Settling the Bid"ah issue

[abdul shafi'i]

as-salamu alaykum to all

There has been alot of posts concerning the word Bid'ah which I think needs some closer some of us do not understand the word and its implications into matters of law it has been made into a very lose word that muslims just throw around.

without understanding matters of law and practice and that is a big problem
but insha Allah I will try and bring to light some closesure to this hot topic

Bid'ah - Innovation in Islam
Wa sharrul Umoori Muhdathaatuhaa, Wa kulla Bid'atin dhaialah, wa kulla dhalatin fin-naar" Al-Hadith (Sahih Muslim). Translation of the above Hadith: Every innovation is a misguidance and every misguidance goes to Hell fire.

IMAM SHAFI'S EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE HADITH:
Kullu bida'tin daiala: "Every innovation is a misguidance"? Doesn't the term "every" include all innovations?" Such an objection stems from the misinterpretation of the term kull ("every") in the Hadith to be all encompassing without exception, whereas in Arabic it may mean "Nearly all" or "the vast majority." This is how al-Shafi'i understood it or else he would have never allowed for any innovation whatsoever to be considered good, and he is considered a hujja or "Proof," that is, reference without peer for questions regarding the Arabic language. The stylistic figure of meaning the part by the whole, or nechdoche in English is in Arabic: 'abbara 'an al-kathratf bi at-kulliyya. This is illustrated by the use of kull in the following verse 46:25 of the Quran in a selective or partial sense not a universal sense:
"Destroying all things by commandment of its Lord. And morning found them so that naught could be seen save their dwellings". Thus, the dwellings were not destroyed although "all" things had been destroyed. "All" here means specifically the lives of the unbelievers of 'Ad and their properties except their houses.

ARE THERE GOOD OR BAD INNOVATIONS IN ISLAM?
Prophetic saying as stated in Sahih Muslim is known even to common Muslims, let alone scholars: "He who inaugurates a good practice (sanna fil-islam sunnatun hasana) in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least. " Tirmizi, Page 92.

Imam Nawawi said in Sahih Muslim (6-21):
"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, and it is of five different kinds."' Imam Nawawi also said in Tahzeeb al Asma'wal Sifaat, "Innovation in religious law is to originate anything which did not exist during the time of the Prophet, and it is divided into good and bad." He also said, "al-muhdathat (pi. for muhdatha) is to originate something that has no roots in religious law. In the tradition of religious law, it is called innovation, and if it has an origin within the religious law, then it is not innovation. Innovation in religious law is disagreeable, unlike in the language where everything that has been originated without a previous pattern is called innovation regardless of whether it is good or bad."

Sheikh al-Islam lbn Hajar Al Asqalani, the commentator on al-Bukhari, said, "Anything that did not exist during the Prophet's time is called innovation, but some are good while others are not."

Abu Na'eem, narrated from Ibrahim al-Junaid, said, "I heard Ash-Shafi'i saying, 'Innovation is of two types: praiseworthy innovation and blameworthy innovation, and anything that disagrees with the Sunnah is blameworthy."

Imam al Bayhaqi narrated in Manaqib Ash-Shafi'i that he said, "Innovations are of two types: that which contradicts the Quran, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement of the Muslims is an innovation of deception, while a good innovation does not contradict any of these things."

now we all can agree on these points insha Allah but we must remeber that the Qur'an was sent to our Prophet not all at once but over time which mean that some saying of the Prophet and the Almighty were abrogated
and this must be understood and this is where the science of usul come in
as well as tafsir.

let me give you some examples from the hadith collections of Imam bukhari and Muslim of acts that the companion have done where i know that no one

would charge them with bid'ah.


Bukhari and Muslim relate from Abu Hurayra(ra) that at the dawn prayer

the Prophet(saw) said to Bilal,"Bilal. tell me which of your acts on Islam

you are most hopeful about,for I have heard the footfall of your sandanls in

paradise,"and he replied,"I have done nothing I am more hopeful about

than the fact that I do not perform ablution at any time of the night or day

without praying with that ablutio whatever has been destined for me to pray.

Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari that,"the hadth shows it is permissible to use

personal reasoning in choseing times for acts of worship,for Bilal reached
the conclusions he mentioned by his own inference,and the Prophet(saw)
confirmed him therein,"


similar to this is the hadith in Bukhari about KHubayb(ra)(who asked to pray
two raka's before being executed by idolators in Mecca) who was the first
to establish the sunna of two raka's for those who are steadfast in going
to thier death.

these hadiths are explicit evidence that Bilal and Khubayb(ra) used thier
own personal reasoning in choseing the times of acts of worship,without
any previous command or precedent from the Prophet(saw) other than
the general demand to perform the prayer,


Bukhari and Muslim relate that Rifa'a ibn Rafi said,"when we were praying behind the Prophet(saw) and he raised his head from bowing and said,"ALLah hears whoever prasies him,'a man behind him said "our Lord,yours is the praise,abundantly, wholesomely,and blessedly therein
When he rose to leave,the Prophet(saw)asked who said it,and and when
the man replied that it was he,the Prophet(saw)said,"I saw thirthy-odd
angels each striving to be the one to write it down,

Ibn Hajar says that the hadith"indicates the permissibility of initiating new
expreesions of dhikr in the prayer other than the ones related through
hadit texts,as long as they do not contradict those conveyed by the hadith

[abdul shafi'i]

insah Allah I look forward to posting more on this topic

[nauk]

Lot of ppl quick to use word bidah.

[laughinglion]

:salam:

:jazak: `Abdu'sh-Shafi`i. :insh: that has settled the issue. Although I would like to dig out seedi `Ahmad az-Zurruq's :rahim: definition of bid`ah, which differs from what you have inform, though in content its much the same.

with peace

[abdul shafi'i]

as-salam alaykum to all

insah Allah i will continue with posting on this matter cause i believe that muslims need to really understand the facts about bid'ah to be honest alot of people have some forum of evidence for thier understanding of bid'ah
but we always mis something in our studies that we dont quite understand
here are more examples from Ibn taymiyya and others





This is Ibn Taymiyya's opinion about Mawlid from the Collected Fatwas, Majma` Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, Vol. 23, p. 163 and his Iqtida' al-sirat al-mustaqim, p. 294-295, Section entitled: "The innovated festivities of time and place" (ma uhditha min al-a`yad al-zamaniyya wa al-makaniyya):


And similarly what some people innovate by analogy with the Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus, or out of love for the Prophet and to exalt him, and Allah may reward them for this love and effort, not on the fact that it is an innovation... To celebrate and to honor the birth of the Prophet and to take it as an honored season, as some of the people are doing, is good and in it there is a great reward, because of their good intentions in honoring the Prophet.The following is the opinion of Ibn Taymiyya on meetings of dhikr. It can be found in the King Khalid ibn `Abd al-`Aziz edition of the Majmu`at fatawa Ibn Taymiyya:


Ibn Taymiyya was asked about people that gather in a masjid making dhikr and reading Qur'an, praying to Allah and taking their turbans off their heads (leaving their heads bare) and crying, while their intention is not pride nor showing off but seeking to draw closer to Allah: is it acceptable or not? He answered: "Praise to Allah, it is good and recommended according to Shari`a (mustahabb) to come together for reading Qur'an, making dhikr, and making du`a'.

"(3)Agreement of the Schools over the Fivefold Classification
Agreement formed in the Four Schools around the fivefold classification of bid`a as illustrated by the endorsement of the major later authorities in each School.

(1) Among the H.anafîs: al-Kirmânî, Ibn `âbidîn, al-Turkmânî, al-`Aynî, and al-Tahânawî.[17]

(2) Among the Mâlikîs: al-T.urt.ûshî, Ibn al-H.âjj, al-Qarâfî, and al-Zurqânî, while al-Shât.ibî attempts a refutation and claims that the fivefold classification is “an invented matter without proof in the Law”![18]

(3) Consensus among the Shâfi`îs.[19]

(4) Reluctant acceptance among later H.anbalîs, who altered al-Shâfi`î and Ibn `Abd al-Salâm's terminology to read “lexical innovation” (bid`a lughawiyya) and “legal innovation” (bid`a shar`iyya), respectively - although inaccurately - matching al-Shâfi`î's “approved” and “abominable.[20] This manner of splitting hairs has become the shibboleth of Wahhâbism in every micro-debate on bid`a although the correct way - as usual - is patently that of the Jumhûr.

