previous precedent, and in the Shariah it is an innovation that has no basis in the time of the Prophet SAW. It is of two types: blameworthy bid’ah, which we have just mentioned, and praiseworthy bid’ah, and it is what the believers have seen to be good and does not contradict the Qur’an, Sunnah, narrations from the Companions or scholarly consensus.”
2.08 – Ibn Abidin (d. 1252 AH) said in his Raddul-Muhtar (one of the most authoritative texts in the Hanafi madhhab, where fatwa is taken from today), “Bid’ah is of five types… Impermissible, otherwise [a bid’ah] can be obligatory, for example establishing arguments & evidences to refute heretical groups, the learning of Arabic grammar to understand the Qur’an & Sunnah. [A bid’ah can also be] recommended, like establishing spiritual lodges, schools, and any other act of good that was not present in the beginning of Islam. [A bid’ah can also be] disliked, like excessive decoration of mosques. [A bid’ah can also be] permissible, such as the development of delicious recipes of food & drink, new clothing….”
2.09 – Sa’d al-Taftazani (d. 792 AH) said in Sharhul-Maqasid, “And now these two groups i.e. the Maturidis & the Ash’aris differed over some issues in theology such as the issue of the creative attribute of God, the issue of exceptions in declarations of faith, and the issue of whether the faith of a blind follower is valid. The expert scholars from both groups do not attribute each other to misguided bid’ah, in distinction to frivolous extremists who sometimes classify differing in subsidiary issues as misguided bid’ah. They do not know that blameworthy bid’ah are innovations after the time of the Companions and the followers, which has no indicative basis in the Shariah.
From the ignorant are those who make every issue not from the time of the Companions a blameworthy bid’ah, even if there is no evidence disapproving of it. They use as evidence the prophetic text, ‘Be warned of innovations…’, not knowing that the intended meaning of it is to innovate in the religion that which is not from it. May Allah protect us from following our desires and make us firm on following the religion.”
2.10 – Yahya Al-Rumi (?) said in his Shir’atul-Islam, “The intended meaning is that every bid’ah in the religion that contradicts their methodology and way is misguidance, otherwise they determined with expertise that from bid’ah is that which is praiseworthy and accepted, and that which is rejected, and that is what was innovated after them but contradicted their methodology.”
2.11 – Al-Alusi (d. 1270 AH) said in his tafsir Ruhul-Ma’ani, “And in the verse of the Qur’an ‘the rabbinic system which they innovated‘ is not a disapproval of all innovations in religion. Instead the apparent meaning is the disapproval of their lack of care for their duties. The details about bid’ah are in what was mentioned by Imam al-Nawawi in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, that the scholars said bid’ah is of 5 categories: obligatory, recommended, impermissible, disliked and permissible.”
2.12 – Al-Laknawi (d. 1304 AH) said in Iqamat al-Hujjah, “[Praiseworth bid’ah] occured in the time of Umar RAD and he said about it, ‘This is a good bid’ah’. He called it a bid’ah in consideration of the general meaning of the word, and called it praiseworthy to indicate that not every innovation in general is misguidance. If the intended meaning was the Shar’i one to the point that every bid’ah is misguidance, then how can it be described as praiseworthy?
Al-Laknawi also said in the same book, “As for the innovation after the first 3 generations, then it is critiqued according to the evidences of the Shariah. If an analog can be found from the first 3 generations, or it falls under a principle under the principles of the Shariah, then it is not a bid’ah, because bid’ah is an expression that refers to what was not present in the first 3 generations and does not have any basis in the Shariah. If we were to use bid’ah [to denote this kind of innovation], it should be classified as ‘praiseworthy’.
And if there is no basis in the Shariah for a bid’ah, then it falls under bid’ah that is misguidance, even if it is done by virtuous people, or those who are known scholars, for the actions of the scholars and laypeople and pious are not proofs if they do not correspond to the Shariah.
3. The Categorization of Bid’ah According to the Malikis
3.01 – The Maliki madhhab was the dominant madhhab in North Africa & Andalus throughout Islamic History. Note in the examples below, how many are commentaries on hadith collections, and how many of them focus on analyzing the statements of Umar RAD in his use of the term ‘good bid’ah’ – which is the earliest example we have of someone using such a phrase. These were not scholars who were unaware of the evidences for this topic.
3.02 – Al-Tartushi (d. 520 AH) said in Al-Hawadith wal-Bid’, “Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated from Imam Malik in the Mudawwanah that he said about the Qunut in Witr, ‘It is praiseworthy, and it is an innovation that was not present in the time of Abu Bakr, Umar or Uthman.’”
3.03 – Ibn Abdil Barr (d. 463 AH) said in Al-Istidhkar, “As for the statement of Umar, ‘this is a good bid’ah‘, lexically a bid’ah is an invention that didn’t exist before or begin prior.
Whatever is from that in the religion that opposes the Sunnah upon which Muslims act, then that is a bid’ah in which there is no good and it is mandatory to condemn & forbid it, command others to stay away from it, abandon the one who started it if it is clear that his way of thinking is corrupt.
As for bid’ah that do not contradict the Shariah and the Sunnah [and have a basis in them], then that is a praiseworthy bid’ah, as Umar said, because the basis of what he did was Sunnah.”
3.04 – Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi (d. 543 AH) said in his commentary on the Jami’ of al-Tirmidhi, “Know, may Allah enlighten you, that innovations are of two types: an innovation that does not have a basis except desires and acting according to one’s own volition – and this is definitively false.
And innovations that are based on analogizing from analogs, these are the way of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs & the virtuous Imams [i.e. scholars]. Innovations and bid’ah are not objectionable because of the word ‘innovation’ or ‘bid’ah’, nor due to the meanings of those two words. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘that which comes to them from revelation from their Lord that is innovated [i.e. new]’ and the statement of Umar ‘this is a good bid’ah’.
Indeed only bid’ah that contradicts the Sunnah is objectionable, those innovations which call to misguidance & contradicting the Sunnah are objected to. As for what is grounded in the principles of the religion, and built upon it, then it is not a bid’ah, neither is it misguidance.
3.05 – Al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH) said in his Tafsir, “Any innovation that emanates from creation can only either have a basis in the Shariah or not.
If it has a basis in the Shariah, then it falls under the general reality of what Allah recommended and encouraged His Messenger upon. It is thus within the realm of praise even if there is no previous example for it, such as different types of generosity, giving and good acts. [For such a person], these acts are from praiseworthy actions, even if no one preceded the person in it.
What supports this is the statement of Umar RAD, ‘This is a good bid’ah’ since it [i.e. establishment of the tarawih] was from good actions that fall under the realm of praise. It [i.e. tarawih] even if the Prophet SAW prayed them, he left them and did not persevere in them, and did not formally gather the people for them. So Umar RAD’s continuation of them, and formally gatehring people from them, and recommending it for them, is a bid’ah but it is a good, praiseworthy bid’ah .
And if it is contradictory to what Allah & His Messenger commanded than it is within the realm of objection & condemnation. Al-Khattabi & others mentioned similar.
I say, this is the meaning of the statement of the Prophet SAW when he said in his khutbah ‘the worse of affairs are innovations, and every innovation is a bid’ah, and every bid’ah is misguidance.’ He meant that what does not correspond to the Qur’an or Sunnah, or actions of the Companions RAD. He clarified this with his other statement, ‘Whoever starts a good practice in Islam, they have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it without any decrease for them. Whoever starts an evil practice in Islam, then upon them is the burden of its evil and the burden of those who act upon it, without any decrease of their burden.’ This is an indication that bid’ah can either be blameworthy or praiseworthy, and it is a fundamental text in this topic.”
3.06 – Al-Baji (d. 474 AH) said in his commentary on the Muwatta’, “He [Umar] said, ‘this is a good bid’ah.’ This is an explicit admission from Umar RAD that he was the first to formally gather people to pray together in Ramadan with one Imam to lead them, and he organized that consistently in all the mosques [in the Muslim world]. This is because a bid’ah is what is newly done without any precedent, so Umar invented this and the rest of the Companions & people followed him in it, and so on and so forth. This makes clear that it is correct to exercise [for expert scholars] opinion & deduction [in new issues]. He called it a good bid’ah because of the many benefits in it that we have mentioned.”
