THE AHLE-SUNNAH VIEW ON BID’A (REPREHENSIBLE INNOVATION)
From the office of religious endowments and Islamic affairs, Dubai administration of Ifta’ and research by Dr. Isa al-Mani al-Humayri, chairman of Awqaaf, Dubai taken from the Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine, Book #3 by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani and published by As-Sunnah foundation of America 1998.
The Prophet said, “He who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not of it will have it rejected.” He also said, “beware of innovations, for every innovation (kullu bid’a) is misguidance.” “Many…cite this saying and hold that the word every (kul) is a term of generalization, including all types of innovations with no exception…” By daring to say that they accuse the scholars of Islam of innovation. At the top of the list of those they have accused, then is our master Umar (rah)…“It follows then that the meaning of ‘every’ (kul) cannot be taken in its general sense…” For as the following examples show, there are many actions and practices instituted by his [i.e. Prophet] close followers after his time that are not deemed reprehensible innovation.
The first and most important of the innovations is the companions of Prophet Muhammad compiling the Qur’an into book form or the Mushaf. This was done at the suggestion of U’mar ibn al-khattab to Abu Bakr that involved most if not all the surviving companions of the Prophet and took final shape in what is sometimes called the Uthmani Qur’an. Another is the second or third azan for juma it is also called the third as scholars consider the aqama as an azan as well. These are two out of many practices that were initiated by the early Muslims. In modern times we have the establishment of organizations to teach proper tajweed, memorization of al-Qur’an, universities for higher learning, giving daw’ah (proselytizing), reminding Muslims to enjoin good and forbid evil and charitable work among the poor and destitute.
Muslim scholars consider two types of innovation in Islam. As for the claim that there is no such thing as good innovations, here are some sayings of the brilliant scholars of Islam belying this claim: Imam an-Nawwai said in Sahih Muslim, “the Prophet’s saying every innovation is a general-particular and it is a reference to most innovations. The linguists say, innovation is any act done without a previous pattern. Imam an-Nawwai also said, innovation in religious law is to originate anything which did not exist during the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and it is divided between good and bad. In the tradition of religious law it is called innovation and if it has an origin in the religious law then it is not innovation…“Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar al Asqalani, the commentator of al-Bukhari, said, “Anything that did not exist during the Prophet’s (pbuh) time is called innovation, but some are good while others are not. Imam Shafi’ is reported to have said innovation is of two types, praiseworthy innovation and blameworthy innovation and anything that disagrees with the Sunnah is blameworthy.
Imam al-Bayhaqi reports that Imam Shafi’ said, “innovation are of two types: that which contradicts the Qur’an, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement of the Muslims is an innovation of deception while a good innovation does not contradict any of these things.”….“Moreover the following prophetic saying as stated in Sahih Muslim is known even to common Muslims let alone scholars, “he who inaugurates a good practice in Islam earns the reward of it, and all of who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least...” Therefore, it is permissible for a Muslim to originate a good practice even if the Prophet did not do it for the sake of doing good and cultivating a reward.” End of Fatawah
COMMENTARY
The scholar’s assessment is proven true as the Sahabi (rah) initiated things that were not done by the Prophet (pbuh), yet the allowance for this is validated by his saying to follow him (pbuh) and his companions; (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Daw’ud) meaning that he trusted their understanding of the specifics of the Deen and its three components: beliefs, daily living, and ethical morality. Would the Prophet (pbuh) have given credibility for the guidance of his Ummah after his time to people who lacked character, knowledge and reverential fear of Allah i.e., taqwa? Aren’t there ahadith and Sirah reports of his (pbuh) knowing the fates and end of those who committed sins during his time before the person or persons passed away? Did he not give prophecy on the condition of the Ummah today?
