Criteria for Distinguishing Sunnah and Bid’ah (Part 6)
Selected Definition of Bid’ah (Innovation)
Among the two definitions, the definition of the first group is the selected and preferred one, which divides innovation (bid’ah) into “good” (Hasanah) and “bad” (sayyiah). This refers to new and unprecedented matters that emerged after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These innovations could be good, such as the compilation of the Qur’an and the organization of regulations, or bad, such as the emergence of the Khawarij sect. Any new matters that align with the four fundamental principles (usul al-arba’a), the general welfare (maslaha mursala), and other sources of Islamic rulings are considered good innovations. If they do not align, they are deemed bad and blameworthy innovations.
It is unreasonable to claim that those who divided innovation into good and bad only meant its linguistic definition, as such a statement contradicts the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) hadith: “Every innovation is misguidance.” The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) intention was to explain the technical and religious meaning of innovation, not its linguistic meaning, which refers to inventing something without precedent. In response, it can be said that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: «من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها بعده من غیر أن ینقص من أجورهم شيء، ومن سن في الإسلام سنة سیئة کان علیه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها بعده من غیر أن ینقص من أوزارهم شيء» “Whoever initiates a good practice in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it, without their rewards being diminished in the least. And whoever initiates a bad practice in Islam will bear the burden of it and the burden of those who act upon it, without their burden being diminished in the least.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) meant the linguistic sense of the word “sunnah” (practice). Otherwise, the term “sunnah” would always be praiseworthy and commendable. Just as “sunnah” can be divided into good and bad in a linguistic sense, “bid’ah” (innovation) can also be perceived as having good and bad aspects in the linguistic sense. In the religious context, while “sunnah” is always praiseworthy, “bid’ah” is always blameworthy.
It is noteworthy that for an innovation to be considered blameworthy, two conditions must be met:
1. The intention behind it is not to seek closeness to Allah.
2. It is not supported by any of the sources of Islamic law, such as the Qur’an, Sunnah, consensus (ijma), analogy (qiyas), etc.
Certain matters that arose after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) but are not considered “Bid’ah” include:
1. Eating food with a spoon.
2. Compilation of the Qur’an.
3. Performing Tarawih prayer in congregation.
4. Compilation of the principles of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh).
5. Compilation of the principles of hadith.
6. Establishing prisons.
7. Drafting regulations.
These matters are neither acts of worship nor endorsed by any of the Islamic legal sources.
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