3.07 – Al-Zarqani (d. 1122 AH) said in his commentary on the Muwatta, “Umar said, ‘this is a good bid’ah’. He called it ‘good’ because the basis of it is a Sunnah. As for forbidden bid’ah then it is contradictory to the Sunnah. Ibn Umar said with regards to the Duha prayer, ‘This is a good bid’ah’. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘and the rabbinic system which they innovated, Allah did not order them to, except to seek Allah’s pleasure.’ * As for inventing things from the actions of human habits then this permissible as Ibn Abdil Barr said.”
*Translator’s Note: Al-Zarqani did not clarify why he quoted this verse here, assuming familiarity of the reader with its tafsir. Allah in this verse is not saying that the rabbinic system which the Jews invented is itself blameworthy, rather that some used the rabbinic system to do evil and others to do good. This verse censures those who used it to do evil e.g. change Allah’s revelation. See the tafsir of al-Tabari for more.
3.08 – Imam al-Qarafi (d. 684 AH), the author of one of the greatest works in the principles of fiqh al-Furuq, said in the book, “And the truth [of bid’ah] is detailed. It is 5 categories:
The category of wajib [obligation]: this is a bid’ah that falls under the rules of obligation & it’s evidences from the Shariah.
The second category [impermissible]: Haram, this is a bid’ah that falls under the rules of impermissibility & its evidences from the Shariah.
The third category [recommended]: Bid’ah that are recommended, which are those that fall under the rules of recommendation & their evidences from the Shariah.
The fourth category [disliked]: Bid’ah that are disliked, which are those that fall under the evidences from the Shariah for disliked actions and their rules.
The fifth category [permissible]: Bid’ah that are permissible, which are those that fall under the evidences of permissibility and their rules from the Shariah.”
3.09 – Muhammad Husayn (d. 1368?) , the Mufti of the Malikis in Makkah said in his edited commentary on Qarafi’s Al-Furuq, “His [al-Qarafi’s] statement ‘and the truth of it is detailed’ etc is the way that he [al-Qarafi] developed the difference between the two mentioned principles, and Al-Shat [an author of an older commentary on al-Furuq] corroborated it. More than a few Malikis followed in this example, like Imam Muhammad al-Zarqani, who said in his commentary on the Muwatta, ‘Bid’ah is divided into 5 rulings and the hadith of ‘every bid’ah is misguidance’ is a specified general statement’.
Similarly, more than a few Shafi’is, from them Imam al-Nawawi & Al-Izz ibn Abdis-Salam, the teacher of al-Asl [i.e. al-Qarafi]. Al-Azizi in his commentary on Al-Jami’ al-Saghir, on the authority of al-Alqami, reported Imam al-Nawawi as saying, ‘Bid’ah with a kasrah vowel on the ba’ in the Shariah is an innovation that was not present during the time of the Prophet SAW, and it is categorized into praiseworthy and blameworthy.’ Ibn Abdis-Salam said in the end of his al-Qawa’id al-Kubra, ‘Bid’ah is categorized into wajib, haram, mandub, makruh and mubah.
The summary of this way is what the Hanafi scholar [i.e. al-Azizi] said in his commentary on Al-Jami’ al-Saghir, that bid’ah in the sense of whatever did not exist during the Prophet SAW is of two types: true and figurative.
As for real bid’ah, they are in opposition to the Sunnah. Sunnah is what was done in the early period of Islam, and had basis in the foundations of the Shariah. True bid’ah are innovations after the early period of Islam, and have no basis in the foundations of the Shariah.
As for figurative bid’ah, they are subject to analysis using the Shariah. If they correspond to the wajib, they are wajib. If recommended, then recommended. If disliked, then disliked. If permissible, then permissible…”
3.10 – Ibn Ashur (d. 1393 AH) said in his magnificent tafsir al-Tahrir wal-Tanwir commenting on the verse ‘the rabbinic system which they invented’, “This is a proof for the categorization of bid’ah into praiseworthy and blameworthy according to which of the five categories of fiqh rulings it falls under, as decisively determined by Al-Shihab al-Qarafi and the master scholars.
As for those who tried to make all bid’ah blameworthy and don’t find any objection to it, then [what about] the statement of Umar when he gathered the people on one reciter in tarawih, ‘This ia good bid’ah’”
3.11 – Ibn al-Hajj (d. 737 AH) said in al-Madkhal,“Bid’ah were categorized by the scholars into five catgories: wajib bid’ah, secondly, mustahabb bid’ah, thirdly, mubah, fourthly, makruh, fifthly, haram.”
3.012 – Ibn al-Hajj also said in al-Madkhal, “Bid’ah are of 3 types. The first are those that are permissible. The second are those that are good, and they are bid’ah that correspond to the principles of the Shariah and do not contradict anything from it. The third are those that contradict the noble Shariah or entail contradiction of the noble Shariah.”
4. The Categorization of Bid’ah According to the Shafi’is
4.01 – Shafi’is were another majority madhhab in Islamic History. It is – in my humble opinion – not an understatement to say that the vast majority of authorities in theoretical disciplines were Shafi’is. If we look at core disciplines in the Shariah: mustalah al-hadith, fiqh, Arabic linguistics, theology, qira’at, usul-ul-fiqh, qawa’id fiqhiyyah etc we find that Shafi’is dominated in them and wrote the most prolific works in all those fields. This is not to say that other madhhabs did not have landmark contributions in these fields, but Shafi’is definitely stand out as distinctive in the theoretical world.
4.02 – Abu Nu’aym al-Asfahani (d. 430 AH) said in his Hilyatul-Awliya’, after mentioning the isnad (chain of authority) for the report, that Imam al-Shafi’i (d. 204 AH) said, “Bid’ah is of two types: praiseworthy bid’ah and blameworthy bid’ah. Whatever corresponds to the Sunnah it is praiseworthy, and whatever contradicts the Sunnah it is blameworthy. As proof, the statement of Umar RAD in establishing tarawih is used, ‘this is a good bid’ah’. “
4.03 – Al-Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH) said in al-Madkhal, “Innovations are of two types: innovations that contradict the Qur’an, Sunnah, narrations from the Companions, or scholarly consensus, these are bid’ah of misguidance. [And also] Innovations of good that do not contradict any of those, these are innovations that are not blameworthy.“
Imam ibn Taymiyyah said about the above report in Dar al-Ta’arud,“Al Bayhaqi narrated this with an authentic isnad in al-Madkhal.”
4.04 – Al-Ghazzali (d. 505 AH) said in Ihya Ulumul-Din, “Not everything that is bid’ah is impermissible. What is impermissible is a bid’ah that opposes an established Sunnah and removes a command of the Shariah, while its legal force is intact. More so, bid’ah can sometimes be obligatory in some contexts as situations change.”
4.05 – Izz-ul-Din ibn Abdissalam (d. 660 AH) said in his critical & perennial Al-Qawa’id al-Kubra, “A bid’ah is an action that is not from the time of the Prophet SAW. It is categorized into: a bid’ah that is wajib, a bid’ah that is haram, a bid’ah that is recommended, a bid’ah that is disliked, and a bid’ah that is permissible.
The way to determine that [i.e. its ruling] is to critique it with the rules of the Shariah. If it enters into the rules of obligation then it is wajib. If it enters into the rules of impermissibility then it is haram. If it enters into the rules of recommendation then it is mandub. If it enters into the rules of disliked actions then it is makruh. If its enters into the rules of permissibility then it is mubah.”
4.06 – Abu Shamah (d. 665 AH) said in Al-Ba’ith, “Innovations are divided into praiseworthy bid’ah and blameworth bid’ah.
Praiseworthy bid’ah are agreed upon in their permissibility & recommendation, and hope for reward in those that do them with a praiseworthy intention. It is every bid’ah that corresponds to the rules of the Shariah and does not contradict any of them, and does not result in any sin in the Shariah.
