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muneeb
INDIA
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 Topic initiated on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 3:37 PM 
What is Bid'at?
Any new innovation in Islam is Bid'at if it is against the teaching of the Quran and the Sunnah of our beloved prophet Muhammad(peace and slautation be upon him),specially if this innovation demolishes the sunnah of the prophet.
In a hadith in Mishkat sharief in which our beloved prophet(peace and slautation be upon him)said "whosoever introduces a new belief in our Din which contradicts with it is rejected." He also said "beaware of innovations,for every innovation(kullu Bid'at)is misguidance." But there is another hadith present in the same book which is in favour of good innovations,thus a hadith in Mishkat in babul 'ilm says"He who sets a good precedent in Islam,there is reward for this(act of goodness)and a reward for him who acts according to it subsequently, without anyway deduction from their rewards and he who sets in islam an evil precedent there is upon him the burden of that,and the burden of him also who acts upon it subsequently,without any deduction from theor burdens."From this hadith we see that to introduce a nice way in Islam which is in accordance with the Quran and the sunnah will induce rewards and to do vice versa will provoke punishment.
If we assume that every new innovation or accretion is a Bid'at then the folllowig acts also come under new innovation which were not existing at the time of the prophet but Companions of the prophet performed it after the demise of the prophet.For example;compilation of the Quran,jamat tarawaih introduced by Umar-II,2nd azaan of jummah by Usman(ridwan Allah e talah alihim ajma'in),...
MUNEEB AHMAD CHASTI
Deptt.ISLAMIC STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR.
kashmir university hazratbal srinagar kashmir |
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Razi Allah
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 8:23 AM 
I'll try to present my understanding of the issue: In the corpus of Hadith and Athar attributed to the Prophet(sws) and his companions (ra), Bid'ah has been used to denote both the literal as well as the terminological sense of the word. When used as a term, we have such Ahadith as you have quoted in the first part of your post. But it has also been used in its literal sense which implies 'beginning' or 'initiation' of something. Hence the Ahadith which talk of reward for a good precedence.
The use of the term Bid'ah today has become rather loose in that most issues which should not be given any religious semblance have been dragged within the ambit of Bid'ah.
As for the compilation of the Quran and Taraweeh prayers, there is precedence for these in the Prophet's(sws) life. The addition of a second Adhan by Uthman(ra) was to achieve the purpose of Adhan more effectively. Quite similar is our use of loud speakers today to amplify the voice of the Muaddhan, which is not a Bid'ah but a means to achieve the end effectively.
Edited by - Razi Allah on August 31 2003 08:25:00 |
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Amatullahi
USA
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Posted - Tuesday, September 2, 2003 - 9:35 AM
Assalamu Alaikum,
It is true that people mis interpret the word bid'ah. There is no such thing as good bid'ah according to moost scholars. The Arabic grammar scholars assert that when the word "kullu" comes before a "nakira"( i.e.an indefinite article) as in this report; 'kullu bid'atin' it means that there is no exception to it. This kullu envelopes everything in toto.
Not every new innovation is bid'ah. The bid'ah referred to by the prophet (PBUH)is the one that is introduced in worship only. Anything new in the hope of making life easier, like riding a car, travelling by air, eating using cutlery, using microphones, listening to radio,etc is not termed as bid'ah. It is an innovation, but not the one referred to by the holy prophet(PBUH) which will misguide us.
Yahoogroup |
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muneeb
INDIA
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Posted - Tuesday, September 2, 2003 - 4:44 PM
well what I came to know from the above two paragraphs is that the bid'ah is not misguidance as long as it is being employed for the propagation of Islam and it is misguidance when it is being introduced in worships only.Isn't it so.
kashmir university hazratbal srinagar kashmir |
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Razi Allah
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Saturday, September 6, 2003 - 1:11 PM
I'll try to explain my understanding once again:
When any belief, action or concept is added to the corpus of Islam, without any basis for it in the teachings or actions of the Prophet (sws), such an addition is Bid'ah. Clearly this definition is not just limited to acts of worship. There are many other ideas that we form and many actions we undertake which have no religious sacredness per se and no one considers them obligatory parts of or additions to the corpus of Islam. These ideas and actions may very well be for the propagation of Islam such as starting an Islamic website or initiating a forum for discussion on Islamic issues but are not and cannot be deemed additions to Islam. |
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muneeb
INDIA
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Posted - Tuesday, September 9, 2003 - 2:29 PM
well,ulemmas have classified the term bid'ah into categories:bidat-e-hassanah and bidat-e-seiyahThe former one is that bidah that is not contrary to the tenets of Islam while the later one is that kind of bidah which is opposite to the basic tenets of Islam.Please explain what does they want to interpret.
