List of common Bid'ah (innovations), with evidences

Secondly, we need to be able to prioritize and weigh the benefits and harms in forbidding someone from doing an innovation. During the time of Imam Ahmad, the people used to decorate the mushafs, and he disliked it yet he let them continue to decorate the mushafs and didnt forbid them from it because he realized that if he were to forbid them from spending their money and time on decorating the mushafs, they would instead use that time and money for something worse. Regarding the Milad, Ibn Taymiyyah uses the same logic and because of that, even though he acknowledges that it is is bid'ah, he lets the common people do it because, i) they will get rewarded for their intention of loving the Messenger (saw) and ii) they would otherwise spend that time/money on something that can be potentially worse for them. So in the interests of preventing the greater harm, the smaller harm is allowed to continue.

So we need to realize the situation, the time and place (zamaan wa makaan), and the specific individuals that are being dealt with, and then use wisdom in dealing with the entire situation. It isn't always wise to go up to people and forbid the evil because sometimes it can result in an evil greater than that which was being committed. This type of wisdom is not something that can be learnt in school or university, it's something that one learns over time. That's why these kinds of threads and fatwas that are copied and pasted everywhere don't make sense because theyre general and they don't take into account the specific people that are being given it. One of scholars said something profound that is worthy of being reflected upon deeply: "The blood which you read is black and cold, and the blood which you are speaking to is red and warm." - Meaning that the blood (read: ink) in the fatawa and scholarly books that you're reading is black and cold, whereas the persons you are talking to and giving a ruling to are real people with real specific situations, i.e. their blood is red and warm. You cannot just take that which is black and cold and give it to that which is red and warm. You need to transform it in a way that is suitable for the individual.

Every bid'ah is in Hellfire, including "bida'ah hasana." How? The concept of al-Qadr answers my question. As humans, we do not know what is good, nor bad. We act "blindly" upon the reveliation. I woulds have never imagined that shirk is the biggest sin. Why is it? If you follow any other being besides Allah, or their knowlege (everything except Allah is not perfect) where will you end up?

ISLAM IS THE Qur'aan. Islam is the Sunna, and Islam is the consensus of scholars. Any other dumb fussiness people fight over, only pleases the disbelievers.

Let's not be proud of our divisions and hide them from the disbelieving folks.

Salaam

Tolerance is the key.

peace

I understand what the mods are saying, these innovations shouldn't be a reason to create division amongst muslims. What I find is that islam would be alot more simpler and easier to practice if we left out all the additions to it and things that are doubtful. If you ever go to an arab/salafi masjid - everything is so much simpler compared to majority of UK masjids, you're not constantly worrying whether certain practices are bida'h and should be avoided as everything seems to be strictly from what we have been given - the Quran and sunnah.

format_quote Originally Posted by aadil77

I understand what the mods are saying, these innovations shouldn't be a reason to create division amongst muslims. What I find is that islam would be alot more simpler and easier to practice if we left out all the additions to it and things that are doubtful. If you ever go to an arab/salafi masjid - everything is so much simpler compared to majority of UK masjids, you're not constantly worrying whether certain practices are bida'h and should be avoided as everything seems to be strictly from what we have been given - the Quran and sunnah.

I know what you mean, I have experiences this, like I went to 1 masjid and after salah they all started doing dhikr really loud and the imam made a long congregational dua and he did this after every single salah.

Then I started to think did the prophet (saw) and his companions do this after every salah loud dhikr and congregational dua. then I became worried to pray there.

format_quote Originally Posted by squiggle

I know what you mean, I have experiences this, like I went to 1 masjid and after salah they all started doing dhikr really loud and the imam made a long congregational dua and he did this after every single salah.

Then I started to think did the prophet (saw) and his companions do this after every salah loud dhikr and congregational dua. then I became worried to pray there.

Exactly you can form the wrong views of Rasulullah and his companions, this was standard for me when I was young as every masjid I went to was a brelvi masjid, then when I moved to leicester, I noticed how the deobandi masjids hardly did any of that stuff, then when I went to the masjid at my uni (run by arab salafi's) I noticed how they did even less stuff that is done at deobandi masjids. So basically you learn that some groups are not so strict to sunnah and some are, but Alhamdulillah we're all fairly close to true islam and no where near as deviant as the shia's.

format_quote Originally Posted by Insane Insaan

Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the middle of Sha’baan) should not be singled out for worship

Source

edit: Found it - http://www.islamqa.com/en/cat/2038

I'm very confused... so is shabrat bidah or not? Or bidah if made compulsory? Or the bidah is in how it's celebrated? I just read that weak hadith are valid if they are used to better the character/do good deeds. Everything has just gone to my head. The more I read the more confused I get. If that's not bad enough mum was angry with me for saying it's an innovation earlier

Edit: I do understand the English but still gets confused because the evidence are strong on both sides.