As for bid’ah that are blameworthy, then they are the ones we intended to forbid and condemn by writing this book. They are whatever contradict the Shariah or entail contradicting it and they are categorized into haram and makruh. The ruling differs depending on different circumstances, depending on the extent of contradiction with the Shariah. Sometimes it results in impermissibility, sometimes it does not extend beyond the description of being disliked.”
4.07 – Ibn al-Athir (d. 630 AH) said in al-Nihayah, “Bid’ah is of two types, the bid’ah of guidance, and the bid’ah of misguidance.
Whatever contradicts what Allah and His Messenger SAW commanded then it is within the realm of objection and condemnation.
Whatever falls within the general scope of what Allah recommended and Him & His Messenger encouraged then it is within the realm of praise.
Whatever has no precedent like different types of generosity, giving and good acts then they are from the praiseworthy actions.”
4.08 – Al-Nawawi (d. 676 AH) said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, “The scholars said that Bid’ah is of five types: wajib, mandub, haram, makruh and mubah.”
4.09 – Al-Nawawi also said in his Tahdhibul-Asma’i wal-Lughat, “Bid’ah in the Shariah is an innovation that did not exist at the time of the Prophet SAW and it is categorized into praiseworthy and blameworthy.”
4.10 – Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH) said in his tafsir, “Bid’ah is of two types. Sometimes it is a Shar’i bid’ah, like his statement, ‘Indeed every innovation is a bid’ah and every bid’ah is misguidance.’ Sometimes it is a lexical bid’ah, like the statement of Umar RAD when he gathered the Companions to pray tarawih & made it into a standard practice, ‘this is a good bid’ah’. “
4.11 – Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani said in his famous commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, “The decisive conclusion is that if a bid’ah falls under what is praiseworthy in the Shariah then it is praiseworthy, and if it falls under what is blameworthy in the Shariah then it is blameworthy. Otherwise it is categorized in the five fiqh rulings.”
4.12 – Al-Sakhawi said in Fathul-Mughith, “A bid’ah is what has been innovated without precedent. This includes praiseworthy & blameworthy innovations, which is why Izz-ul-Din ibn Abdissalam categorized it – as I will soon indicate it, Allah willing in the chapter of the reading of Hadith of the one who makes mistakes – under the five fiqh rulings, and it is self-evident. However bi’dah has been specified in the Shariah as blameworthy from what contradicts what is known from the Prophet SAW.”
4.13 – Al-Suyuti (d. 911 AH) said in al-Hawi lil-Fatawi, “His* statement, ‘it is not permissible for a bid’ah to be permissible because bid’ah in the religion is not permissible according to the consensus of the Muslims’ is not acceptable, because bid’ah is not restricted only to haram and makruh, rather it includes what is permissible, recommended and obligatory too.”
*Translator’s note: It seems al-Suyuti here is referring to al-Fakahani (d. 734 AH) who wrote a book condemning the practice of celebrating the Mawlid, or birthday of the Prophet SAW. This is a quote from Al-Suyuti within a lengthy fatwa where he defends the practice of celebrating the Mawlid.
4.14 – Al-Suyuti also said in his commentary on the Muwatta, “Bid’ah is expressed in the Shariah to denote what is distinct from the Sunnah, i.e. did not exist during the time of the Prophet SAW, then it is divided according the five rulings of fiqh…”
4.15 – Ibn Hajr al-Haytami (d. 979 AH), one of the scholars upon whose works the current official position of the Shafi’i madhhab relies on, said in al-Fatawa al-Hadithiyyah, “As for the statement of the questioner: is gathering for a mubah bid’ah permissible?
The response is: yes it is permissible. Izz-ul-Din ibn Abdissalam said, ‘a bid’ah is an action that is not from the time of the Prophet SAW. It is categorized under five rulings…’ “
After Ibn Hajr quotes Izz-ul-Din’s statement mentioned above, he adds another of his statements, “And of the hadith, ‘Every bid’ah is misguidance’, this refers to bid’ah that is impermissble, not the other [categories of bid’ah].”
4.16 – Al-Munawi (d. 1031 AH) says in Faydul-Qadir, “Bid’ah is of five types…” He then mentions the same five rulings of haram, wajib, mandub, makruh and mubah.
4.17 – Al-Dimyati (d. 1300 AH) says in his sub-commentary on Fathul-Mu’in, I’anatul-Talibin, “In summary, praiseworthy bid’ah is agreed upon in its recommendation. It is what corresponds to what preceded, and does not entail from its action a sin in the Shariah. From it is what it is fardh kifayah [a communal obligation] like the development of the religious sciences…”
5. The Categorization of Bid’ah According to the Hanbalis
5.01 – Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH) said in Talbis Iblis, “There have been innovations that did not collide with the Shariah, and did not contravene on it, so they [i.e. the scholars] did not see any problem with doing them. It has been narrated that people used to pray in isolated groups in Ramadan. A man would pray, and people would pray behind him in a congregation. So Umar ibn Al-Khattab formally gathered them together behind Ubayy ibn Ka’ab RAD. When he came out and saw this, he said, ‘this is a good bid’ah’ because this is a congregational prayer that is legislated by the Shariah…
Indeed al-Hasan [al-Basri] said in al-Qisas, “A good bid’ah: how many a brother has benefited and how many calls to Islam have been responded to because preaching [he means here da’wah speeches & reminders that we are accustomed to today as normal] is allowed in the Shariah [as a good bid’ah]. Whenever an innovation can be connected to a basis in the Shariah, it is not blameworthy.
But if a bid’ah is decisive and it is believed that it will negatively affect the Shariah, and if it opposes it that is worse, then it is clear from what we have mentioned that Ahlus-Sunnah are the followers [of the Sunnah] and the Ahlul-Bid’ah are the one who follow what has no precedent, and has no basis [in the Shariah].”
5.02 – Ibn Rajab (d. 795 AH) said in Jamiul-Ulum wal-Hikam, “al-Hafidh Abu Nu’aym narrated with an isnad by way of Ibrahim ibn al-Junayd, who said, ‘I heard al-Shafi’i say that bid’ah is of two types, a bid’ah that is praiseworthy, and a bid’ah that is blameworthy. Whatever corresponds to the Sunnah then it is praiseworthy, and whatever contradicts the Sunnah then it is blameworthy. Then he used the statement of Umar RAD ‘this is a good bid’ah’ as proof.’
The intent of al-Shafi’i RAD is what we mentioned earlier, that the basis for a blameworthy bid’ah is that it does not have any basis in the Shariah that it is rooted in. It is a bid’ah in the plain sense of the Shariah. As for the praiseworthy bid’ah, it is what corresponds to the Sunnah i.e. it has a basis in the Shariah that it is rooted in. Indeed this is a bid’ah lexically but not in the Shariah, because it agrees with the Sunnah.
There is more narrated from al-SHafi’i, that he said, ‘Innovations are of two types, innovations that conflcit with the Qur’an, Sunnah, narrations of the Companions or scholarly consensus, and these are the bid’ah of misguidance. [As a matter of principle] For what has been innovated of good, there is no difference of opinion among anyone that this is an innovation that is not blameworthy. [In application however] For many innovations scholars differed over whether they are praiseworthy innovations or not.’ “
5.03 – Al-Mar’i al-Karmi (d. 1033 AH) said in Tahqiqul-Burhan, “‘Every bid’ah is misguidance’: this is not speech that is meant to be taken at face value, rather the scholars understood its meaning with restriction. [Izzul-Din] Ibn Abdis-Salam said, ‘[Bid’ah] is categorized into wajib, haram, mandub, makruh and mubah.’ “
5.04 – Al-Safariyini (d. 1188 AH) said in Lawa’ihul-Anwar, “The word of bid’ah has become predominant in meaning a bid’ah that is makruh whenever the word is used. This is similar to the word mubtadi’ (a person who does bid’ah), which is barely used except as blame. However lexically the word is used for both the praiseworthy and blameworthy sense, because it’s meaning [which is more general than that] is whatever is new that has no previous precedent. This is why it is said of something wondrous in beauty, ‘this is nothing but a bid’ah!’.
If you were to say: Innovations are divided into praiseworthy and blameworthy like Imam al-Shafi’i said, I would say I agree. But the wording of ‘praiseworthy’ in that sense is in a more relaxed, figurative sense. Otherwise the intent of the word bid’ah is what conflicts with the Shariah and crosses into the forbidden.
