Bidah is a religious term that is often used, and mistakes may occur with it from two opposite directions: some people call every new matter a bidah, even beneficial worldly means, while others open the door to introducing acts of worship and religious seasons under the name of benefit or good intention.
The correct approach is to define the term according to the Quran, the Sunnah, and the understanding of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and to distinguish between worship, which needs evidence, and custom, means, and benefit, which have other rulings and guidelines. Not every new thing is a religious bidah, and not everything people see as good is a valid benefit that may be added to the religion.
Allah says:
{And this is My straight path, so follow it; and do not follow other ways, for they will separate you from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous} [Al-Anam: 153].
Linguistically, bidah means something newly introduced without a previous example. Anything newly introduced and previously unknown may be called a bidah in the linguistic sense, whether it relates to religion or worldly matters, and whether it is praiseworthy or blameworthy.
But this linguistic meaning is broader than the religious meaning. Therefore, the ruling of religious bidah cannot be taken merely from the fact that something is new.
In the Shariah, bidah is something introduced into the religion that has no sound basis proving it, and that is taken as a path of worship or drawing near to Allah.
Imam ash-Shatibi, may Allah have mercy on him, defined it in Al-Itisam as:
"An invented way in the religion that resembles the Shariah, by which one intends to go to extremes in worshiping Allah, the Exalted."
Al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, said in Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam:
"What is meant by bidah is what has been introduced that has no basis in the Shariah indicating it. As for what has a basis in the Shariah indicating it, then it is not a bidah in the religious sense, even if it is a bidah linguistically."
So the criterion is not mere newness, but attributing a statement or action to the religion and drawing near to Allah through it without valid evidence.
Based on this, religious bidah revolves around three broad foundations:
Allah says:
{Or have they partners who have legislated for them of the religion that which Allah has not permitted? And if not for the decisive word, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment} [Ash-Shura: 21].
Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Whoever introduces into this matter of ours that which is not from it, it is rejected."
Agreed upon.
In a narration of Muslim:
"Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with our matter, it is rejected."
The meaning of "it is rejected" is that the action is returned upon its doer. It does not become accepted worship through good intention or the large number of people doing it, so long as it opposes the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to say in his khutbah:
"As for what follows: the best speech is the Book of Allah, the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, the worst matters are newly introduced matters, and every bidah is misguidance."
Narrated by Muslim.
His statement, peace and blessings be upon him, "every bidah is misguidance" is a general foundation regarding religious innovations, meaning what is introduced into the religion without a valid basis. As for something new that is not attributed to the religion, or is a means to achieve something legislated, it does not enter this ruling merely because it is new.
This is one of the most important distinctions that prevents confusion in the topic of bidah:
For this reason, cars, airplanes, computers, microphones, organized schools, and Quran apps are not called religious bidah, because they are means and customs, not independent acts of worship by which one draws near to Allah in themselves.
But a means may take another ruling if it is used for something prohibited or made into a devotional part that Allah did not legislate. The ruling is not attached to the name of the means alone, but to its reality and use.
An action is examined through several guidelines, and it is not judged merely because one finds it appealing or strange:
If a person does something as an act of nearness, a Sunnah, or a religious symbol, it enters the category of worship and needs evidence. As for something done as a pure habit without believing that the action itself is worship, it is not called religious bidah merely because it is new.
If a sound specific evidence indicates the action, then it is legislated. An action may also fall under a sound general principle, but it is not permissible to add to it a specific manner, virtue, or special quality that the general principle does not prove.
That means it appears in the form of an organized act of worship with a specific form, number, time, or virtue, until people think it is part of the religion, even though there is no evidence for it.
An act of worship may be legislated in its origin, then innovation enters it because of an unproven specification. Forms of specification that need evidence include:
The origin of dhikr is legislated, but committing to a specific dhikr in congregation with one voice, or with a specific number and time while believing in its special status, needs evidence. The origin of charity is legislated, but making it a symbol tied to a newly introduced religious season needs evidence.
If the reason for an action existed during the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions, the ability to do it was present, and there was no obstacle, yet they all left it despite their strong eagerness for good, then their leaving it is evidence that taking it as worship is not legislated.
As for something whose reason did not exist in their time, or there was an obstacle that later disappeared, or it was a means to preserve an established legislated matter, then it is not correct to rule it as bidah merely because they did not do it.
The scholars mentioned that bidah may be real or additional:
It is an act of worship or belief that has no basis at all in the Shariah, such as inventing a prayer with a specific form for which no evidence has been reported, or establishing a new religious Eid.
It is an action that has a legislated basis from one angle, but an unlegislated quality has been added to it from another angle, such as committing to a number, time, form, or gathering that is not established, then believing that this addition is a Sunnah or has special virtue.
