BaKhabar, November 2012, Page-3 [CONCEPT OF INNOVATION (BIDA’T) IN ISLAM + Then He will not neglect us]

CONCEPT OF INNOVATION (BIDA’T) IN ISLAM

- By Gheyas S Mahfoz Hashmi, Jeddah (hgheyas@albatool.com.sa)

As discussed in previous issue, Bida’t is a severe sin in Islam. A successful Muslim will be taken away on his way to Jannah from Houd Kauther due to Bida’t. It is so severe that its strong condemnation has been coming since prophet’s time. Worshiping and praying are not man-made but are from Allah, which came to mankind through His book and His Prophet. Every prophet has his own nation who were commanded to follow him. We are the nation of the last prophet Mohammad (S). So, even following any other prophet other than him (Prophet Mohammad bin Abdullah) is not valid. Every nation has to follow his prophet only. Allah Almighty is owner of Religion and every action therein is prescribed by Allah only. Allah does not tolerate interfering (innovation, deletion & addition) with His religion and the prescribed methods thereof.
However, many people are confused with Bida’t even some scholars. I went in length into it, which I would like to share with the readers of Bakhabar so that it could not remain a confused topic. I will try to discuss it as brief as possible.

Allah Al- Mighty says:
Today I have completed for you your religion and perfected my favor upon you and have chosen Islam as your Religion (5:3)

Also says:
O you, who have believed, do not go beyond Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (49:1)

Our prophet (S) says:
Indeed every new thing is an innovation and every innovation is deviation and every deviation leads to fire. (Muslim, etc)

Bida’t has its origin in combination of letters (ب د ع) which means to create a new thing which had no basis of its existence. Allah is بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ (Originator of Heavens and Earth). Here (بديع) is from (ب د ع), i.e., Allah creates a thing from nothing (no base, no origin). In Islam Bida’t is: Worshipping Allaah in ways/method that Allah and His prophet have not prescribed.’ Or ‘Worshipping Alllah in ways/methods that are not those of the Prophet (pbuh) or his rightly guided successors (Khulafa Rashidoon), or learned Sahaba (companions), although their actions are also Hujjah (subject to discussion).

In order to understand the concept of Bida’t in Islam, one could imagine a glass of crystal clear water that is meant to quench thirst. Someone adds some colour to it with the intention of making it appear more appealing to the thirsty. Then, another person further adds some sugar to make it tastier. Would you still consider it to be a glass of pure water? Not at all! Now, what you have is an adulterated version of what was formerly pure water.

More precisely any new action or method/ways or addition/deletion which was possible at the time of the prophet (S) but not done by him is Bida’t. For example, Tasbeeh recitation on other than hand (stone, nuts, seeds, etc) is Bida’t as this was possible at the time of our prophet (S) but he didn’t do it. That is why Hazrat Ibn Masoud (R) has forbade a group who was doing Tasbeeh on pieces of stone in a mosque, saying only a short period gone on the prophet’s passing away (S) that you have started Bida’t.

Our prophet (s) has explained everything so that his nation are safe from Shatan’s tricks, whose prime job is to present a sinful thing, top of that are Shirk and Bida’t, in such a way that it looks to be a Sunnah. Out of 73 only one fragment (group) will go to Paradise. The noble Companions asked: “O Allah's Messenger (S), which one is that?” Whereupon he (s) said: “It is one to which I and my companions belong’’. So, any action that is not supported by the prophet (S) and his companions (R) is a new item (Bida’t).

There are two types of Bida’t. (1) An action in the name of Islam that did not exist initially. (2) An authentic action of Islam, which has an addition and deletion along-with it. The example of former is ‘Birth Day or Marriage Day Celebration’ or Death Anniversary in the name of Islam or Celebration of more than 2 Festivals, as it does not have any kind of support from our prophet (S) nor his companions’ (R). The example of the later is recitation of Darud in standing position and loudly, as it too does not have any support. Any action not done in the name of Islam is not a Bida’t.