As for good innovations, then these are permissible, and from it are what are obligatory, and what are recommended…” He then proceeded to mention examples of all categories.
5.05 – Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab (d. 1203 AH) said in one of his personal letters (no. 16 in in al-Durar al-Siniyyah), “The goal is to clarify what we are upon in matters of religion, which is to worship Allah alone, without any partners, by freeing ourselves from all shirk and to follow the Messenger [in worship], freeing ourselves from all bid’ah except for bid’ah that has a basis in the Shariah, like the compilation of the mushaf and others then those are good…”*
*Translator’s note: I have written elsewhere about Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab. His status as a scholar trained in the Hanbali madhhab is not in dispute, which is why it is appropriate to mention him here. The problem is more in his ideas and actions, i.e. his eventual sponsoring of takfir, fighting & killing of Muslims in the Arabian peninsula based on his ijtihad in issues which scholars differed over, despite many scholars around him, including his father and brother, trying to correct and stop him.
6. Bonus: the Categorization of Bid’ah by Scholars Outside of the Four Madhhabs
6.01 – Ibn Hazm (d. 456 AH), the Dhahiri scholar, said in al-Ihkam, “Bid’ah is everything that is said or done that has no basis in what has been attributed to the Messenger SAW.
In the religion, it is all that did not appear in the Qur’an, or in the Sunnah of the Messenger SAW except that:
From it is what its doer is rewarded for and excused from because they intended good.
From it is what its doer is rewarded for and is good. That is [the bid’ah] whose basis is permissibility as was narrated from Umar RAD, ‘this is a good bid’ah‘. It is an action of good that the sacred texts denoted its recommendation in general terms, even if they did not explicitly mention them.
From it is also what is blameworthy, its doer is not excused for it, and it is used as proof for the corruption of that doer as well as his persistence in its endorsement.”
6.02 – Al-San’ani (d. 1182 AH) said in Subulul-Salam, when explaining ‘Every bid’ah is misguidance’, “Bid’ah, lexically, is whatever is done without prior precedent. The intended meaning here, is an action that has no precedent in the Shariah from the Qur’an nor the Sunnah. The scholars divided up bid’ah into five categories:
Wajib, like the preservation of the religious sciences by writing and refuting atheists with intellectual proofs. Recommended, like the building of religious schools. Permissible, like the development of cuisine and fine clothing. Haram and makruh, and they are obvious. So ‘Every bid’ah is misguidance’ is a specified general statement.
7. Scholars Who Rejected The Categorization of Bid’ah into ‘Good’ & ‘Bad’
7.01 – As mentioned in Part 1, this is the minority position, and it is still a valid position. The majority position is that bid’ah can be divided into praiseworthy & blameworthy.
7.02 – As we will see the primary argument of this position does not contradict the majority position. However it does result in a secondary difference that is contradictory. We will explore this towards the end of this post.
7.03 – Ibn al-Majishun (d. 213 AH) said he heard Imam Malik say, “Whoever introduces a bid’ah in Islam that he sees as praiseworthy, then he claims that Muhammad SAW betrayed the message because Allah says, ‘Today I have completed your religion.’ Whatever was not the religion then, is not the religion today.”
7.04 – Sh. Abdul Fattah al-Yafi’i (the author of the book I am translating here) has important comments here:
“There is no doubt that Imam Malik here does not intend lexical bid’ah here, rather he means true bid’ah in the Shari’ah [i.e. what contradicts it]. We know this because of his statement where he praised the Qunut of Witr and said, ‘It is an innovated matter.’ Al-Qarafi said in his al-Furuq, ‘Criterion 252: Between the rule of what is impermissible & forbidden from bid’ah and the rule of what is not forbidden from bid’ah: Know that the Maliki scholars – from what I have seen – are agreed upon in their rejection of bid’ah*, Ibn Abi Zayd and others were explicit on this.’
This does not necessarily mean that Malikis reject the categorization of bid’ah, rather it is likely that they meant blameworthy bid’ah, which is bid’ah in plainsense.
*Translator’s note: If it may seem that 7.003 and what what al-Qarafi says here in 7.004 contradict the entirety of Part 3 where we listed the numerous examples of Malikis categorizing bid’ah, then this proves that Sh. Abdul Fattah is correct in his assessment in the last sentence. In this is a reminder to not rush to judgment based on isolated statements of the scholars, and to research thoroughly and understand the intended meanings of scholars before making a conclusion. Better yet, ask scholars instead of searching up random quotes from classical texts, or study Islam properly before trying to become a researcher.
7.05 – Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) said in Majmu ul-Fatawa, “Preserving the general meaning of the statement of the Prophet ‘Every bid’ah is misguidance‘ is essential. It is obligatory to act according to its general meaning. Those who split bid’ah into praiseworthy and blameworthy, they erred*, like the scholars of fiqh, theology, spirituality and worshippers. The proof of its praiseworthiness with the evidences of the Shariah is from one of two angles:
Either it is said there is no bid’ah in religion, but it can be called bid’ah lexically as Umar did in his statement ‘this is a good bid’ah’. Or it is said, this [i.e. every bid’ah is misguidance] is a general statement from which this specific contrary scenario is excluded from [i.e. the statement & action of Umar RAD], similar to other general statements & their implied meanings in the Qur’an & Sunnah.”
*Translator’s note: Considering that Imam ibn Taymiyyah is explicitly saying that he is arguing against the majority, this is unnecessarily strong language. However as a senior scholar, he is entitled to his own perspective. As numerous biographies of his show, the Imam was quick to anger & quite unrelenting in his language, which is what may have made it more difficult for him to find common ground with his opponents. This is a human fault and nothing that diminishes his knowledge.
However, for those who only read Imam ibn Taymiyyah’s words and are not aware of the majority position, or have erroneous preconceived notions about it (e.g. they think it is a minority view, specific to ‘Sufis’, or contradictory to the Sunnah), then it is easy for them to think that the Imam’s words here are decisive and conclusive, not realizing that he is just one great scholar among many. This shows the danger of not studying Islam properly before approaching controversial issues and looking up the words of past scholars without the context of comprehensive study in the Shariah.
7.06 – Al-Shawkani (d. 1250 AH) said in Naylul-Awtar, “This hadith [i.e. the hadith all bid’ah is misguidance], is from the principles the religion because of the immeasurable number of rulings that fall under it.
How explicit and evident it is in invalidating the categorization of the scholars of fiqh*, and their specification without justification from the intellect or sacred text.”
*Translator’s note: Similar to Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, this is an unnecessarily brazen comment from al-Shawkani. Also similar to Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, such language is not unusual for al-Shawkani.
7.07 – Al-Shatibi (d. 790 AH), one of the great scholars of the Maliki madhhab, said in al-I’tisam, “Understand, may Allah have mercy upon you, that what preceded of the evidences are a proof of the general blameworthiness [of bid’ah] due to many reasons:
Firstly, the statement [i.e. every bid’ah is misguidance] is plainsense and general and in its many iterations was never narrated with exceptions that indicated that [from bid’ah] there is guidance, and there was never a wording that said ‘every bid’ah is misguidance except X, Y, Z’ etc.
If there was an innovation that required the Shariah to consider it praiseworthy or from what is legislated, that would have been mentioned* in a verse of the Qur’an or Prophetic hadith. However this is not the case. This shows that all these evidences are not figurative, their apparent meaning is universal, and no individual case is excluded from them.”
*Translator’s note: As I will show in Part 10, this is not the case.
7.08 – Al-Shatibi also said in Al-I’tisam, “This categorization [into five] is something new that no evidence in the Shariah indicates. Moreso, it is it self-refuting because the reality of bid’ah is that there is no evidence from the Shariah for it, not from sacred text nor from the principles of Shariah.
If there was in the Shariah what indicated obligation, recommendation, permission, then that would not be a bid’ah, rather the action would fall under the general scope of actions that are either commanded for or presented as viable options to act upon.
Combining consideration of these as bid’ah and consideration of evidences indicating as obligation, recommendation and permission is a contradictory combination.