Shaykh Muh.ammad Bakhît al-Mut.î`î concluded that “The legal bid`a is the one that is misguidance and condemned; as for the bid`a that the Ulema divided into obligatory and forbidden and so forth, such is the lexical bid`a which is more inclusive than the legal because the legal is only part of it.”[21]

Al-Shawkânî concluded in Nayl al-Awt.âr that the foundational division of innovations into “good” and “bad” is the soundest and most correct position.[22]

It is enough that a major Mujtahid Imâm of the Salaf said so on the basis of the Qur'ân and Sunna regardless of the argumentations of later centuries - whether from a would-be murajjih. like al-Shawkânî or a would-be censor like al-Shât.ibî - in light of the concurrence of the Jumhûr around al-Shâfi`î's explanation and the Divine and Prophetic injunctions to follow the path of the Believers and to stay with their greatest mass.
“He is not an Imâm in `Ilm who follows aberrant (shâdhdh) positions” (`Abd al-Rah.mân ibn Mahdî).

And Allâh knows best.[17] Al-Kirmânî, al-Kawâkib al-Darârî Sharh. S.ah.îh. al-Bukhârî (9:54), Ibn `âbidîn, H.âshiya (1:376, 1:560); al-Turkmânî, al-Luma` fîl-H.awâdith wal-Bida` (Stuttgart, 1986, 1:37); al-Tahânawî, Kashshâf Ist.ilâh.at al-Funûn (Beirut, 1966, 1:133-135); al-`Aynî, `Umdat al-Qârî in al-H.imyarî, al-Bid`at al-H.asana (p. 152-153).

[18] Al-T.urt.ûshî, Kitâb al-H.awâdith wa al-Bida` (p. 15, p. 158-159); Ibn al-H.ajj, Madkhal al-Shar` al-Sharîf (Cairo, 1336/1918 2:115); al-Qarâfî, al-Furûq (4:219) cf. al-Shât.ibî, al-I`tis.âm (1:188-191); al-Zurqânî, Sharh. al-Muwat.t.a' (1:238). Al-Shât.ibî's I`tis.âm was recirculated by two Wahhâbîs: Rashîd Rid.â then Salîm Hilâlî. A third Wahhâbî, Muh.ammad `Abd al-Salâm Khad.ir al-Shuqayrî - Rid.â's student - authored al-Sunan wal-Mubtada`ât al-Muta`alliqa bil-Adhkâr wal-S.alawât which he filled with unverifiable tales which he proceeds to denounce with much ado.

[19] Abû Shâma, al-Bâ`ith `alâ Inkâr al-Bida` wa al-H.awâdith (Riyad: Dâr al-Raya, 1990 p. 93, Cairo ed. p. 12-13) as well as those already mentioned. Note: “consensus” (ijmâ`) is more inclusive than “agreement” (ittifâq), and binding.

[20] Ibn Rajab, al-Jâmi` fîl-`Ulûm wal-H.ikam (2:50-53), and Ibn Taymiyya's section on bid`a in his Iqtid.â' al-S.irât. al-Mustaqîm Mukhâlafat As.h.âb al-Jah.îm. This is also the position of Ibn Kathîr: see his commentary of the verse: (The Originator of the heavens and the earth!) (2:117) in his Tafsîr. He followed in this his teacher Ibn Taymiyya.

[21] Bakhît, Fatâwâ H.adîthiyya (p. 205).