With the development of science and technology many new things have come up that were not available at the time of the prophet (S). If such things are introduced in Islam provided they are legitimate and are beneficial to Islam, its usage will not only be legitimate but will be encouraged, like using of sophisticated communication system to preach Islam.

Praying in sitting form for patient and weak person are permissible in Islam. If such people use chair which was not available at the time of the prophet (S,) their praying will not be a Bida’t. Why? It is because it is a legitimate facility which did not exist at the time of the prophet (s) and such people are comfortable with it. In case it existed at that time and our prophet (S) and his companion didn’t use it, it should be a Bida’t. So, anything or any method that exited at the time of the prophet & his companion but not used by them is Bida’t. It is narrated by Hasan Bsari that someone has invited Hazrat Usman Ibn Aas to attend the ceremony of Khatna (circumcision). He refused and said that they never attended such program in the time of Rasulullah’s (S) auspicious life and no one invited them to attend such program. (Musnad Ahmed) Hazrat Nafe stopped a man who said “ الحمد لله والسلام على رسول الله “ at sneezing as he added a word with Alhamdulillah (Timizi).

In Islamic Jurisprudence there is one theory called المصلحة المرسلة – Maslaha Mursala (MM). It is a Public Interest consideration is derived from Quran and Hadith under which جلب المنافع ودفع المضرات (Getting Benefit and Prevention of Harm) is applied. Many people are confused between this and Bida’t.
According to Imam Al Ghazali, MM consists of considerations, which secure a benefit or prevent a harm but are, in the meantime, harmonious with the objectives (Maqasid) of the Shariah.

MM IS A SOURCE OF ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES OF SHARIAH WHILE Bida’t IS RELATED TO THE OBJECTIVE OF SHARIAH.

Technically, a consideration is proper & harmonious (وصف مناسب وملائم ) to the objectives of the Lawgiver, it secures a benefit or prevents a harm, and the Shariah provides no indication as to its validity or otherwise. Decision to issue currency, to establish prisons, & to impose tax (kharaj) on agricultural lands, etc, in the conquered territories despite the fact that no textual authority can be found in its favour are examples.
The MM can neither be enumerated nor predicted in advance as they change according to time & circumstance. For example, a line (of marble) was drawn in front of the Hajr Aswad for the Pilgrims for their easy Estilam. This worked for a long time. But when the same in view of crowd increasing became a hurdle for the flow of Pilgrims it was removed.

The concept of MM does not apply to the rulings of the Prophet. When there is a Prophetic ruling in favour of a Maslahah, it becomes part of the established law, hence no longer a MM. From a historical vantage, the notion of MM originates in the practice of the Companions. Khalifah Abu Bakr (R) ordered the composition of Quran in the form of a book as he feared its loss due to martyr of a number of companions in the battle of Yamamah. A group of people objected it considering it a Bida’t as it apparently seems to be but in fact it was MM.

Recently a Saudi scholar has regarded the closure of shops and offices in KSA for 5-time prayers as Bida’t saying such practice was not existing at the time of the prophet (S). So, here he confused between (Bida’t & MM).

'Then He will not neglect us'

- By Muqeet [http://yassarnalquran.wordpress.com/]

Can you recall which blessed Muslim woman in history said this uniquely inspiring statement?

If your answer was Hajar, then you guessed it right!

Yes, Hajar said this – Hazrat e Hajar, the great mother of Prophet Ismail Alahihis Salam and the obedient wife of Prophet Ibrahim Alahihis Salam!

Do you know the background in which this bold lady uttered this revolutionary statement – a statement which I feel has assumed the shape of a dew drop that is permanently embedded in the cheek of time!
I and You, each – with a breast-feeding child in hand, must go individually to a desert to realise something of that situation and feel the taste of Iman this exceptionally bold and blessed lady had in her!
This statement is a slap on the face of all those men who degrade Muslim women just because they are the women of Islam!
Am I not your Lord?

This statement is also a slap on the face of those Mullahs who lecture about the ‘virtues’ of being a man brushing aside the power in women!

This statement, mind you, is powerfully loaded with an extra-ordinary determination of a noble Muslim woman who had put her total reliance on none but Allah!