7.09 – Sh. Abdul Fattah al-Yafi’i adds: “Al-Shatibi denies the categorization of bid’ah into praiseworthy and blameworthy. For him it is always blameworthy, but he divided bid’ah into disliked and impermissible (i.e. makruh and haram). As he says in al-I’tisam, ‘If we look past the category of obligation, recommendation and permission, we are left with the remaining [two, i.e. of disliked and impermissible bid’ah] categories. However they are [both] forbidden from the single perspective and [both] are misguidance as in the hadith, ‘I warn you of innovated matters. Indeed all bid’ah is miguidance, and all misguidance is in the Fire.’ This is general for every bid’ah. So the question remains, is there one ruling only or not [i.e. for all types of bid’ah according to Al-Shatibi].
We say, is is established in the fundamentals that the fiqh rulings are five. We remove the three [mentioned earlier], so the ruling of disliked and impermissibility remain. This necessitates us to say that bid’ah is of these two types. There is bid’ah that is haram, and bid’ah that is makruh. This is because they both fall under the category of what has been forbidden, and nothing beyond that, and thus bid’ah is.’ “
7.10 – Similarly, says Sh. Abdul Fattah, is Ibn Taymiyyah, “Who in numerous occasions in his fatawa describes actions as being disliked bid’ah as in the case of dhikr with a single name [of Allah]*. Moreso, the default ruling for bid’ah is for him, the disliked ruling, as he says in Majmu ul-Fatawa, ‘The default in bid’ah is that they are disliked.’ and in another place in the same work says, ‘Countering a Sunnah with what is not a Sunnah is a disliked bid’ah.’ “
Translator’s Note: Sh. Abdul-Fattah has written a separate book addressing this issue and the verdicts of scholars across the four madhabs on it.
Navigating Differences Between the Scholars on the Categorization of Bid’ah
8. What Scholars From Both Positions Agree On
8.01 – The aforementioned scholars who agreed on the categorization of bid’ah, and those who disagreed, were still unanimous in their agreement on a number of key issues, that we shall summarize here.
8.02 – Both sides agreed that a true bid’ah in the Shariah is what does not have a basis in the general principles of the Shariah, or contradicts its basis or principles. When we say the word ‘bid’ah’ without any additional considerations, this is what we mean by the word.
8.03 – Both sides agreed that there are innovations in religion that are acceptable, and this is what has a connection to the Shariah, such as have a basis in it, or falling under its general principles. This is not a bid’ah in the Shariah, rather a lexical bid’ah.
Many of the great scholars of Islam then differed whether a particular issue falls under those general principles or not. You will find issues in which these scholars differed whether they are praiseworthy or blameworthy bid’ah. The differences are not only in the universal rules described in this (and the preceding) section(s), but also in their application onto particular instances of bid’ah.
8.04 – Both sides agreed that a true bid’ah in the Shariah as described in 8.002, is either makruh or haram. As for a lexical bid’ah, this can be praiseworthy or blameworthy.
8.05 – Those who disagreed with the categorization of bid’ah into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ say in those issues that the majority called ‘praiseworthy bid’ah’; that these should not be called bid’ah in the Shariah at all, rather [it should just be said] that they have a basis in the Shariah, or they are from al-masalih al-mursalah (matters of public & common benefit), or they are just lexical bid’ah, and not bid’ah in the Shariah.
8.06 – Based on the preceding points, we can see that the difference in categorizations between these two groups of scholars are not a true difference, rather it is a superficial, terminological difference. Whatever has a connection in the Shariah, e.g. it falls under having a basis in the Shariah, the majority call a praise worthy bid’ah or a wajib bid’ah, mustahabb bid’ah or mubah bid’ah. The scholars on the other position do not call it bid’ah, rather they call it a public/communal benefit or lexical bid’ah. Therefore the ikhtilaf here is only in name, not in truth. And true differences of opinion are only of substance, not differences in semantics and terminology.
9. Examples of Scholars Who Affirmed that the Difference in Categorization is Not Substantial
9.01 – Sh. Abdul Fattah al-Yafi’i quotes the following passages from past scholars to prove that the difference in categorization is only superficial, not substantial.*
*Translator’s Note: Sh. Abdul Ilah al-Arfaj, a major scholar of Shafi’i fiqh & author of another very important book in bid’ah, argues that the difference is substantial, not superficial. His view has merit. When I first wrote this particular section, I added a lot of my own comments & critiques. However I decided to remove them as I realized they were distracting from the purpose of me translating & writing all this.
9.02 – Ibn Taymiyyah said in Majmu ul-Fatawa, validating that ikhtilaf exists “Moreover, this and and what resemble it from innovated bid’ah that no senior scholar of the Muslims approved of, then they are not wajib, mustahabb by the consensus of the scholars. Any bid’ah that is not wajib and not mustahabb then it is an evil bid’ah, and it is a misguidance according to the consensus of the Muslims.
And [those scholars] who said that some bid’ah are praiseworthy bid’ah, then that is only when an evidence from the Shariah indicates that it is approved of. As for what is not mustahabb or wajib then non of the Muslims said it from the praiseworthy [bid’ah] that one can do to come closer to Allah.”
9.03 – ِAl-Laknawi said in Iqamatil-Hujjah, “Perhaps you may be aware here, that the differing of the scholars in the hadith, ‘every bid’ah is misguidance’ is [either that it is] a specified general statement, or a non-specified general statement, is a difference that is terminological (i.e. superficial).“
9.04 – Al-Taqiyy al-Subki (d. 756 AH) said in his Fatawa, “These later scholars RAD did not use the word bid’ah in an unrestricted way, rather they restricted it by what is approved of, and inserted it under the wider scope of the [conditional clause’s] predicate. And that is clearly excusable for what they intended for innovations of that specific description.
So bid’ah without restriction is a word that is originally intended in the Shariah to mean a blameworthy innovation. It is not permissible to use it in its unrestricted form except for that. But if it is restricted by [saying] recommended etc then it is permissible. And that becomes the contextual clue that makes it [permissible to use as] figurative [bid’ah] in the Shariah, but lexically literal.”
9.05 – Ibn Taymiyyah said in al-Fatawa al-Kubra, “Bid’ah in the Shariah i.e the blameworthy [type] is what Allah did not legislate in the religion, i.e. what is not included in the commands of Allah or His Messenger and obeying them. As for if it is included, then it is from the Shariah, not bid’ah in the Shariah, even if it was done after the death of the Prophet SAW from what is known from him..
…and [that is what] Umar ibn al-Khattab commanded, even if he called it bid’ah. That is only because it is a bid’ah lexically, because anything done without precedent is lexically a bid’ah, not what the Shariah considers a bid’ah and forbids.
9.06 – Al-Zarkashi (d. 794 AH) said in al-Manthur, “As for in the Shariah [bid’ah is a word] that is originally intended to refer to blameworthy innovation. If the praiseworthy is intended, then that is figurative in the Shariah, but literal lexically.“
9.07 – Ali Mahfudh (d. 1942 CE) said in al-Ibda’ fi Madaril-Ibtida’, “This is a differing that is terminological (i.e. superficial) that depends on what the word bid’ah is unrestrictedly use for in the Shariah. Therefore there is no basis for al-Shatibi’s condemnation of al-Qarafi in his categorization of bid’ah, because the issue is a terminological one, and there is no reason for conflict on a terminological issue, as long as the reality of the issue is agreed upon between the scholars.”
10. Where the True Ikhtilaf is – The Issue of the ‘Added Bid’ah’ i.e. Al-Bid’ah al-Idafiyyah
10.01 – As mentioned in the previous two sections, Sh. Abdul-Fattah does not believe that there is a substantive difference between the majority & minority positions on the categorization of bid’ah.
However, he stresses that there is a substantive difference in an important issue that is secondary to the categorization of bid’ah, and more about how the categorization is applied to examples of bid’ah discussed throughout Islamic History. This is the issue of the ‘added bid’ah’.
Sh. Abdul-Fattah dedicates much of his book to discussing this issue. However I will summarize it as much as possible to prevent this article from becoming too long.
