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:''This article is about the Arabic term. For the city see Bida, Nigeria.''
In Islam, 'bid‘ah' () is any type of innovation. Though innovations in worldly matters are acceptable to an extent, innovation within the religion is seen as a sin in Islam, as Muhammad stated as such:
“Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not a part of it, will have it rejected.” ^{[1] [2]} In addition, the Qur'an (which Muslims believe is the word of God) states:

" ..This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."^[3]

Similar statements are found other verses of the Qur'an and other Hadith as well.

Contents

Divisions

Bid'ah in Worldly Matters

Bid'ah in Religious Matters

References

External links

Opposing views

Divisions

Islamic scholars have divided bid'ah into two types: innovations in worldly matters and innovations in religious matters.^[4]

Bid'ah in Worldly Matters

Muslim scholars have divided bid'ah in worldly matters into three types.
#Innovations that are purely good - these are permissible under Islamic law. This can include anything from inventions such as watches to customs and culture, given they don't violate the Shariah.^[5]
#Innovations that are purely evil - these are forbidden under Islamic law. Examples of this type of bid'ah include musical instruments.^[6][7]
#Innovations that contain both evil and good - this is the majority of worldly matters. Under Islamic law, if they are used for good, then they are permissible; otherwise they are forbidden. This can also include both technological inventions as well as culture and habits.^[5]

Bid'ah in Religious Matters

Religious innovation means inventing a new way of worshipping Allah that was not originally included in the message revealed to Muhammad.
There is ample evidence in the Qur'an and Sunnah that bid'ah has never been tolerated in Sunni Islam, be it from Muhammad, or his companions, or the pious predecessors - particularly the four Imams (Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man, Malik ibn Anas, Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi`i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal). The late Shaikh Muhammad Uthaimeen, a prominent modern day scholar of Islam, wrote: "And there is no such thing in Islaam as bid’ah hasanah (good innovation)." ^[9]

When a religious innovation is committed, it is generally felt that the innovator is assuming that the Sunnah is not good enough, that he must resort to something "better." Even though this statement would be an admission of disbelief ^[10] - there are some innovations that contain shirk and there are some which allow someone to remain a Muslim, while his action is rejected (regardless of any sincerity it might have had)^[11].

References

1. Sahih al-Bukhari 2550
2. Sahih Muslim 1718
3. Surah al-Ma'idah 5:3
4. ''Al-Qawaa'id wal-Usool al-Jaami'ah wal-Furooq wat-Taqaaseem al-Badee'ah an-Naafi'ah'' by Abd ar-Rahman ibn Naasir as-Sa'di
5. Clarification of Doubts Concerning Innovation by Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan
6. Fat-hul Baari by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (vol.2, p. 443)
7. http://almuttaqoon.com/index.php?showtopic=973
8. Clarification of Doubts Concerning Innovation by Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan
9. http://almuttaqoon.com/index.php?showtopic=451
10. http://www.al-ibaanah.com/cms/pdf_files/33.pdf
11. http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ref=60219&ln=eng&txt=bid'ah

External links

★ The Perfection of the Shariah and an Exposition of the Reprehensible Innovations That Have Crept Into Islam

★ Innovation in Light of the Perfection of the Shari'ah

★ Condemning the Practices of those who Claim Sufism

★ How do we know what is and what is not bid'ah?

★ A few notes on the evils of innovation

Opposing views

★ The Concept of Bid'ah By Dr. Zahid Iqbal

★ Bid'ah - Innovation in Islam