Found this on another forum...

A Night of excellence in the Month of Shaban

As most of you must be aware the month of Shaban has arrived, it is the month which the Prophet [Peace be upon him] fasted most other than the month of Ramadan, and this is established from many authentic hadiths, among them is the following Hadith;

The Mother of the Believers Aisha [May Allah be pleased with her] said: “The Messenger of Allah [Peace be upon him] used to fast until we thought he would never break his fast, and not fast until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah [Peace be upon him fasting for an entire month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more than he did in Shaban. [1]

There are many articles written on the virtues of Shaban, the focus on this article is the mid night of this month, which as we will see is regarded as vitreous by the scholars in light of the Sunnah.

Concerning the night of mid-Shaban Ibn Taymiyya wrote:

[Some] said there is no difference between this and other nights of the year. However, the opinion of many of the people of learning and that of the majority of our [Hanbali] colleagues and other than them is that it is a night of superior merit, and this is what is indicated by the words of Ahmad [ibn Hanbal], in view of the many hadiths transmitted about it and in light of what confirms this in the words and deeds transmitted from the early generations (al-athar al-salafiyya). Some of its merits have been transmitted in the books of Hadith of the types Musnad and Sunnan. This holds true even if other things have been forged concerning it. [2]

Similarly al-Suyyuti said:

“As for the night of mid-Sha’ban it has great merit and it is desirable (mustahab) to spend part of it in [supererogatory] worship.” [3]

This night is also regarded highly by the Scholars of the Deoband;

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi writes “Its significance is this that 15th night and 15th day of this month are very blessed ones. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), urged Muslims to stay up during the night and fast during the day. At this night the prophet used to go to the graveyard of Madinah and prayed for the dead. Therefore, it is desirable that the Muslims should pray during that night and fast during the following day. They should also seek the forgiveness of their dead either by reciting the Qur’an or by feeding the hungry or by giving the money in charity or by just praying for them.” [4]

Mufti Taqi Uthmani writes: “Another significant feature of the month of Sha'ban is that it consists of a night which is termed in Shariah as "Laylatul-bara'ah" (The night of freedom from Fire). This is the night occurring between 14th and 15th day of Sha'ban. There are certain traditions of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to prove that it is a meritorious night in which the people of the earth are attended by special Divine mercy.” [5]

These positions are based on the following evidences:

Mu'adh ibn Jabal [May Allah be pleased with him] reports that Prophet [Peace be upon him] said: “Allah looks at his creation on the night of mid-Shaban and He forgives all his creation except for the idolater and the one bent on hatred.” [6]

The Mother of the Believers Aisha [May Allah be pleased with her] reports I missed the Prophet one night so I went out to al-Baqi` (and found him). He said: "Were you afraid that Allah would wrong you and that His Prophet would wrong you?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I thought that you might have gone to visit one of your wives." He said: "Allah Glorious and Exalted descends to the nearest heaven on the night of mid-Shaban and He forgives to more people than the number of hairs on the hides of the sheep of the tribes of Kalb [7]

Abd Allah ibn `Amr [May Allah be pleased with him] reports that Prophet [Peace be upon him] said “Allah looks upon His creatures on the night of mid-Shaban and He forgives all His servants except two: one intent on hatred, and the homicide.” [8]

The Mother of the Believers Aisha [May Allah be pleased with her] reports, "The Prophet stood up in prayer during part of the night and made his prostration so lengthy that I thought his soul had been taken back. When I saw this I got up and went to move his big toe, whereupon he moved, so I drew back. When he raised his head from prostration and finished praying, he said: "O `A'isha, O fair little one (humayra')! Did you think that the Prophet had broken his agreement with you?" She replied: "No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, but I thought that your soul had been taken back because your stayed in prostration for so long." He said: "Do you know what night this is?" She said: "Allah and His Prophet know best." He said: "This is the night of mid-Sha`ban! Verily Allah the Glorious and Majestic look at His servants on the night of mid-Sha`ban, and He forgives those who ask forgiveness, and He bestows mercy on those who ask mercy, and He gives a delay to the people of envy and spite in their state." [9]