10.02 – ‘Added bid’ah’ is contrasted with ‘true bid’ah’. A true bid’ah is an innovation in its grounding (or basis) and description. In other words, it has no basis in the Qur’an, Sunnah, scholarly consensus, acceptable means of deduction from the texts, neither in its entirety nor its details. A true bid’ah is blameworthy by consensus.
10.03 – An added bi’dah is an innovation in its description, not in its grounding (or basis). Its grounding (or basis) is mentioned in sacred text but its specific description is not. The terminology of ‘added bi’dah’ was first introduced by al-Shatibi.
10.04 – According to al-Shatibi, there are two types of added bid’ah:
The first type is restricting the unrestricted from acts of worship. This is when Allah legislated an act of worship in an unrestricted form, and then a human being restricts it with a descriptor not found in the Shariah, e.g. amount, time, place, outward form, type etc. An example is to pray X number of rak’ahs at Y time, or to do at A time a specific dhikr B.
The second type is to make unrestricted, restricted acts of worship. This is when Allah legislates a specific act of worship, and the human being makes it unrestricted with a descriptor not found in the Shariah. An example is to increase in the amount of a legislated act of worship or to swap a legislated dhikr out for another one.
10.05 – The majority of scholars said that added bid’ah are either praiseworthy bid’ah, or from lexical bid’ah not bid’ah in the Shariah. This was the view of the majority of the Sahabah, followers, salaf, Imams and the Shafi’is, Hanbalis, most Hanafis and some Malikis.
10.06 – Some scholars said that added bid’ah are either blameworthy bid’ah, or bid’ah in the Shariah. This was the view of many early Malikis, some Hanafis like Ibn Nujaym (d. 969 AH), some Hanbalis like Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibnul-Qayyim (d. 751 AH). Some endorsed it but not in strong terms like Ibn Daqiq al-Eid (d. 702 AH) & Abu Shamah al-Maqdisi (d. 1267 AH). The most vocal proponents of this position were Ibn Tamiyyah and al-Shatibi.
10.07 – For now we will suffice with presenting some of the statements of scholars who did not accept added bid’ah, so that their objections are clear. As for the majority position, in the next part we will give multiple examples of added bid’ah that scholars accepted, including from the time of the Sahabah.
10.08 – Ibn Taymiyyah said in Majmu ul-Fatawa, “The example of that is that Allah legislated du’a or dhikr unrestrictedly. So gathering together to do du’a and dhikr in a specific place, specific time, or congregating for it, are all restricting dhikr and dua in way that the general, unrestricted Shariah does not specifically indicate or restrict but comprises of within its shared scope.”
10.09 – Ibn Taymiyyah, even though he considered added bid’ah to be blameworthy, was still careful to specify that those who do added bid’ah out of scholarly ijtihad or due to following scholarly ijtihad are excused and even rewarded.
He said in Iqtida’ul-Siratil-Mustaqim, “And even if many of the worshippers, scholars and rulers are excused in their innovations due to ijtihad. The objective is know the correct evidence, even if the one who doesn’t follow it is excused due to their ijtihad. Moreso they could be a great siddiq (i.e. righteous, truthful believer), as it is not from the conditions of being a siddiq that every word they say is correct or every action of theirs is Sunnah.”
10.10 – Al-Shatibi said in al-I’tisam about added bid’ah, “It is sought to leave it and it is forbidden because it contradicts what is apparent in the Shariah, due to establishing limits, specifying the modality of actions, adhering to specific outward forms, or specifying times [that are all not mentioned explicitly in sacred text], together with persistence [i.e. consistency in doing these actions].
10.11 – Note that what al-Shatibi finds particulary blameworthy here is persistence/consistence in doing added bid’ah, not doing them on occasion. Ibn Taymiyyah says the same in Majmu ul-Fatawa, “But it should be that this happens sometimes only at some times and places, the person should not make it a consistent Sunnah that they safeguard, except for what the Messenger SAW was consistent on.”
10.12 – Ibnul-Qayyim said in I’lamul-Mawqi’in, “The Sunnah has established that singling out Rajab for fasting, singling out Fridays for fasting, and its night for prayer are [all] disliked. This is to block the means from adopting legislation that Allah did not permit from the specification of a time or place [with a specific act of worship]. In that is following the path of the People of the Book.”
10.13 – Ibn Nujaym said in al-Bahrul-Ra’iq, “The dhikr of Allah, if it is intended by it a specific time or some other [specificity] is not legislated if the Shariah did not legislate it, because [then] it contradicts the Shariah.
10.14 – Abu Shamah said in al-Ba’ith, “It is not acceptable to specify acts of worship with times that the Shariah does not specify, rather [for] all of the acts of worship that are legislated freely at all times, some [times] have not virtue over other [times] except for that the Shariah has specified as virtues for a [specific] type of worship.”
10.15 – Ahmed Zarruq, one of the most famous Maliki Sufis, said in Qawa’idul-Tasawwuf, “Limiting what the Shariah has not limited is a [true] bid’ah in the religion, especially if it violates the fundamentals of the Shariah, like fasting a day [to expiate] for missing a night’s routine dhikr, which is not what Allah legislated as expiation, [rather] it is to do that dhikr before the Fajr prayer or before the day ends.”
10.16 – As mentioned, I have left out statements from the majority of scholars who allowed added bid’ah. These will be mentioned in the next part when we present examples of added bid’ah.
Examples of Good Bid’ah in the Four Madhhabs of Fiqh
These lists in Sh. Abdul-Fattah al-Yafi’is books are massive, so I will try and List them briefly without quoting the entire passages from texts he quotes. Only the references will be included, and a few notes from myself.
Note: This article was supposed to include examples of ‘added bid’ah too’ however it became too long. The next part will be dedicated to that inshaAllah.
11. Examples of Good Bid’ah from the Hanafi Madhhab
11.001 – Saying the intention verbally is mustahabb, and specified as a praiseworthy bid’ah. Quoted by al-Haskafi (d.1088 AH) in al-Durr ul-Mukhtar, Ibn Abidin in his Radd-ul-Muhtar, Al-Shurunbulali (d. 1069 AH) in his Ghunyatu-Dhawil-Ahkam, and Ibn Nujaym* in al-Bahr ul-Ra’iq. All of these are major sources of official fatwa in the Hanafi madhhab.
Saying the intention verbally to aid the heart (which is the true locus of the intention) is mustahabb (recommended) in the Hanafi, Shafi’i & Hanbali madhhabs because it helps the heart to form its intention. It is not legislated in the Maliki madhhab i.e. not haram or makruh but just not legislated as mustahabb except for the person who has difficulty in forming their intention in their heart due to obsessive thoughts.
According to a strong chain of authority, Imam al-Shafi’i was reported to vocalize his intention for prayer with specific words not found in any Hadith. See the footnote on pg 50 in Sh. Abdul-Fattah’s book.
Ibn Taymiyyah said it is a disliked bid’ah, but affirmed ihktilaf in the issue.
11.002 – Writings the names of Surahs & Ayah numbers in the Mushaf – Deemed a permissible innovation & praiseworthy bid’ah with the added comment, “How many a thing changes over time & place!”. In al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, the Mughal Hanafi compendium.
11.003 – Recording of the religious sciences & building of religious schools – Ibn Nujaym* calls this a praiseworthy bid’ah in al-Bahr ul-Ra’iq. See translator’s note after 11.001.
11.004 – Reciting Surah al-Fatihah after the Prayer – Both al-Haskafi & Ibn Nujaym* call this a bid’ah, yet approve of it. Ibn Nujaym* say it should not be disallowed.
11.005 – Sending salams (peace) on the Prophet SAW after the Adhan, and doing tasbih at the end of the night by the mu’addhin. This is labeled a praiseworthy bid’ah, and approved of by al-Haskafi (who mentioned this is a practice that started 781 AH, Ibn Abidin, and al-Tahtawi (d. 1231 AH) in his Hashiyah.
11.006 – Having two adhans for prayer, to encourage people to leave trade & to amplify it in crowded, urban Cairo. Labeled as a praiseworthy bid’ah by Ibn Abidin, who quoted Imam al-Shafi’i as saying that there is ikhtilaf on it, and al-Suyuti as saying that this first happened in the Ummayad period (41-132 AH).
