UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF INNOVATION IN THE RELIGION

An Introduction to Innovation in the Language

It is a valid form of innovation, it is an invention without a preceding likeness. And from it is the statement of Allah the Exalted, "Inventor of the Heavens and the Earth." [Al-Qur'an 2:117] That is, the Innovator of those two things on other than a preceding likeness. The statement of the Exalted, "Say, I am not a new one from amongst the messengers." [Al-Qur'an 46:9]

That is, "I am not the first who came with a message from Allah to the slaves, rather there have preceded before me, many from amongst the messengers." And it can be said, "So and so innovated (ibtada') an innovation (bid'ah)," meaning that he invented a way not having a predecessor for it.

Innovating is divided into two:

1. Innovating in 'adat (customs, habits, culture, etc.) such as inventing innovations of speech, and this is permissible (mub'ah), because the basic principle regarding 'adat is one of permissibility (ibahah).
2. And innovating in the religion, then this is prohibited because the basic principle regarding it is one of tawaquf (restriction to authentic texts). He sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, "Whoever invents (ahdatha) in this matter of ours what is not from it, then it is rejected." [Agreed upon] And in a narration, "Whoever performs an action not in accordance with our matter, then it is rejected." [Sahih Muslim]

Innovation in Religion is of Two Types

The First Type: Innovation in statements of belief, such as the sayings of the Jahmiyyah, and the Mu'tazilah, and the Rafidhah, and the generally known misguided sects and their beliefs.

The Second Type: Innovation in the acts of worship, such as worshipping Allah with an act of worship which is not legislated. And it has four divisions:

1. It has no origin ('asl) in worship, rather it is a newly invented form of worship having no origin in the law (Shar'); Such as inventing prayer not legislated, or fasts not having a Shari'ah legislated origin, or days of celebration such as the celebration of birthdays, and other than that.
2. What exists from additions in the legislated worship, like if one were to add a fifth rak'ah in the Noon (Dhuhr) prayer, or the afternoon ('Asr) prayer for example.
3. What exists in the characteristics of carrying out legislated worship. To perform it on a manner not legislated; such as carrying out legislated remembrances (Adhkar singular: Dhikr) in simultaneous and melodious voices, and such as being extreme on oneself in worship to the point of leaving from the Sunnah of the Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam.
4. What exists from specification of a time for legislated worship which was not specified by the law (shar') such as specifying the middle night of Sha'ban and it's day for fasting and prayer. So verily fasting and praying have a basis in the Religion, but specifying them to a time from amongst the times is in need of a proof.

The Ruling of Innovation in the Religion, With All of Its Types

Every innovation in the religion is forbidden, and a misguidance because of the statement of the Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, "And beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented thing is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance." [Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmidhi who said it was Hasan Sahih] And his sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam statement, "Whoever invents in this affair of ours what is not from it, then it is rejected." [Agreed Upon] And in a narration, "Whoever performs an action not in accordance with our affair, then it is rejected." [Sahih Muslim] So these two ahadith show that all newly invented things in the Religion are innovations, and every innovation is a rejected misguidance, [1] and the meaning of that is that innovation in belief and worship is forbidden. However, it's prohibition is according to the degree in the type of innovation, and from it is evident disbelief such as circumambulation around the graves in order to get closer to it's inhabitants, and offering sacrifices and vows to them and supplicating to their inhabitants, and seeking rescue with them. And such as the extremist statements of the Jahmiyyah and the Mu'tazilah. And from it is what is a means of shirk such as erecting the graves, and praying and supplicating to them. And from it is what is disobedience in creed such as the innovation of the limbs by the Qadariyyah, and the Murji'ah in their statements and belief in opposition to the proofs of the Shari'ah. And from it is sexual abstinence and fasting established in the sun, and castration with the intention of cutting off all desires [see al-I'itisam of ash-Shatibi (2/37)].

Warning

Whoever divides innovation [in the religion] into good innovation (bid'ah hasanah), and sinful innovation (bid'ah sayyi'ah), then he has committed wrong, and has opposed his sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam statement, "Every innovation is a misguidance," because the Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam ruled that innovation - all of it - is misguidance,[2] and this says that not all innovation is misguidance, rather there is good innovation. Al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab said in his commentary to al-Arba'in [that this hadith is] " ... from the all encompassing word, not excluding from it anything. And it is the greatest principle from the principles of the Religion. And it is associated with his sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam statement, 'Whoever invents in this affair of ours, what is not from it, then it is rejected.' So whoever invents things and attributes them to the religion, and it does not have an origin in the religion to return to, then it is misguidance, and the Religion is free from those things. And equal to that are matters of beliefs, or actions, or statements whether hidden, or manifest." [Jami' al-'Ulum wa'l-Hikam, p. 233] [3]

And there is not a proof for them that there is good innovation, except for the statement of 'Umar radiallahu 'anhu regarding the tarawih prayer, "What a good innovation this is!"

And they also say, "Verily there were things invented, and they were not objected to by the Salaf, like the collection of the Qur'an into one book, and the writing of the hadith, and recording them." So the answer to these is that these are matters which have an origin in the law (shar'), so they are not newly invented. And the statement of 'Umar radiallahu 'anhu "What a good innovation", he desires the linguistic innovation, and not the religious innovation (al-bid'ah ash-shar'iyyah). So whatever has an origin in the law, returns to it. If it is said that it is an innovation, then it is an innovation in language, and not in Islamic Law. So the religious innovation is what does not have an origin for it to return to. So the collecting of the Qur'an into one book has for it an origin in the law to return to, because the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam had commanded the recording of the Qur'an, but it was written scattered so the Companions collected it into one book for it's protection. Indeed the Prophet prayed tarawih with his Companions radiallahu 'anhu nightly, and they had preferable fear about it in the appointment [of an Imam], and the continuing of the Companions in praying in separate groups in the lifetime of the Prophet and after his sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam passing, up until 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab united them on one Imam like how they used to be behind the Prophet (sallalahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and this is not an innovation in the Religion. And the writing of the hadith also has an origin for it in the Law. Indeed the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam commanded the writing of some ahadith for some of his Companions radiallahu 'anhum, so as to study that from it. [4]

And there was warning against writing it on regular paper according to his sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam advice fearing that there would get mixed with the Qur'an, that which was not from it. So when the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam passed away, this warning was done away with - because the Qur'an was completed, and vowelized before his sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam passing. So the Muslims recorded the ahadith after that, preserving it from destruction. And may Allah reward Islam and the Muslims with good when they preserve the Book of their Lord, and the Sunnah of their Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam from destruction, and the mockery of the scornful. [5]

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SHEIKH SALIH AL-FAWZAN