Ali ibn Abi Talib [May Allah be pleased with him] reports that the Prophet [Peace be upon him] is reported to have said: “The night of mid-Shaban, let all of you spend in prayer and its day in fasting, for Allah descends to the nearest heaven during that night beginning with sunset and says: ‘Is there no one asking sustenance that I may forgive them? Is there no one asking sustenance that I may grant them sustenance? Is there no one under duress that I may relieve them? Is there not such-and-such, is there not such-and-such, a so forth until dawn rises’”[10]

Although this narration is weak, when other factors are taken into consideration, the validity of fasting on 15th Shaban becomes established although it should not be deemed as a Sunnah, rather it is somewhat desirable. [Read footnote 10]

Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Gilani recommended the following modality in his Ghunya:

“As for the ritual prayer traditional for the night of mid-Shaban, it consists of one hundred cycles, including one thousand repetitions of Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad (that is to say, ten recitations in each rak’a). This prayer is called Salat al-Khayr, and its blessings are many and varied. Our righteous predecessors used to gather to perform it in congregation. It contains much merit and rich reward. It is reported of al-Hasan [al=Basri], may Allah be well-pleased with him, that he said: ‘Thirty of the companions of the Messenger of Allah [Peace be upon him] related to me that Allah will look seventy times upon one who performs this prayer on this night, and with each glance He will fulfill seventy of that persons needs, the last of them being forgiveness.’” [11]

Shaikh Gibril Haddad writes:

“Also among those who wrote on the immense merits of the night of mid-Shaban are al-Haythami, Abd al-Ra’uf al-Munawi, Mulla Ali al-Qari, al-Sunhuri al-Maliki, Nur al-Din al-Bayruti, al-Kawthari, al-Ghumari, and Muhammad Hasnayn Makhluf” [12]

May Allah grant us the ability to benefit from this Month and reap the benefits of the night of mid-Shaban.

[1] Narrated by al-Bukhârî, no. 1833; Muslim, no. 1956

[2] Ibn Taymiyya Iqtida al-Sirat al-Mustaqim (1369/1950 ed. P 302) translation by Shaikh Gibril Haddad in his Sunnah Notes (Vol 1, p. 208)

[3] Al-Suyyuti, Haqiqat al-Sunna wal-Bida wa al-Amr bil-itiba wal-Nahi an al-Ibtida (1405/1985
ed. P. 85) translation by Shaikh Gibril Haddad in his Sunnah Notes (Vol 1, p. 208)

[4] Ashraf Ali Thanvi in his Bahishti Zewar (Heavenly Ornaments), part 6, pp 61-62

[5] Mufti Taqi Uthmani in his article entitles Sha'ban: Merits, Do's, and Dont's

[6] Narrated by Ibn Hibban (12:481) with a sound chain according to al-Arna’ut and al-Haythami
who said that Tabarani also narrated it in his Kabir and Awsat with chains containing only trustworthy narrators, that is: sound (sahih) chains; Ibn Khuzayma included it in his Sahih, which has the same level of acceptance among the experts as Sahih Muslim; and even Albani included it in his Silsila sahiha.

[7] Narrated from Aisha by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and al-Tirmidhi who said that he heard al-Bukhari grading this Hadith as weak because some of the sub-narrators did not narrate directly from each other.

[8] Narrated from Abd Allah ibn Amr by al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad and al Bazzar with a chain he graded fair (hasan) through the great Tabi’I jurist al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn bi Bakr al-Siddiq.

[9] Narrated from Aisha by al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al Iman (3:382) where he comments: “This hadith is missing the Companion in its chain, and is a good Hadith (hadha mursal jayyid). It is probable that al-Ala’ibn al-Harith took it from Makhul and Allah knows best.”

[10] Narrated from Ali by Ahmed and Ibn Majah with a chain containing Ibn Abi Sabra, Mufti Taqi Uthmani says regarding the authenticity of this hadith This Hadith is recorded by Ibn Majah in his Sunan, one of the famous six books of Hadith, and also by Baihaqi in his famous book Shu'ab-al-'iman'. Both of them have reported it without any comment about its authenticity. But after a critical analysis of its chain of narrators it is found that this tradition is mainly based on the report of Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Saburah whose narrations cannot be relied upon. That is why the scholars of Hadith have declared it as a weak (da'if) tradition. However, the allegation that the narrator of this Hadith i.e. Abu Bakr ibn Abi Saburah, is a fabricator who used to coin forged traditions does not seem correct. In fact, he was mufti of Madinah, a well-known jurist and he was appointed as a qadi (Judge) of Iraq in the days of Mansur and was succeeded in this office by Imam Abu Yousuf. He was a colleague of Imam Malik.

