Friday, June 8, 2012

Is there "good innovations" in the religion?



Innovation is a serious matter in Islam, we shouldn't take it lightly...



"There is no such thing as a ‘good bid’ah' (innovation) as is claimed by some of the ignorant ones. Innovations – in their entirety are a going astray, as was judged by the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu 'alayhi wa salam) in his saying:

"…Every innovation is a going astray."

(Reported Abu Dawud as Hadith no. 4607, and At-Tirmidhi as Hadith no. 2676, and it was declared Saheeh (authentic) by Sheikh Al-Albani)

and:

"…And every going astray is in the Hell-fire."

(Reported An-Nasaa’i vol 3 pages 188-189 and was declared Saheeh (authentic) by Sheikh Al-Albaani. (See his Saheeh Sunan An-Nasaa’i vol 1 page 512 Hadeeth no. 1577))

As for the saying of Amir ul Mu’mineen ‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab (radiAllahu 'anhu) concerning the Taraweeh prayer: ‘What a good bid’ah this is’ – then he did not intend by this the bid’ah (innovation) in the Religion. Since he said this statement when the people gathered to pray the Taraweeh prayer, and the Taraweeh prayer is not an innovation. Rather it is a Sunnah which has been established from the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu 'alayhi wa salam). He prayed it along with his companions on some of the nights of Ramadhaan. Then he kept away from them at the end for fear that it should seem obligatory upon them. The affair remained so during the Khilaafah of Abee Bakr, and for some time during the Khilaafah of ‘Umar, they would pray it separately whereupon ‘Umar gathered the people behind a single Imam, just as they had gathered behind the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu 'alayhi wa salam).

Thus ‘Umar revived this Sunnah, since the object of caution had ceased; which was: taking it as an obligation. So he revived a Sunnah – he did not come with an innovation.
Rather his saying: ‘What a good bid’ah this is’ – then his intent with that – and Allah Knows best – was the linguistic meaning of an innovation not the Shar’ee (legislative) innovation. This is because legislative innovations are prohibited in Islaam, and the proof is based upon what we mentioned: that he intended by it the Taraweeh prayer – and the Taraweeh prayer is not an innovation – rather it is a Sunnah."

By Sheikh Salih Al-Fawzaan

May Allah protect us from ever commiting bid'ah, Ameen.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jazakillhu khayran.
'Bidah' a short book by Shaykh Uthaymeen rahimullah was a good read for me on the topic.

Unknown said...

wa eyiaki. thank you for the recommendation sis =)

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