The facts presented above regarding the ijtihad of the Sahaba (rah);“he who inaugurates a good practice in Islam earns the reward of it”, shows that all good practices did not end with the death of Rasullulah (pbuh). It was the revelation that instructed mankind on the aqeeda/beliefs and religious practices that ceased with these holy words; “this day have I perfected your Deen…” Thus, the foundation of Deen-Allah was laid that allowed his successors to initiate certain practices that were unnecessary in the time of the Prophet (pbuh) for the benefit of the succeeding generations. Yet, even after this sects and deviants arose challenging the established beliefs of Islam due to the lack of education from the Muslim scholarly tradition or non-compliance to the Shariah’s prohibitions/restrictions in these matters. This is why scholars like Imam Shafi warned against studying scholastic theology during the times when sectarianism was rampant as the deviated ideas, notions and misinterpretations had to be sifted out similar to the fabricated ahadith in the early stages of the ahadith sciences’ development. However, its’ completion and explanation by the savants of this Ummah have rendered an invaluable service to it for all times,“…Any careful reader of Islamic history can see that if the Ashari scholars of Kalam had not engaged and defeated the various theological and philosophical sects on their own terrain, the silence of Ahl-al-Sunnah might have well sealed their defeat at the hands of their opponents…The use of Kalam in case of necessity is a legal obligation (wajib), and to keep silence about Kalam in case other than necessity is Sunnah”. (See Islamic Doctrines and beliefs Vol. 3 The Belief of the people of truth, Ibn ‘Abd-Salam, pg 30.) Clearly, it is aqeeda/kalam or the belief system that the ahadith on bi’da is pointing out as defined by the Ahle-sunnah scholars. (See Noah Hamim Keller’s translation of Reliance of the Traveler, and Shaykh Kabbani’s Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine.)
As stated above, when times changed, issues that were not problematic or had not arisen during the Prophet’s lifetime had begun to emerge necessitating a response to protect the Muslims from the bi’da of the deviants. Oftentimes this was due to the deaths of the rightly guided, particularly government leaders, Imam’s, judges, religious scholars, etc. “..Allah takes away knowledge with the death of the learned/scholars.” (Bukhari, Muslim) The first major incident of this type in the history of Islam came to be known as the Riddah or apostate wars, when the outlying tribes of Arabia refused to make salat and pay zakat upon the death of Rasulullah (pbuh).
The main issue when examining bid’a like numerous others in the Islamic tradition is the interconnection between the text proofs (i.e. Qur’an and hadith) as the usul (roots) of the religious sciences including Fiqh. This is why the early scholars such as Ibn Uyanah (a colleague of Imam Malik) have held, “hadiths are a source of misguidance except for the fuqaha.” The credibility of the Sahaba (rah) and their initiating new things for the benefit of the Ummah as the first generation of Muslim scholars is the best example of this. Thus the superficial reading/interpretation of the ahadith on bi’da would appear silent on this matter, however its’ connection to the ahadith,“He who inaugurates good things…”,sheds light on the context and scope of the hadith on innovation. Otherwise the meaning of the two ahadith would appear contradictory which they are not.
Additionally, the misguided attempts to denigrate the legal decisions of the Sahabi (rah) effectively treats their status and ‘authority’ as no better than the common man. It is here that another half-truth based on literal interpretation is used to ensnare many of my brother and sister Muslims although unbeknownst to many; creating a false sense of ‘empowerment’. This assessment is based on the commonly held presumption that anyone who knows a requisite amount of the Arabic language can go directly to the text sources and gain a competent understanding of them like the first three generations of this Ummah. Keep in mind the virtuous character traits and insightful understanding of Islam possessed by these generations was stated by the Prophet (Bukhari, Muslim) starting with the Sahaba (rah) indicated by one scholar’s on point statement, “…Religion is what they thought it was…”
In today’s world this means attempting interpretation unaided by traditional Islamic education from the salaf-saliheen (pious ancestors) is the equivalent of trying to “re-invent the wheel”. Such notions whether stated, inferred by implication or innuendo are rejected by Allah (shwta) and his Prophet (pbuh) for opposing the interpretation of the Sahaba and their successors. (4:115).This is because they are next to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as religious authorities reflected in verse 59 of an-Nisa with the term ‘ulu-al-amr’. (See Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence by Mohammad Hashim Kamali.)
From what has been presented, the meanings of the ahadith on bi’da are not literal and does not include all additions but rather the reprehensible innovations starting with beliefs/aqeeda as there is confirmation on this by I’jma. Thus, any attempts at replacement, denigration or misinterpretation of the established beliefs held by this Ummah no matter how subtly presented is among the things Muslims must always be on their guard against.
May Allah guide us all to what pleases Him!
Glossary
I’jtihad (independent legal reasoning).
(I’jma) consensus scholarly/communal agreement, “…Following other than the believers’ way”.
(4:115)