Once Mansur, the Abbasi Caliph, asked Imam Malik referred to three names, and one of them was that of Ibn Abi Saburah. Had he been a fabricator, Imam Malik would have never referred to his name in this context. But despite his high position among the jurists, his memory was not of the standard required for the uthenticity of a tradition. That is why most of the critics of Hadith like Imam Bukhari etc. Have held him as weak, but did not declare him a fabricator. Only Imam Ahmed is reported to have remarked about him that he fabricates Hadith. But this remark alone is not sufficient to hold him as a fabricator, for two reasons: Firstly Imam Ahmed was born long after him, and his contemporary scholars never held him as such, secondly the Arabic words used by Imam Ahmed are some times used for confusing one tradition with another, and not for deliberate fabrication.

This is the reason why the majority of the scholars of Hadith have held Abu Bakr ibn Abi Saburah as a weak reporter of Hadith, but they did not declare him as a forger or fabricator. Now, coming to his tradition about the fast of the 15th Ramadan it is held by the scholars to be weak but i have not come across an authentic scholar who has treated it as a fabricated (Mawdu) Hadith. There are a number of books indicating the fabricated Ahadith, but this tradition is not included in these books as fabricated.

It is well-known that Ibn Majah consists of about twenty Ahadith held to be fabricated. The list of these fabricated AHadith is available, but the tradition in question is not included therein.
Therefore, the correct position is that this Hadith is not fabricated. However, being reported by a weak narrator, it cannot be relied upon in the matter of the injunctions of Shariah. Thus, the fast of the 15th of Shabaan cannot be termed as Sunnah or Mustahab in the strict sense of the term. Nevertheless, it may be advisable to fast in the 15th of Shabaan without taking it as Sunnah for several reasons:

Firstly it is fully established through a large number of Ahadith that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) has emphasized on the merits of fasting in Shabaan, and particularly in the first half of the month. The 15th day of Shabaan, being the last day of the first half, is included in the preferable days for fasting.

Secondly, the merits of the 15th night of Shabaan is established by more than a dozen Ahadith. It means that this night should be spent in prayers and other forms of worship. On the other hand, all the blessed nights which the Muslims are advised to spend in worship are generally followed by fasting on the coming day like in the Laylatul-Qadr, where fasting on the following day is obligatory, or like the first night Zilhijjah where fasting on the following days is optional, rather advisable. on this analogy, too, the 15th night of Shabaan may be followed by an optional fasting on the following day.

Thirdly, the tradition relating to the merits of fasting on 15th of Shabaan is, no doubt, a weak tradition, not competent to prove this practice to be a Sunnah or a formal Mustahabb, but it can be acted upon as a measure of precaution, provided that the practice is not taken as Sunnah or a formal Mustahabb. It is for these reasons that some Ulama and elders have been fasting on the 15th of Shabaan and have been taking it an advisable practice.

[11] Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Gilani, Ghunya cited in Shaikh Gibril Haddads Sunnah Notes Volume 1 (p. 210)

Aslaamu`Alaaykum. . .

Okay i once got told that reciting "Sadakal Allah al Azeem" at the end of Recitation is Bidah, could someone please Confirm InshaAllaah?

Sorry if i havent bought no ref i was thinking maybe anyone on this thread can answer? Sorry and please do not be angry if ive said anything wrong or without knowledge .

Wa`Alaaykum Salaam

format_quote Originally Posted by Scents of Jannah

JazakAllah khayr for trying to help me brother. I remember one we're to follow the majority. Is that correct? Anyway I'm off to pray. Just in case.

Salaam

sister welcome to Islam. Topics like Bida, Mawlid, Twassul etc are all topics where there are debates over as scholars have different opnions on the issues.

peace

format_quote Originally Posted by aadil77

I understand what the mods are saying, these innovations shouldn't be a reason to create division amongst muslims. What I find is that islam would be alot more simpler and easier to practice if we left out all the additions to it and things that are doubtful. If you ever go to an arab/salafi masjid - everything is so much simpler compared to majority of UK masjids, you're not constantly worrying whether certain practices are bida'h and should be avoided as everything seems to be strictly from what we have been given - the Quran and sunnah.

You see, the ideal itself is noble, but the issues are not as simplistic as that and to make them that simplistic and black and white is a mistake as it ignores 1400 years of juristic differences amongst the scholars. There is a legal maxim that the jurists follow: "lā inkār fī masāil al-khilāf" - there can be no censuring in issues of [legitimate] differing - and some of these issues are legitimate differences of opinion such as the night of the 15th of Sha'ban that surprisingly many of the giants of early Islamic scholarship held it was a night of virtue.