This was said by a lady with a breast-feeding child in her hand while her husband was leaving her all alone in the desert sands of Arabia!

Her husband was leaving her at a place where no water was available!

He was leaving her at a place where no human population was found around!

He was leaving her all alone in the desert at that point in history when there was no light, no electricity – nothing to enjoy!

Before we proceed further, let me quote the starting part of this hadith:

“…(Prophet) Ibrâhîm brought her (Hajar) and her son Ismail while she used to nurse him at her breast, near the Ka‘bah under a tree on the spot of Zamzam, at the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in Makkah, nor was there any water. So he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. Ismail’s mother followed him saying:
“O Ibrâhîm! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?” She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her.

Then she asked him, “Has Allâh ordered you to do so?”
He said, “Yes.” She said, “Then He will not neglect us”.
Subhanallah! I glorify Allah!

If Allah has ordered you to leave us all alone in this desert, then He will not neglect us!

What an inspiration Hajar is! Peace be upon her.
History is witness to the fact that not only ‘Allah did not neglect her and her family’ when she was alive but He has also blessed Hajar with infinite blessings – blessings that continue till this day – despite the passage of thousands of years, and will continue as long as this world is in existence!

When Allah blessed Hajar with cool and refreshing waters of Zam Zam in the midst of heat and dust of a desert, Allah did not neglect her.

When Allah caused the tribe of Jurhum to go and settle in Makkah, giving Hajar the blessing of living with people, Allah did not neglect her.

When her son, Ismail, was provided the opportunity of learning the language and culture from the people of Jurhum, Allah did not neglect her.

When Ismail, her son, grew up to marry one of the girls of Jurhum tribe, Allah did not neglect her.

When Allah gave Ibrahim and Ismail – her husband and her son – the honour of raising the foundations of Ka’bah, the glorious House of Allah, indeed Allah did not neglect her.

When Allah answered the du’aa of her husband by blessing the land of Makkah with such blessings that no piece of land on earth has, Allah did not neglect her.
When Allah announced the good news of her husband passing the hardest test of willing to sacrifice their very son by making it the cause of the celebration of Eidul Adha for posterity, He did not neglect her.

When Allah elevated the status of her son by making him one of His Prophets, He did not neglect her.
When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last and final Messenger, was destined to be born in the progeny of her son, Ismail, indeed Allah did not neglect her.

When Allah revealed this verse in the Qur’an:

وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ

“and publicly proclaim Pilgrimage for all mankind so that they come to you on foot and mounted on lean camels from every distant point”, making it mandatory for all affording Muslims to visit Makkah at least once in their life time – that Makkah whose first citizen was Hajar, Allah did not neglect her.

When Allah dedicated her act of running between Safwa and Marwa as one of the main acts of Hajj and Umrah, making men and women run in her memory – and run till the end of time – indeed Allah did not neglect her!

When Allah granted her husband, Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the distinction and honour of being the grand father of many Prophets, He did not neglect her.
When Allah earmarked her husband’s place – the Maqam Ibrahim – as a place of prayer, He did not neglect her.

When Allah made the mention of her husband’s name mandatory in the Tashahhud of every Salah, He did not neglect her.

When Allah liked the act of her husband’s resistance to the temptations of Satan so much that He made it an obligatory act of Hajj – the act of throwing pebbles at Jamrat – Allah did not neglect her.

There is so much about Hajar, and you thought that Muslim women are fit for nothing!!

Hajar is an inspiration for all of us.

Hajar’s faith and trust in Allah were as solid as the mountains of Makkah!

If we have strong faith and unshakeable reliance on Allah, like Hajar, then He will not neglect us.
Allah assures us in the Qur’an:

وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ

“Do not, then, either lose heart or grieve: for you shall surely gain the upper hand if you are true believers” (3: 139)

May Allah guide us to the Straight Path. Aameen.

ربّنا تقبّل منّا إنّك أنت السّميع العليم وتب علينا إنّك أنت التّوّاب الرّحيم

“O our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” (2:127)