[22] Al-Shawkânî, Nayl al-Awt.âr (4:60). The lexicographer Ibn al-Athîr said in his masterpiece, al-Nihâya fî Gharîb al-H.âdîth wal-Athar:

Bid`a is two kinds: the bid`a of guidance and the bid`a of misguidance (bid`atu hudâ wa-bid`atu d.alâla). Whatever contravenes the command of Allâh and His Messenger : that is within the sphere of blame and condemnation. And whatever enters into the generality of what Allâh or His Prophet commended or stressed: that is within the sphere of praise. Whatever has no precedent such as extreme generosity or goodness - such are among the praiseworthy acts. It is impermissible that such be deemed to contravene the Law because the Prophet has stipulated that such would carry reward when he said: “Whoever institutes a good practice in Islâm (man sanna fîl-islâmi sunnatan h.asana) has its reward and the reward of all those who practice it.” And he said, conversely, “whoever institutes a bad practice in Islâm (waman sanna fîl-islâmi sunnatan sayyi'atan) bears its onus and the onus of all those who practice it.” [10] Such is when the act goes against what Allâh and His Messenger commanded.... It is in this sense that the h.adîth “every innovation is misguidance”[11] is understood: he means, whatever contravenes the bases of the Law and does not concur with the Sunna.[12][10] Narrated from Jarîr ibn `Abd Allâh al-Bajalî by Muslim, al-Tirmidhî, al-Nasâ'î, Ibn Mâjah, Ah.mad, and al-Dârimî. Also narrated with a similar wording from Abû Hurayra by Ibn Mâjah and Ah.mad; from Abû Juh.ayfa by Ibn Mâjah; and from Hudhayfa by Ah.mad.

[11] Narrated from al-`Irbâd. ibn Sâriya by al-Tirmidhî (h.asan s.ah.îh.), Abû Dâwûd, Ibn Mâjah, Ah.mad, al-Dârimî, Ibn H.ibbân (1:178-179 #5 s.ah.îh.), al-H.âkim (1:95-97=1990 ed. 1:174-177) - declaring it s.ah.îh. while al-Dhahabî confirmed it - and in al-Madkhal ilâ al-S.ah.îh. (p. 80-81), al-âjurrî in al-Sharî`a (p. 54-55 #79-82=p. 46 s.ah.îh.), Ibn Abî `âs.im in al-Sunna (p. 29 #54 s.ah.îh.), al-T.ah.âwî in Mushkil al-âthâr (2:69=3:221-224 #1185-1187 s.ah.îh.), Muh.ammad ibn Nas.r al-Marwazî in al-Sunna (p. 26-27 #69-72 s.ah.îh.), al-H.ârith ibn Abî Usâma in his Musnad (1:197-198), al-Rûyânî in his Musnad (1:439), Abû Nu`aym in H.ilyat al-Awliyâ' (1985 ed. 5:220-221, 10:115), al-T.abarânî in Musnad al-Shâmiyyîn (1:254, 1:402, 1:446, 2:197, 2:298) and al-Kabîr (18:245-257), al-Bayhaqî in al-Sunan al-Kubrâ (10:114), al-Madkhal (p. 115-116), al-I`tiqâd (p. 229), and Shu`ab al-‘mân (6:67), al-Baghawî who declared it h.asan in Sharh. al-Sunna (1:205 #102 isnâd s.ah.îh.), Ibn al-Athîr in Jâmi` al-Us.ûl (1:187, 1:279), Ibn `Asâkir in al-Arba`în al-Buldâniyya (p. 121), Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhîd (21:278-279) and Jâmi` Bayân al-`Ilm (2:924 #1758) where he declared it s.ah.îh., and others.

[12] Ibn al-Athîr, al-Nihâya (1:79 entry b-d-`). H.ujjat al-Islâm al-Ghazzâlî said in his discussion of the adding of dots to the Qur'anic script:

The fact that this is innovated (muh.dath) forms no impediment to this. How many innovated matters are excellent! As it was said concerning the establishing of congregations in Tarâwîh. that it was among the innovations of `Umar (ra) and that it was an excellent innovation (bid`a h.asana). The blameworthy bid`a is only what opposes the ancient Sunna or might lead to changing it.[7]

[abdul shafi'i]

insha Allah everyone will benefit from this

[laughinglion]