This type may be confusing to people, because the doer uses the basis of the worship as evidence, while the point being criticized is not the origin of prayer, dhikr, or charity, but the form or specification that is not established.
Innovation may occur through leaving something just as it may occur through doing something. This happens when a person leaves something permissible or legislated as an act of worship, believing that the mere act of leaving it is nearness to Allah or a more complete path to Him without evidence. As for leaving something permissible for a health, financial, personal, or harm-prevention reason, without believing in a special religious virtue, that is not bidah.
An example is making the permanent abandonment of marriage or wholesome food an act of worship by which one draws near to Allah. Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
"Three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asking about the worship of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. When they were informed, they seemed to consider it little and said: Where are we compared to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him? Allah has forgiven him his past and future sins. One of them said: As for me, I will pray all night forever. Another said: I will fast continuously and never break my fast. Another said: I will keep away from women and never marry. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to them and said: Are you the ones who said such and such? By Allah, I am the most fearful of Allah among you and the most mindful of Him, but I fast and I break my fast, I pray and I sleep, and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me."
Agreed upon.
The perfection of worship is not in mere increase, harshness, or abandonment, but in agreeing with the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Amr ibn Salamah, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated that Abu Musa al-Ashari, may Allah be pleased with him, saw people sitting in circles in the mosque waiting for prayer. In every circle there was a man, and in their hands were pebbles. He would say: say Allahu akbar one hundred times, and they would say it one hundred times. Then he would say: say la ilaha illa Allah one hundred times, and say subhan Allah one hundred times. Abu Musa informed Abdullah ibn Masud, may Allah be pleased with him, so he went to them and said:
"What is this that I see you doing? They said: O Abu Abd ar-Rahman, pebbles by which we count takbir, tahlil, and tasbih. He said: Count your sins, for I guarantee that none of your good deeds will be lost. Woe to you, O Ummah of Muhammad! How quickly you are heading to destruction! These are the Companions of your Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, still abundant, his clothes have not yet worn out, and his vessels have not yet broken. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, either you are upon a path more guided than the path of Muhammad, or you are opening a door of misguidance. They said: By Allah, O Abu Abd ar-Rahman, we only intended good. He said: How many people intend good but do not reach it."
Narrated by ad-Darimi, and al-Albani authenticated its chain.
Ibn Masud, may Allah be pleased with him, did not object to the words of takbir, tahlil, and tasbih, for they are legislated adhkar. Rather, he objected to the newly introduced group form, specifying the number in this manner, and taking it as a devotional path that was not upon the way of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions. In their statement, "We only intended good," and his reply, "How many people intend good but do not reach it," there is a clear explanation that sound intention does not replace sound following.
Religious bidah that has no basis in the religion is not good, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Every bidah is misguidance." Whatever agrees with the Book and Sunnah, or falls under a sound Shariah foundation without inventing an act of worship or specifying something without evidence, is not a religious bidah even if some scholars call it bidah in the linguistic sense.
For this reason, some jurists may use the word bidah in its broad linguistic meaning, applying it to a new matter that has a Shariah basis or a sound benefit, then describing it as good. This is a difference in terminology and does not change the principle: whatever opposes the Sunnah or has no valid basis is rejected, and whatever is supported by evidence or a valid benefit is not a blameworthy religious bidah.
Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abd al-Qari, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated:
"I went out with Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, one night in Ramadan to the mosque, and the people were scattered in separate groups. A man would pray by himself, and another man would pray and a group would follow his prayer. Umar said: I think that if I gathered these people behind one reciter, it would be better. Then he resolved to do that and gathered them behind Ubayy ibn Kab. Then I went out with him another night while the people were praying behind their reciter. Umar said: What a good bidah this is, and the prayer they sleep through is better than the one they are standing for - meaning the last part of the night - while the people used to stand at the beginning of it."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, did not create a new prayer. The night prayer of Ramadan is established, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed it with his Companions in congregation for some nights, then left continuing it out of fear that it would be made obligatory upon them. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, died, the possibility of it becoming obligatory ended, so Umar gathered the people behind one imam, reviving and organizing an established basis.
He called it bidah because of its new linguistic form after a period in which the people had not gathered behind one imam, not because it was an invented act of worship with no basis.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Whoever starts a good Sunnah in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him, without that decreasing anything from their rewards. And whoever starts an evil Sunnah in Islam will bear its burden and the burden of those who act upon it after him, without that decreasing anything from their burdens."
Narrated by Muslim.
The hadith occurred in the story of people upon whom poverty was visible. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, encouraged charity, so a man from the Ansar hastened with charity, then the people followed him. Thus, the "good Sunnah" here is hastening to apply a legislated Sunnah and reviving action upon it, not inventing an act of worship that Allah did not permit.