Ibn Taymiyyah says in his Iqtidā al-Sirāt al-Mustaqim:

"Also under this heading is the middle night of Sha‘bān. Hadiths traceable to the Prophet are reported about its merit, as well as precedents from the early predecessors, proving that the night has a distinction: with some among the predecessors specifying the night for prayer. But some Medinian scholars among the predecessors, and others from the later scholars, rejected its merit and took issue with the narrations related in this regard, such as the hadith: “Allah is more forgiving than there are the number of hairs [on the hides] of the sheep [in the tribes] of Kalb.” They stated that there is no difference between this and any other night. However, what many of the learned hold, or most of them - among our collegues and others - is that it is a night of superior merit. And this is what is indicated by the words of Ahmad [b. Hanbal] in light of the many hadiths transmitted about it, and what attests to this of the precedents recorded from the predecessors. Some of its merits are narrated in the musnad and sunan collections; this holds true even if other things have been fabricated concerning it.”

http://web.mac.com/jawziyyah/The_Jaw...les/Shaban.pdf

So the point is at the end of the day as follows. People break their ties of brotherhood over this and that's a major problem because the issue is not that important as keeping the ties of brotherhood is. To say "you're wrong because I have a fatwa from Islam QA that says this" and a reply of "I'm right because my scholar said this" isn't gonna get us anywhere and will only end up harming the community. We need to realize that the issues are not black and white and the jurists have legitimately differed over thousands of issues in the past and we cannot simplify and talk down to our community by spoon feeding them. We need to talk up to them and provide dissertations that can establish a dynamic scholarly understanding of these issues. Last thing we need is a community filled with people that go around brandishing fatawa and shoving them down peoples throats - it doesn't benefit anyone and the masses are left dumb.

^Yeah samere, i dont say "Sadakal Allah al Azeem" no more, since i got told its Bidah, but Allaah knows best and may he forgive me

It itself means "God Almighty speaks the truth" inshaAllaah correct me if im incorrect. . .

format_quote Originally Posted by ardianto

Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah said "There are two kinds of bid'ah. Bid'ah hasanah and bid'ah dlolalah". And his daleel (argument) in made statement about bid'ah hasanah was statement from Umar ibn Khattab radiallahu anhu about salah taraweeh "The best bid'ah is this".

Bid'ah hasanah is innovation that innovated by sahaba. Also innovation that has basis in Qur'an, Hadith/sunnah, or ijma of sahabah. Salah taraweeh is bid'ah hasanah.
Bid'ah dlolalah is bidah that has no basis in (or against) Qur'an, hadith/sunnah, or ijma of sahabah.

But later, there are many people who make new innovations in ibadah and clasify those as bid'ah hasanah, although those bid'ah actually bid'ah dlolalah. They quote statement from Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah but reject daleel behind his statement.

So, Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah was not wrong with his statement about bid'ah hasanah. However, people who innovate bid'ah dlolalah and clasify that as bid'ah hasanah are wrong.

But of course, there is another opinion that say if bid'ah hasanah does not exist.

Akhi, I have not read what you've writtten since it's kind of long. If we were all to choose a particular shaykh .... Let me ask you, how do you know what is bid'ah hasana?

Respected imams, every scholar makes mistakes. Who ever says that any scholar doesn't make a mistake, is against my logical and it is impossible. Thus, their work is left to the ulma, and not a bucnh of laypeople.





This is why it is reported on the Imaam of Daar-ul-Hijrah (Madeenah), Imaam Maalik Ibn Anas, may Allaah have mercy on him, that he said: "Whosoever introduces into Islaam an innovation, which he deems is good, then he has claimed that Muhammad (saws) has betrayed (the trust of conveying) the Message. Read the saying of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic: 'This day I have completed your Religion for you, and I have perfected My favor upon you, and I am pleased with Islaam as a Religion for you.' [Surat-ul-Maa’idah:3] So whatever was not (part of) the Religion on that day, is not (part of) the Religion on this day. And the last part of this ummah (nation) will not be rectified, except by that which rectified its first part."

Narated By Anas bin Malik : A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." Allah's Apostle came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers)." (See also Saheeh Muslim, Book 008, Hadith Number 3236)



"Truly, what is lawful is evident, and what is unlawful is evident, and in between the two are matters which are doubtful which many people do not know. He who guards against doubtful things keeps his religion and honour blameless, and he who indulges in doubtful things indulges in fact in unlawful things, just as a shepherd who pastures his flock round a preserve will soon pasture them in it. Beware, every king has a preserve, and the things Allah has declared unlawful are His preserves. Beware, in the body there is a flesh; if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt, and behold, it is the heart."

[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]


If we all added to the religion, Islam would vanish.