:salam:

:jazak: Sorry I was not suggesting you stop posting :mash: my comments were really directed at those who ask for daleels and when a daleel is given them quote something from a book they've read. So you 'fill ya boots bro'.

with peace

[abdul shafi'i]

as-salam alykum

forgive me bro for that type of impression but you are right when others see that
someone has a good amount of dalil they still dont want to accept it they pick and chose what to accept look what the salafis own scholar ibn taymmiyya
said about the mawlid of the Prophet(saw) that celebrating it was good but not like the christians celebrate prophet Isa so called birthday when will the Muslims start looking at all the evidance and not pick and choose i mean im not a scholar im far from it but i use what Allah has given me and I praise Him for it but the Ummah must learm all aspects of this religion or issues that arise in everyday life and to be open for differences because there will be differences but Allah knows best i look forward in continuing to post the dalil on this subject

[abdul shafi'i]

as-salam alaykum

i hope that everyone is well thier will be more dalil soon insha Allah

[Hamoudeh]

السلام عليكم

Jazzak allah khayr. Akhi have you taken these from secondary sources or typed them up from the primary sources? Could you please list them?

This is a compilation I made:

In modern times we often hear the assertions from certain groups that this or that practice is an inovation in religion, sometimes even accompanied by accusations of it amounting to Kufr or Shirk. Indeed there exist innovations in our religion, unfortunately however many of such assertions are based on the notion that no good can exist in them. They disagree with the notion of "Bid'a Hassanah" or "good innovation" which our `Ulema have agreed upon. The following article is an example of the arguments offered for such a disagreeing stand:

This article aims at addressing two main points: Is there what is referred to as Bida'a Hasana "بدعة حسنة " or "Good Innovation"? How do we categorize the actions of Umar about collecting the Quran and other actions that he and the companions did that appear to follow the Maslaha (interest)? What is Maslaha stand on that? In Hadith of Ibn Maja and Abu Dawoud, with a correct Sanad that the Prophet PBUH said: "and be aware of [and avoid] the newly introduced matters [innovations], as EVERY newly introduced matter is Bida'a and EVERY Bida'a is astray (Dhalalah)" " وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة" رواية أبي داود وزاد الترمذي "وكل ضلالة في النار"

Bida'a, Can It Be Good? - Dr. Tariq Abdelhaleem (http://www.************/alarqam/en/articles/bidaa_can_it_be_good.php)

Shaykh Rabbani however, mentions the following: The understanding of the Hanafi imams, such as Ibn Abidin, al-Tahtawi, al-Lakhnawi, and others, is very close to that outlined by Sheikh Nuh Keller in the following article:

Innovation: What is Bid'a? (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=491&CATE=2)

The article being referred to is Shaykh Keller's The Concept of Bid'a in the Islamic Shari'a (http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/nuh/bida.htm):

There are few topics that generate as much controversy today in Islam as what is sunna and what is bida or reprehensible innovation, perhaps because of the times Muslims live in today and the challenges they face. Without a doubt, one of the greatest events in impact upon Muslims in the last thousand years is the end of the Islamic caliphate at the first of this century, an event that marked not only the passing of temporal, political authority, but in many respects the passing of the consensus of orthodox Sunni Islam as well. No one familiar with the classical literature in any of the Islamic legal sciences, whether Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), hadith, or jurisprudence (fiqh), can fail to be struck by the fact that questions are asked today about basic fundamentals of Islamic Sacred Law (Sharia) and its ancillary disciplines that would not have been asked in the Islamic period not because Islamic scholars were not brilliant enough to produce the questions, but because they already knew the answers. My talk tonight will aim to clarify some possible misunderstandings of the concept of innovation (bida) in Islam, in light of the prophetic hadith,

"Beware of matters newly begun, for every matter newly begun is innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in hell."