kashmir university hazratbal srinagar kashmir |
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Razi Allah
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Sunday, September 14, 2003 - 12:28 AM
According to my understanding, when Bida'h is used as a term, implying an unauthorized addition to the corpus of Islam, it is an innovation in religion which is totally unacceptable be it good or bad. Someone can posit one fine day that in view of the general decadence of Muslims, let's add ten more fasts to the normal course of Ramadan for further spiritual nourishment. Call it Bid'ah-e-Hassana. Clearly, it is an atrocious idea, one that opens the door for altering the contents of our belief system; the door which has been closed with the culmination of the institution of prophethood.
Thus Bid'ah as a term is always unacceptable, there's nothing good about it. Bid'ah in its literal sense can be good or bad.
As for the ulema's categorization of the term, it may simply have been an error in understanding a statement referred to Umar (ra) wherein he has used the term Bid'ah to praise the initiation of Taraweeh prayer in congregation.
Friend |
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safia
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Monday, September 29, 2003 - 12:45 AM
Assalam o alikum
This discussion has been very informative but will you kindly shed some light on the incident from Umar's(RA)life reffered to in the last part of your comment concerning Taraweeh Prayer. Jizak Allaho khair. |
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Razi Allah
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 3:51 AM
What will be quoted below is a summary of the information provided in Mu'atta of Imam Maalik regarding the initiation and development of Taraweeh prayer in its congregational form.
quote:
The Prophet (pbuh) never offered the Taraweeh prayer. However, one night the Prophet came out of his room (at the time of the Tahajjud prayer) and offered his prayers in the mosque. People gathered behind and joined him in his prayer. The same thing happened on the night that followed, with a greater number of people joining the Prophet (pbuh). On the third or the fourth night, people gathered in anticipation of joining the Prophet (pbuh) in his prayer again, but the Prophet did not come out. In the morning, the Prophet (pbuh) told the Muslims that he had not come out of his chamber to offer his Tahajjud with the Muslims due to the fear that the Muslims may consider this to be an obligatory prayer.
The first time that the night prayer was organized at a mass congregational level, was during the days of the caliphate of Omar (ra). One night, when Omar (ra) came into the mosque after the `Ishaa prayers, he saw that people had gathered in a number of various groups and were offering their prayers behind various imams (leaders of prayers). This situation was creating a chaotic scene. The recitation of one imam could not be clearly distinguished from that of another. After observing this scene, Omar (ra) suggested that those who want to offer their night prayer in congregation should all join behind one imam, so that the Qur'an is clearly audible. He also appointed Ubayee ibn Ka`b as the leader of this prayer, because of his good style of recitation. The next day, when Omar (ra) came to the mosque, he was satisfied with the development in the situation. However, Omar himself never joined this congregational prayer and is reported to have commented that the prayer being substituted is far superior to its substitute.
Here is the relevant narrative from Mu'atta:
Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az-Zubayr that Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abd al-Qari said, "I went out with Umar ibn alKhattab in Ramadan to the mosque and the people there were spread out in groups. Some men were praying by themselves, whilst others were praying in small groups. Umar said, 'By Allah! It would be better in my opinion if these people gathered behind one reciter.' So he gathered them behind Ubayy ibn Kab. Then I went out with him another night and the people were praying behind their Qur'an reciter. Umar said, 'How excellent this new way is, but what you miss while you are asleep is better than what you watch in prayer.' He meant the end of the night, and people used to watch the beginning of the night in prayer." (Book 6, Number 6.2.3)
It is evident that, if required, congregations can be organized for supererogatory prayers. This is substantiated by some incidents during the time of the prophet(sws). Hence Omar's (ra) organization of the prayer is not unauthenticated. |
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safia
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Wednesday, October 1, 2003 - 2:19 AM
| Thanx a lot for the reply. Jizak Allah o Khair. |
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