11.007 – Using prayer beads (sibhah) for dhikr. Sh. Abdul-Fattah al-Yafi’i authored a separate book just for this issue. Some of the earliest Muslims, such as Abdullah ibn Masu’d, Aishah bint Abi Bakr and Al-Hasan al-Basri disliked it. But despite this, later scholars in the Muslim world allowed it. Sh. Abdul-Fattah gives references & quotes from the following scholars who all said this is permissible (some who quoted it as a bid’ah):
From the Hanafis: Ibn Nujaym*, Ibn Abidin, Muhammad Shamsul-Haq (d. 1329 AH) in his commentary Awnul-Ma’bud on Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Mulla al-Harawi (d. 1014 AH) in Mirqatul-Mafatih, Al-Tahtawi, and Al-Mubarakpuri (d. 1935 CE) in his commentary Tuhfatul-Ahwadhi on Sunan al-Tirmidhi.
From the Malikis: Muhammad Ulaysh (d. 1299 AH) in Minahul-Jalil, al-Dardir (d. 1201 AH) in al-Sharhul-Kabir, Al-Dusuqi (d. 1230 AH) in his subcommentary on al-Dardir’s al-Sharhul-Kabir, and al-Sawi (d. 1241 AH) in his subcommentary on al-Dardir’s al-Sharhul-Saghir.
From the Shafi’is: Ibn al-Salah (d. 643) in his Fatawa, Al-Suyuti in al-Hawi, Ibn Hajr al-Haytami in his Fatawa, Ibn Allan (d. 1057 AH) in his commentary on al-Nawawi’s al-Adkhar, Al-Munawi in Faydul-Qadir.
From the Hanbalis: Ibn al-Jawzi as quoted by Ibn Allan above, Abul-Barakat ibn Taymiyyah (Ibn Taymiyyah’s grandfather d. 652 AH) in Al-Muntaqa and Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmu ul-Fatawa.
*Translator’s Note: Recall in Part 7 how Ibn Nujaym* rejected ‘added bid’ah’. Yet he approved of many ‘good’ bid’ah. This shows that ‘good’ and ‘added’ bid’ah are two distinct concepts, hence the different types of ikhtilaf between them.
11.008 – Quoted previously in Part 2: Ibn Abidin said in his Raddul-Muhtar (one of the most authoritative texts in the Hanafi madhhab, where fatwa is taken from today), “Bid’ah is of five types… Impermissible, otherwise [a bid’ah] can be obligatory, for example establishing arguments & evidences to refute heretical groups, the learning of Arabic grammar to understand the Qur’an & Sunnah. [A bid’ah can also be] recommended, like establishing spiritual lodges, schools, and any other act of good that was not present in the beginning of Islam. [A bid’ah can also be] disliked, like excessive decoration of mosques. [A bid’ah can also be] permissible, such as the development of delicious recipes of food & drink, new clothing….”
12. Examples of Good Bid’ah from the Maliki Madhhab
12.001 – The tarawih Prayer. Al-Taqiyy al-Subki mentions in his Fatawa that both Ahmad ibn Abdissalam (?) & Abu Bakr al-Tartushi called the Tarawih prayer a mustahabb bid’ah. Also by al-Hattab (d. 954 AH) in Mawahibul-Jalil. Recall also the quotes from Part 3.
12.002 – Tasbih & dhikr before Fajr. Called a good bid’ah by al-Hattab in Mawahibul-Jalil.
12.003 – The Mu’addhin saying ‘Be silent, Allah have mercy on you,’ before the khutbah on Friday. Al-Nafrawi (d. 1126 AH) in Al-Fawakih al-Dawani who called it a good bid’ah.
12.004 – Sending prayers on the Prophet SAW loudly after the Adhan by the Mu’addhin. Al-Dasuqi in his Hashiyah, who calls it a good bid’ah that started in the time of Al-Nasir Salah-ul-Din ibn Ayyub in the year 781 AH.* Al-Dasuqi also mentions a practice of nightly istighfar, tasbih & tawassul as a good bid’ah/
*Translator’s Note: Considering the year, this cannot be the Salah-ul-Din of the Crusades. I am not sure who he is referring to here and did not have time to look it up. Regardless, it is clear that it is considered a very old practice.
12.005 – Washing hands before eating. Al-Sawi mentions it in his Hashiyah as a good bid’ah.
12.006 – Making du’a for the Sahabah in the khutbah. Mentioned by Al-Adawi (d. 1189 AH) in his Hashiyah as a good bid’ah.
12.007 – Congregational dua after the prayer. Mentioned by al-Nafrawi in Al-Fawakih al-Dawani who mentions is as a normal practice in Africa, and a good bid’ah that has a precedent in the unrestricted command in the Qur’an to make du’a.
12.008 – Calling for the Eid prayer with the statement ‘the prayer has been congregated’. Also mentioned by al-Nafrawi in Al-Fawakih al-Dawani as a good bid’ah that is popular in his time.*
*Translator’s Note: The recommendation of this statement as a call right before the takbir of the Eid prayer is the official position of the Shafi’i madhhab. Perhaps this was a Shafi’i practice that spread to a Maliki land? Allah knows best.
12.009 – Shaving the head. Also mentioned by al-Nafrawi in Al-Fawakih al-Dawani, who mentions that al-Qurtubi said Imam Malik disliked it outside of Umrah and Hajj, and mentions some Maliki scholars who said it was disliked for those who do not wear turbans, not for those who do, while other Malikis allowed it as a good bid’ah without restriction.
12.010 – Reciting a hadith during the Friday khutbah. Al-Sawi mentions in it his Hashiyah as a good bid’ah.
12.011 – Congregational Qiyam in Ramadan & announcing that it is the day of Friday by the Mu’addhin in the morning. Mentioned by Ali Mahfudh in Al-Ibda’ fi Madaril-Ibtida’.
12.012 – Imam al-Qarafi’s examples of bid’ah under the 5 fiqh rulings in Al-Furuq:
Haram: Taxes, ignorant people being given precedence over scholars, appointing people in religious positions by lineage, while they are not qualified for them. Al-Qarafi mentions that there are more than can be counted.
Mandub/mustahabb: The tarawih prayer, establishing images* for imams, judges and political leaders, despite the opposition of the Sahabah of it, to generate respect among the public for them.
Makruh: Specifying specific acts of worship on virtuous days [without a basis in the Sunnah] (e.g. fasting on Friday).
Mubah: Using a sieve for wheat, which he describes as the first innovation that the Muslims came up with after the Prophet SAW.
Wajib: The canonization of the Qur’an into book form & condensation of the ahruf.
12.013 – Ibn al-Hajj’s examples of bid’ah under the 5 rulings in Al-Madkhal:
Wajib: The different books & subjects of Islamic knowledge. He includes the sciences of the Arabic language, which were not present during the time of the Prophet SAW but are critical for understanding the Qur’an, dividing hadith into sahih, hasan and da’if, and establishment of principles in usul & fiqh.
Mandub/Mustahabb: Building bridges, cleaning the streets, building religious schools and Sufi lodges.
Mubah: Using soap in ghusl & sieves for wheat.
Makruh: Eating on a table.
Haram: Ibn al-Hajj says these are more than can be counted.
13. Examples of Good Bid’ah from the Shafi’i Madhhab
13.001 – Shaking hands after the Fajr & Asr prayer. This was a culturally predominant practice during the time of Imam al-Nawawi. He said in Al-Majmu’ that it is a mubah bid’ah.
13.002 – The writing of mushafs with guides, clarification & vowel marks. Mentioned by Al-Ghazali in Al-Ihya in the context of red vowel marks that help reading the Qur’an accurately. He also mentions how past scholar disliked these. For example Al-Hasan al-Basri (d. 110 AH) & Ibn Sirin (d. 110 AH) disliked marks dividing the Qur’an into fifths, tenths and 30ths (these divisions are standard today). Al-Sha’bi (d. 100 AH) & Ibrahim (al-Nakha’i?, if so d. 96 AH) disliked these red vowel marks and said the Qur’an should be written with the skeletal script only, no other marks. This shows that it was a controversial practice & considered a blameworthy bid’ah during the time of the salaf. Al-Ghazali then uses the context of Umar’s statement ‘this is a good bid’ah‘ that the practice of vowel marks in the Qur’an is a good bid’ah as well.