The sources I use are traditional Islamic sources, and my discussion will centre on three points: The first point is that scholars say that the above hadith does not refer to all new things without restriction, but only to those which nothing in Sacred Law attests to the validity of. The use of the word "every" in the hadith does not indicate an absolute generalization, for there are many examples of similar generalizations in the Qur'an and sunna that are not applicable without restriction, but rather are qualified by restrictions found in other primary textual evidence. The second point is that the sunna and way of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was to accept new acts initiated in Islam that were of the good and did not conflict with established principles of Sacred Law, and to reject things that were otherwise. And our third and last point is that new matters in Islam may not be rejected merely because they did not exist in the first century, but must be evaluated and judged according to the comprehensive methodology of Sacred Law, by virtue of which it is and remains the final and universal moral code for all peoples until the end of time.

As a matter of fact, the `Ulema have agreed upon classifying Bid'a into 5 different categories of which at least two can be considered Hasanah. Shaykh Keller elaborates upon this categorization:

It has been stated (by Izz ibn Abd al-Salam) that innovations (bida) fall under the five headings of the Sacred Law (n: i.e. the obligatory, unlawful, recommended, offensive, and permissible):

(1) The first category comprises innovations that are obligatory , such as recording the Qur'an and the laws of Islam in writing when it was feared that something might be lost from them; the study of the disciplines of Arabic that are necessary to understand the Qur'an and sunna such as grammar, word declension, and lexicography; hadith classification to distinguish between genuine and spurious prophetic traditions; and the philosophical refutations of arguments advanced by the Mu'tazilites and the like.

(2) The second category is that of unlawful innovations such as non- Islamic taxes and levies, giving positions of authority in Sacred Law to those unfit for them, and devoting ones time to learning the beliefs of heretical sects that contravene the tenets of faith of Ahl al-Sunna.

(3) The third category consists of recommended innovations such as building hostels and schools of Sacred Law, recording the research of Islamic schools of legal thought, writing books on beneficial subjects, extensive research into fundamentals and particular applications of Sacred Law, in-depth studies of Arabic linguistics, the reciting of wirds (def: Reliance of the Traveller w20) by those with a Sufi path, and commemorating the birth (mawlid), of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) and wearing ones best and rejoicing at it.

(4) The fourth category includes innovations that are offensive, such as embellishing mosques, decorating the Qur'an and having a backup man (muballigh) loudly repeat the spoken Allahu Akbar of the imam when the latter's voice is already clearly audible to those who are praying behind him.

(5) the fifth category is that of innovations that are permissible, such as sifting flour, using spoons and having more enjoyable food, drink and housing. (al Jawahir al-luluiyya fi sharh al-Arbain al-nawawiyya, 220-21).

I will conclude my remarks tonight with a translation of Sheikh Abdullah al-Ghimari, who said: In his al-Qawaid al-kubra, "Izz ibn Abd al-Salam classifies innovations (bida), according to their benefit, harm, or indifference, into the five categories of rulings: the obligatory, recommended, unlawful, offensive, and permissible; giving examples of each and mentioning the principles of Sacred Law that verify his classification.

In another Fatwa, Shaykh Rabbani confirms this classification and refers to several prominent Hanafi scholars that have written standard works attesting to it:

The same classification of innovation into 5 categories (obligatory, praiseworthy, permissible, blameworthy, and impermissible) is made by the Hanafi imams.

This is mentioned, for example, by:

* Imam al-Barkawiin his al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya,

* al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya’s two main commentators, Allama Abu Said al-Khadidimi and

* Sayyidi Abdal-Ghani al-Nabulsi

* Imam al-Tahtawi in his Hashiya on the Durr

* Ibn Abidin in his Hashiya on the Durr

* Imam Abdal-Hayyal-Lakhnawi in his Iqamat al-Hujja

* Allama Khalil al-Nahlawi in his Durar al-Mubaha fi’l Hadhr wa’l Ibaha

* Many other standard Hanafi references.