No. Religious innovations are all misguidance and prohibited from the angle that they oppose guidance, but they differ in type, danger, effects, and ruling. Some relate to the foundation of belief, some relate to acts of worship, some may be disbelief if they contain a nullifier of Islam and the conditions for that ruling are met while impediments are absent, and some are below that among non-disbelief innovations. It is not permissible to treat all innovations as equal in ruling, just as it is not permissible to describe any of them as a good and legislated act of worship.
It is also not permissible to treat all innovations as equal, nor to declare everyone who falls into an innovation a disbeliever. The ruling on a statement or action is one matter, and ruling on a specific person as an innovator or disbeliever is another matter with conditions and detail, and it is referred to the people of knowledge, not ordinary people or personal disputes.
Maslahah mursalah is a real benefit for which no specific evidence has come to affirm its exact form or cancel it, but it agrees with the objectives and general principles of the Shariah. People may need it to preserve their religion, lives, intellects, lineage, or wealth, or to organize their affairs and achieve a valid benefit.
It is called mursalah because it is not connected to a specific evidence commanding this exact form. But it is not separate from the Shariah; rather, it is based on its general principles and objectives, and it may not oppose a sound text or established consensus.
Maslahah mursalah is usually a means to a legislated objective, or an organization in transactions, Islamic governance, and people’s affairs. It is not the creation of an independent act of worship by which one draws near to Allah.
For clarification, scholars of usul mention benefits, in terms of the Shariah’s testimony to them, as three types:
The scholars of usul differed over the details of using maslahah mursalah as evidence and over classifying some applications under it. But it is not a door to oppose texts or to create purely devotional acts of worship. A benefit that clashes with sound evidence is not a valid Shariah benefit.
Not everything a person finds appealing becomes a Shariah benefit. Among the most important guidelines are:
The difference can be summarized in the following points:
When a number of Quran reciters were martyred on the day of al-Yamamah, Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, feared that something of the Quran could be lost through the death of memorizers. He suggested to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, that it be compiled in written sheets. Abu Bakr initially hesitated because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had not compiled it into one mushaf, then the aspect of benefit became clear to him, and he assigned Zayd ibn Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, to compile it. This is narrated by al-Bukhari.
Compiling the Quran was not creating a new act of worship, nor adding a word to the Book of Allah. Rather, it was a means to preserve the revelation that the Shariah commanded to be preserved and conveyed. Its cause arose after the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when a number of reciters died. Then the Companions agreed upon this action.
Many scholars of usul mention compiling the Quran as one of the most famous examples of maslahah mursalah, or as one of the necessary means to preserve an established Shariah objective. The new means served the revelation and did not change it.
Examples that are not religious bidah when their guidelines are observed include:
These matters are not independent acts of worship. Rather, they are means that change with time and need, and they may be replaced by what is more beneficial.
A means may be permissible in its origin, then become prohibited if:
It is not enough to say that something is merely a means; its effect, ruling, and manner of use must be examined.
The firm principle is that worship is not legislated except with evidence, and that everything introduced into the religion without a valid basis is rejected. Good intention does not make an introduced action a Sunnah, the spread of an action or people finding it good does not turn bidah into legislated worship, and maslahah mursalah may not be taken as a path to create a dhikr, prayer, Eid, or devotional season that Allah did not permit.
But if the reality of a specific action is unclear - is it intended worship or a changeable means to an established legislated matter? Does the text indicate it in the way it is performed, or has a cause, number, manner, time, or place been added to it without evidence? - then these questions need the gathering of texts and understanding the words of the scholars, not personal preference. Returning to scholars here is not searching for a justification for bidah; rather, it is to verify the reality of the action and prevent attributing to the religion what Allah did not legislate.
It is also necessary to distinguish between ruling on a statement or action as bidah with evidence and ruling on a specific person. An action may be bidah, but that does not mean ordinary people should label everyone who falls into it as an innovator. Ruling on specific individuals has its guidelines and is referred to the people of knowledge, while the obligation of following the Sunnah and leaving newly introduced matters remains.
No. Mere non-action is not enough by itself in every issue. One looks at whether the action was worship, whether its reason existed in his time, whether the ability to do it was present, and whether there was no obstacle. If its reason was present and there was no obstacle, then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions left it, taking it as worship after them is bidah. As for means whose reason later arose, or something left because an obstacle existed, or worldly customs, the same rule is not applied to them.
No. Acceptance of an action needs sincerity to Allah and following the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. A person may intend good but not reach it due to lack of knowledge, so worship must agree with evidence.
No. It may occur in belief, statements, acts of worship, or devotional methodologies. Its guideline is that something is introduced into the religion with no basis, or something is added to what is legislated in a way that changes its Shariah description.