Al-Nawawi also mentions it as a good innovation in al-Tibyan fi Adabi-Hamalatil-Qur’an.
13.003 – Eating on tables. A debate that was occurring during Al-Ghazali’s time, he considered this a permissible/mubah bid’ah even if it contradicted the practice of the Prophet SAW of eating on the ground.
13.004 – Building of minbars (pulpits), Sufi lodges & religious schools. Mentioned by Abu Shamah in al-Ba’ith as good bid’ah. One could add the building of minarets and lining of rows on carpets here as well.
13.005 – Having an ‘assistant’ in the mosque who requests congregants before the khutbah of Friday to be recite prayers on the Prophet SAW after he is mentioned, and the hadith of being silent during the khutbah. Mentioned as a good bid’ah by al-Qalyubi (d. 1069 AH) in his Hashiyah on Al-Mahalli’s (d. 864 AH) Kanz-ul-Raghibin. Also approved of as a good bid’ah by Ibn Hajr al-Haytami.
13.006 – Marking the day of Arafah in congregation while outside of Arafah & Hajj with du’a & dhikr from Asr until Maghrib. Ibnul-Qasim (d. 918 AH) in his Hashiyah of Ibn Hajr’s Tuhfah mentions that: Al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH) said that the first to do this was the Companion Ibn Abbas RAD. Ahmed ibn Hanbal (d. 241 AH) said that al-Hasan al-Basri used to do it, and some like Malik used to dislike it. Ibnul-Qasim then proceeds to describe it as a good bid’ah. Al-Bujayrami (d. 1131 AH) also quotes al-Nawawi as approving of it as a good bid’ah.
13.007 – Eating with a spoon. Also mentioned by al-Bujayrami in his Hashiyah on al-Shirbini’s (d. 977 AH) al-Iqna’ mentioned as a good bid’ah.
13.008 – The tarawih prayer. Mentioned as a praiseworthy bid’ah by al-Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH) in Fada’il ul-Awqat, and in ibn Hajr’s Fatawa.
13.009 – Gatherings to recite Qur’an over the grave of the deceased after their burial. Mentioned by ibn Hajr al-Haytami Tuhfatul-Muhtaj as a good bid’ah.
13.010 – Kissing the mushaf and kissing bread.* Mentioned by al-Suyuti in his explanation of Sunan Ibn Majah. He described that al-Shafi’i himself said it was a permissible/mubah bid’ah.
*Translator’s note: It may be difficult for the one who lives in a time where bread is mass-produced and readily available in a grocery store to appreciate why someone would kiss bread. May Allah inspire in us thankfulness for His blessings and not punish us for our ungrateful, sinful behaviour.
13.011 – Celebrating the mawlid, i.e. birthday of the Prophet SAW with permissible means. Al-Suyuti mentions in al-Hawi that his teacher, Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani was asked about the mawlid, and he remarked that it is a good bid’ah.
13.012 – Al-Nawawi’s examples of bid’ah under the fiqh rulings in his commentary on Sahih Muslim:
Wajib: The system of thought & responses of the scholars of kalam (philosophical theology) to atheists and people of bid’ah in belief.*
Mandub/Mustahabb: The writing of books of knowledge across different fields, the building of mosques and Sufi lodges etc.
Mubah/permissible: the development of cuisine etc.
13.013 – Izzul-Din ibn Abdissalam’s examples of bid’ah under the fiqh rulings in al-Qawa’id ul-Kubra:
Wajib: Specializing in the science of Arabic syntax & grammar and using it to deepen one’s understanding of the Qur’an & Sunnah, preserving the meaning of difficult vocabulary in the Qur’an & Sunnah using the Arabic language, the canonization of Usul-ul-Fiqh as a discpline to interpret Qur’an & Sunnah, and the development of the science of grading narrators as a means to determine the authenticity of hadith.
Haram: The beliefs of the Qadariyyah, Jabariyyah, Murji’ah, Mujassimah, and responding to all these is bid’ah that is wajib.
Mandub/Mustahabb: Innovating the concept of Sufi lodges, religious schools, footbridges, the tarawih prayer, the details of the science of tasawwuf, the development of the dialectic style of academic debate, gathering in groups to discuss the evidences for fiqh issues etc.
Makruh: the obssessive decorating of mosques and mushafs etc.
Mubah: shaking hands after Fajr & Asr, development of cuisine & architecture, the wearing of shawls, and widening of sleeves. Ibn Abdissalam mentions that some scholars differed in some of these and said they are disliked.
14. Examples of Good Bid’ah from the Hanbali Madhhab
14.001 – Wearing the khirqah (scarf) of Tasawwuf – This was a practice of Sufi shaykhs, who would reward their most diligent followers who had achieved a high level of spiritual progress with them with an emblematic scarf. According to Ibn Taymiyyah, this was similar to how kings used to demonstrate their favour to their loyal or favoured subjects.
Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmu ul-Fatawa, upon describing this practice upon shaykhs of Tasawwuf, describes how the practice of passing on a khirqah has no basis in the Shariah, yet is permissible if accompanied by a righteous intention, not if it is believed to be a Sunnah.
Other notable Hanbalis* who were reported to have worn the khirqah of tasawwuf from their shaykhs were, Al-Muwaffaq ibn Qudamah (d. 620 AH) & Abdul Ghani al-Maqdisi (d. 600 AH), both given it by their shaykh, Abdul-Qadir ul-Jilani (d. 561 AH).
*Translator’s Note: Why mention the khirqah in the context of Hanbalis? The first reason is because many erroneously believe that Ibn Taymiyyah was staunchly anti-Sufi, however this is anything but true. Ibn Taymiyyah’s was well-integrated within the Hanbali Sufi circles of his time, and as much as he was a critic of certain Sufi practices, he was at times also an apologist for them (such as in this issue). The second reason is because for much of Islamic History, Hanbalis had a strong presence in the world of Sufism. The controversial Al-Hallaj (d. 309 AH) was Hanbali, as well as Al-Suhrawardi (d. 632 AH) and Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, of whom the latter two have very widespread Sufi orders named after them.
14.002 – The Compilation of the Qur’an & Designating a Specific Day for Religious Storytelling. Mentioned by ibn Rajab in Jami’ ul-Ulum wal-Hikam & Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahhab* in one of his letters in Durar-ul-Siniyyah. Both referred to them as a bid’ah that is either good (ibn Rajab) or that has a basis in the Shariah (ibn Abdil Wahhab).
*Translator’s Note: See my note on Part 5, 5.005.
14.003 – Using prayer beads (sibhah) for dhikr. Mentioned by Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmu ul-Fatawa, who does not label it has a bid’ah, but says that some Companions like Aishah & Abu Hurayrah RAD were reported to have done it. See 11.007 above for more details.
15. Innovations in Worldly Issues & Human Habits
15.001 – The preceding sections 11, 12, 13 & 14 were specifically about innovations in acts of worship. As for innovations in worldly issues & human habits, then the vast majority of scholars said they are permissible.
15.002 – Some Malikis however, said that even innovations in worldly issues & human habits are not permissible or disliked without evidence from the Shariah. Al-Shatibi explains their reasoning & critiques it in Al-I’tisam. Some examples of these from the early Malikis are:
15.003 – Using a fan in the masjid. Mentioned by Ibn ul-Haj (d. 737 AH) in al-Madkhal. I am not sure what kind of fan they would have used during his time.
15.004 – Making noise while chewing or gulping water. Mentioned by Ibn ul-Haj also in al-Madkhal.
15.005 – Reclining on a cushion, or sitting on a carpet in the mosque. Mentioned by Ibn ul-Haj, who attributes it to Imam Malik himself, who said that this results in mosques resembling homes.
15.006 – Eating on tables, and eating meat before fruit. Mentioned by Al-Tartushi in Al-Hawadith.
The Usuli 
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