Bid’ah )Innovation( - II

Claimed Evidence:
'Umar ibn Al-Khattaabremarked upon seeing people praying Taraaweeh in
congregation that: "This is a good Bid'ah." ]Al-Bukhaari[
Refutation:
Imaam Ibn Rajabsaid:"Any words from the Salaf )righteous predecessors(
considering something asa good Bid'ah were meant in the linguistic and
not the Islamic sense,such as the above quotedsaying of 'Umar.
Claimed Evidence:
Ibn Mas'oodsaid: "What the Muslims see asgood is good in the sight of
Allaah and what they see as bad is bad in the sight of Allaah."
]Ahmad[
Refutation:
As-Sindisaid: "It is obvious that he was referring to the companions
of the Prophetand he was talking exclusively about those things that
they had a unanimous consensus on, it does not include others. This is
besides the fact that these were the words of a companion and not
theProphet's."
Claimed Evidence:
Al-'Izz Ibn 'Abdus-Salaamdivided Bid'ah into five categories:
obligatory, recommended, permissible, disliked and prohibited.
Refutation:
Ash-Shaatibisaid: "This categorization of Bid'ah is something new
which has no supportive evidence to it, moreover, it contradicts the
definition of Bid'ah, because any deed which has an evidence which
legislates it to be obligatory, recommended or allowed is by
definition not an innovation, and it would have been included in the
general recommendation of gooddeeds. Therefore, considering a matter
to be a Bid'ah yet claiming the existence of an evidence to recommend
it is a contradiction in terms."
Reasons behind innovations:
• Ignorance about Islam.
• Following whims.
• Clinging to doubts.
• The sole use of ration with no reference to the Islamic texts )Quran
and Sunnah(.
• Islamic Scholars not fulfilling their expected role.
• Dependence on weak or fabricated narrations.
• Extreme reactions to others' errors.
• Blind imitation of the masses.
• Not following the instructions of sincere scholars.
Ways to eradicate Bid'ah:
• Warning against its dangers and evil effects.
• Calling people to adhere to the Quran and Sunnah.
• Distinguishing betweenweak and the authentic narrations.
• Spreading knowledge and correcting the people's understanding of
faith, worship, morals and deeds.
• Warning against the innovators.
• Receiving knowledge from the correct sources.
Related Quranic verses:
Allaah Says )what means(:"On the Day ]some[ faces will turn white and
]some[ faces will turn black, ]to them it will be said[: 'Did you
disbelieve ]i.e., reject faith[ after your belief? Then taste the
punishment for what you used to reject.'"]Quran 106[
Ibn 'Abbaascommended: "The faces of the people who adhered to the
Sunnah will turn white and bright, while the faces of the innovators
will turn black and gloomy."
Allaah Says )what means(:"And whoever opposes the Messenger after
guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the
believers – We will give him whathe has taken ]i.e., make him
responsible for his choice[ and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as
a destination."]Quran 115[
Allaah Says )what means(:"…This day I have perfected for you your
religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you
Islam as a religion…"]Quran 5:3[
Allaah Says )what means(:"And ]moreover[, this is my path.Which is
straight, so follow it; and do not follow ]other[ ways, for you will
be separated from Hisway. This has He instructed you so that you may
become righteous."]Quran 6: 153[ Mujaahidcommended: "The other ways
mentioned are desires and innovations."
Allaah Says )what means(:"So let those beware who dissent from his
]i.e., the Prophet's[ order lest trials strike them or a painful
punishment."]Quran 24: 63[
Related Prophetic narrations:
The Prophetsaid:
·"Allaah does not accept the repentance of an innovator until he
abandons his innovation."]At-Tabaraani & Al- Bayhaqi[
·"He who lives long enough will see many things which he will not
recognize, therefore, hold on to my Sunnah and that of the rightly
guided caliphs who succeed me; bite onto it )i.e., my Sunnah( with
your molars. Stay away from innovations, because every innovation is
misguidance."]Ahmad & Abu Daawood[
·"He who does something which is not according to what we are upon,
then it is rejected."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
·"I will be ahead of you in reaching my fountain, and there will be
people who will be prevented from reaching it, therefore, I will say:
'My Lord! These are my followers!' It will besaid: 'You do not know
what theyinnovated and altered after you.' )i.e., after your death(
Therefore, I will say: 'Let those who altered )the religion( be kept
away )in a humiliated place(."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Related words of the Salaf:
Ibn Mas'oodsaid: "Follow )the Sunnah( and do not innovate, because you
have been sufficed." ]Ad-Daarimi[ Healso said: "Practicing a little of
the Sunnah is far better than practicing many innovations."
]Al-Haakim[
Huthayfah Ibn Al-Yamaansaid: "Do not perform any act of worship
whichwas not practiced by the companions of the Prophetbecause the
early people did not leave anything unaddressed…so follow the way of
those who were before you."
Ibn 'Abbaassaid: "FearAllaah, follow )the Sunnah( and do not innovate."
Al-Fudhaylsaid: "Beware of the one who sits with innovators; he who
sits with innovators will not be granted wisdom; I wish there wasa
fortress of steel between me and the innovators."
Related stories:
Ibn 'Abbaaswas circumambulating the Ka'bah with Mu'aawiyah Ibn Abu
Sufyaanduring Mu'aawiyah's reign. Mu'aawiyah wouldtouch all four
corners of the Ka'bah while circumambulating and soIbn 'Abbaas
remarked: "The Prophetonly touched two corners )theblack stone and the
Yemeni corner(." Mu'aawiyah replied: "No part of the house of Allaah
should be neglected." Thereupon, Ibn 'Abbaas recited the verse )which
means(:"There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allaah an
excellent pattern )i.e., example tobe followed( for anyone whose hope
is in Allaah and the Last Day and ]who[ remembers Allaah often."]Quran
33:21[ Upon hearing this, Mu'aawiyahrefrained.
A man asked Imaam Maalik: "At which point do I initiate my state of
Ihraam?" He replied: "From Thul Hulayfah - where the Prophetdid so."
The man retorted: "I wish to do it from the area beside the grave of
the Prophet."
Imaam Maaliksaid: "Do not do that, for I fear that if you do so,
youwill be afflicted with trials." The man replied: "Why would I be
afflicted with trials? All I wanted was to do it froma place which is
only a few miles away from where you told me!" Imaam Maalik said upon
hearing this: "What can be more serious than feeling that you
performed a righteous deed that the Prophetfailed to do? I heard the
Saying of Allaah )which means(:"So let those beware who dissent from
his ]i.e., the Prophet's[ order lest trials strike them or a painful
punishment."]Quran 24:63[