The Classification of Bid'a (Innovation) (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=477&CATE=2)

Unfortunately translations are rare, and even moreso if we seek them on the internet. However I did find three books that discuss the subject, one which includes a translation of a passage from Abdal-Ghani al-Nabulusi's al-Hadiqat al-Nadiyya:

Bidat is an Arabic word. It means something which did not exist formerly and which has been brought forth later. In this respect, the changes, reformations done both in customs and in worshiping are bidat. 'Adat (custom) is an action which is done for its worldly use alone without expecting any reward as a recompense in the next world. In contrast, 'ibada (worship) is the action as a recompense of which reward is expected in the next world. Since everything which had not existed in the times of the Sahabat al-kiram and the Tabiin and appeared later is a bidat, scholars have divided bidat' into such groups as mubah, wajib, mustahab and haram. They have called that which is mustahab or wajib a bidat hasana.

Islam's Reformers - 61 - Hakikat Kitabevi (http://www.hizmetbooks.org/Religion_Reformers_in_Islam/ref-61.htm)

Another book that has dedicated a chapter to this subject is Shaykh Abu Amar's Understanding the Ahl al-Sunnah, Traditional Scholarship & Modern Misunderstandings which is a work recommended by the Hanbali Text Society (http://212.67.202.62/~security/htspub/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=27):

Bid'a is a word that has been misused so often today, that its definition needs to be explained clearly.

Definition of Bid'a

Bid'a, literally means innovation. In special terms it means carrying out actions which displease Allah Most High and his Messenger [at-Tirmidhi, chapter 2]

Qadi Shawkani writes: "In Islam there are two kinds of bid'a: bid'a sayyia and bid'a hasana. If a new thing opposes the Qur'an and Sunna then it is sayyia, but if it is not against the Shari'a then it is hasana" [Qadi Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar, chapter on 'Salat at-Tarawih']

Imam an-Nawawi writes that there are certain types of bid'a. Two of them are bid'a sayyia and bid'a hasana. Bid'a sayyia is a bid'a that opposes the Qur'an and Sunna, whereas bid'a hasana is a bid'a that is not against the Qur'an or Sunna. For example: to invent the usul (principles) of Hadith, usul of Fiqh, usul of Tafsir etc. [an-Nawawi, Tahzib al-Asma wa'l-Lughat, word 'bid'a']

Hafiz Ibn Rajab defines bid'a to mean new things that have no basis in the Qur'an or Sunna. If a new practice has evidence from the Qur'an or Sunna it will not be bid'a shari'a, but it will be bid'a logawiyya (linguistic) [Ibn Rajab, Jami' al-'Ulum al-Hukkam, page 252 ]

Hafiz al-'Asqalani says that if a new thing is against Islam, it will be bad. If it is not against Islam, it will be hasana (good) [al-'Asqalani, Ibn Hajar., Fath al-Bari, chapter on 'Tarawih' ]

Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes that bid'a is always bad, but some scholars say that there are two kinds of bid'a, that one is good and one is bad. If a new thing has origin in the Qur'an and Sunnait will be called bid'a logawiyya (linguistically) but not bid'a in Shari'a. The word bid'a will only apply to bid'a in Shari'a. For instance, the Qur'an was collected in one book after the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the congregational tarawih prayer was started in Sayyidna 'Umar's time but these two things have an origin in the Sunna. Therefore, it will be called bid'a linguistically [Ibn Taymiyya, Iqtida as-Sirat al-Mustaqim, chapter on 'Bid'a' ]

From the above, the conclusion is that if a new thing has been started, and it neither goes against the Qur'an or Sunna, then it can be declared a 'good' innovation.However, if a new act is initiated against the Qur'an and Sunna, that will be called bad bid'a, or a reprehensible innovation.

10) The Concept of Bid'ah in Islam - Abu Ammar (http://www.islamicinformationcentre.co.uk/alsunna3.htm#10)

The third book that I found is fully dedicated to the concept of Bida', it is written by Maulana Ahmed Yar Khan and is called What is Bid'at (http://www.*****************/Library/EnglishBooks/WhatisBiddat/Biddat.html).

Hopefully the mentioned articles and books have helped to offer more insight into this topic, of which exists much controversy about in modern times.

Ma`salam

[abdul shafi'i]

as-salamu alaykum thank you bro for your input into this matter which is a very large topic ill find the sources for you soon and try to include them in my posts from now on.shukran