They are not religious bidah in themselves, because they are means to convey an established legislated matter, not independent acts of worship. They are judged according to their use: if they serve good and contain nothing prohibited, they are permissible; if they are used in something prohibited, they take the ruling of that use.
Merely setting an organizational time that suits the teacher and students is not intended worship and is not a belief in the virtue of that time, so it is not bidah. But believing that this day or hour has a special religious virtue for the lesson without evidence, or making the gathering into a specific devotional symbol, is an addition that needs evidence.
If the number is established in the Sunnah, it is followed as reported. As for restricting unrestricted dhikr to an invented number and making it a regular wird, calling people to it, or believing it has a special virtue, this is a newly introduced specification. In unrestricted dhikr, what is legislated is that the Muslim increases in it without committing to a number the Shariah did not set, while still giving attention to the restricted adhkar and their established numbers in the Sunnah.
No. A person may fall into a sin, a passing mistake, or a valid ijtihad, and he is not called an innovator because of that. The description of bidah first relates to the statement or action. Applying the label to a specific person differs according to how clear the issue is, his condition, whether he is calling to it or merely imitating, and other guidelines known to the people of knowledge.
Sin is opposing a Shariah command or committing a prohibition while the action remains, in reality, a sin, such as backbiting or drinking alcohol. The doer does not attribute it to the religion as a legislated act of nearness. Bidah, however, includes introducing a statement, action, or belief into the religion, or worshiping through something legislated in a manner not indicated by the Shariah. Bidah is a specific type of opposition to the Shariah; not every sin is bidah, and bidah may be accompanied by other sins depending on its situation.
Not every fiqhi disagreement is bidah. If the issue allows ijtihad and the scholarly positions have valid evidence, then the one who differs is not declared an innovator merely because he did not choose the same opinion. As for a statement or action that clashes with a clear text or consensus, or creates an act of worship with no basis, it has another ruling clarified by the people of knowledge.
It is not correct to create a repeated Eid or devotional season in the name of maslahah, because religious seasons and acts of worship are based on textual evidence. Maslahah mursalah organizes a means to an established legislated matter and does not create a symbol by which one draws near to Allah. For detail in the example of the Mawlid, see: Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday.
Compiling the mushaf preserved an existing Shariah foundation and did not add to the Quran an act of worship, virtue, or season. The need for compilation arose after the death of the reciters. As for a religious celebration, it creates a specification and recurring symbol intended as worship, even though its reason existed during the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions and they did not do it.
It is evidence that the word bidah may be used in the linguistic sense for something whose form is new but which has a Shariah basis. Tarawih prayer itself is not a religious bidah, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed it in congregation, and he only left continuing it out of fear that it would become obligatory. That obstacle ended with his death.
No. The reason for the hadith clarifies that the man hastened to give charity that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had encouraged, so people followed him. What is meant is reviving an established Sunnah or hastening to apply it, not creating a new act of worship that contradicts his statement, peace and blessings be upon him: "Every bidah is misguidance."
Public interests and newly occurring rulings are assessed by firmly grounded scholars along with experts in the relevant field, and they are examined by the Shariah or authorized body when they relate to people generally. It is not permissible for every person to make whatever he finds appealing into a maslahah and then attribute it to the Shariah.
A Muslim should not be hasty in that. A statement or action may be judged to be bidah, but that does not necessarily mean everyone who falls into it is given the unrestricted label of innovator. The details of the ruling differ according to how clear the issue is, the person’s condition, whether he is calling to it or imitating, and what rulings result from the label. This is referred to the people of knowledge who know the evidence and the reality of the situation, while the error must still be clarified and people must be called to the Sunnah with wisdom and justice.
He clarifies the evidence to him with gentleness and knowledge, distinguishes between the ignorant person and the caller to bidah, and between unclear and clear issues, and considers the Shariah benefit in advice. He does not remain silent about falsehood, nor does he oppress the one who differs, lie against him, or transgress the limits of the Shariah under the excuse of condemning bidah.
To learn the daily application of following, refer to: How to Follow the Prophet’s Sunnah in Daily Life.
In summary, everything introduced into the religion and taken as worship or nearness to Allah without valid evidence is a rejected bidah of misguidance. Bidah does not become good because of good intention, the large number of people doing it, or calling it a maslahah. As for worldly inventions and beneficial means that do not create an act of worship or change its form, they are not bidah in the religion in the first place. Maslahah mursalah is not a type of bidah, nor is it an exception to the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him: "Every bidah is misguidance." Rather, it is a regulated means that preserves an established Shariah objective without opposing the texts or changing acts of worship. The path of salvation is to hold firmly to the Sunnah, leave newly introduced matters, and stop at what Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, have legislated.
