1-Definition of Bidah
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Imam al-Shatibi's Comprehensive and Definitive
Definition of Bid'ah
Posted by Abu.Iyaad on Monday, July, 11 2011 and filed under Foundations
Key topics: Al-Shatibi • Al-Shaatibee
Imaam al-Shatibee in his excellent work, al-I'tisaam, has provided the most comprehensive, concise
and definitive legislative definition of al-bid'ah ( )اﻟﺒﺪﻋﺔand the foundations would not be complete
except by a discussion of it. Imaam al-Shatibee said in al-I'tisaam (1/43):
ﻳُﻘﺼﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻠﻮك ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ، ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﰲ اﻟﺪﻳﻦ ﳐﱰﻋﺔ ﺗﻀﺎﻫﻲ اﻟﺸﺮﻋﻴّﺔ:ﻓﺎﻟﺒﺪﻋﺔ إذن ﻋﺒﺎرة ﻋﻦ
اﳌﺒﺎﻟﻐﺔ ﰲ اﻟﺘﻌﺒﺪ ﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ
[The word] innovation (al-bid'ah) then, is an expression of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A path taken in religion
Which is invented
And resembles the Shari'ah
And by whose practice exaggeration in worshipping Allaah, the Exalted, is
intended.
This definition was elaborated upon by al-Shatibee himself and likewise there are from the Scholars
from Ahl al-Sunnah who have commented upon it. It contains numerous elements and they can be
summarized as follows:
Element 1: A path ()ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ, this is any sabeel, tareeq, sunan (all terms referring to ways),
they are all the same, and it refers whatever is laid down in order to be followed and
traversed. So this is the first matter here, that the intent behind the devising or initiation of
such a path is for it to be taken as a course of action.
Element 2: In religious matters ()ﻓﻲ اﻟﺪﻳﻦ, so this excludes all other affairs, such as habits,
customs and so on, and this is because this path or way is being ascribed to the religion,
and if it was a worldly matter, it would not be labelled a bid'ah (innovation) [in the
legislative sense]. Thus all worldly affairs are outside of the definition of bid'ah. This is
important to grasp because in the language of some of the Scholars one can find them
using this term in its wider linguistic sense, and examples of this can be found in the
speech of Imaam al-Shafi'ee, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Shaykh Muhammad bin
Abd al-Wahhaab.
Element 3: Invented ()ﻣﺨﺘﺮﻋﺔ, meaning it has no previous example or model, and with this
restriction, many things are excluded from the definition of bid'ah, in particular those
things that do have a foundation in the Shari'ah and such things include the compilation of
the Qur'an, the writing and compiling of hadeeth, the congregational tarawih prayer, the
principles of fiqh, knowledge of grammar and morphology and so on. Even if they were
not formally present, their foundations can be found in the Shari'ah. So these are not
considered innovations in the legislative (blameworthy sense), and whoever referred to
them as innovations, only did so in the linguistic sense, as is found in the saying of Umar
bin al-Khattaab about his gathering the people together in a single jamaa'ah for the
taraaweeh prayer, that it is an "excellent bid'ah," and this action has a foundation in the
Sunnah as the Messenger (alayhis salaam) led the people for three days in Ramadan in
congregational taraweeh prayer.
Element 4: Resembles the Shari'ah ()ﺗﻀﺎﻫﻲ اﻟﺸﺮﻋﻴّﺔ, this is a another crucial part to the
definition, because innovation in the religion is of two types. One that has absolutely no
basis and is completely alien to the religion and other type which resembles the Shari'ah
in its foundation, but opposes the Shari'ah in its form and details and most innovations are
of this nature. Al-Shatibee gives some examples of what is meant by this part of his
definition and he mentions congregational dhikr (remembrance in unison with a single
voice), annd taking the birthday of the Prophet (alayhis salaam) as a day of celebratoin
(eed). Dhikr has a foundation in the Shari'ah as does a day of celebration (eed), however
in the particular details, these matters (dhikr in unison and the celebrating the Prophet's
birthday) are innovations. Al-Shaatibee says that if it was not the nature of innovations to
resemble the Shari'ah they would be treated nothing more than habitual actions. AlShatibee also explains that the person of innovation innovates these matters from the
outset to make them resemble the Shari'ah so that he can deceive others and he will mix
affairs of the Sunnah with his innovation, as this is the only way that he will get any
response from the people. This is from the most important things that al-Shatibee points
out, because you see the innovators, from the contemporary grave-worshippers and other
than them who try to justify their actions by claiming they have a basis in the Shari'ah.
This is not the place to refute this doubt, inshaa'Allaah it will be done in another article, but
it is important to make careful note of this, that it is the very nature of innovation to
strongly resemble the Sharee'ah and thus most innovation will have a basis in the
Sharee'ah in some aspect, but depart from it in other aspects.
Element 5: Exaggeration in worship of Allah is what is intended by traversing the
particular innovated way ()ﻳُﻘﺼﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻠﻮك ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﻤﺒﺎﻟﻐﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺘﻌﺒﺪ ﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ, this is from the completion of
the definition of bid'ah, because this is the main objective behind inventing it, and it is as if
the Innovator thinks that he has license to do this because it is the objective for his
creation, as per the saying of Allaah, "I have not created Jinn and Men except to
worship me" (51:56). However, it has not become clear to him that what Allaah has
legislated of the laws, rules and limits is sufficient. However, often the innovator has
desires such as wanting to be followed, and this is what motivates him to innovate for the
people through the claimed objective of bringing them closer to Allaah. And in this regard
al-Shatibee quotes the saying of Mu'adh bin Jabal (radiallaahu anhu):
It is feared that a man might say: They are not my followers and will
not follow me, even though I have recited the Qur'an to them. They will not
follow me until I innovated something else for them. So beware from what
he innovators, for what he innovates is misguidance. Reported by Abu Dawud in
his Sunan, al-Darimi in his Sunan, and likewise al-Aajurree in al-Shari'ah, Ibn Waddah in al-Bida'
and others.
Al-Shatibee also points out that from this part of the definition, it becomes clear that the
notion of innovation [that is blameworthy] does not enter into the habitual matters (alaadaat). There are ways and matters innovated, which resemble the Shari'ah but
nearness to Allaah and worship of Him are not intended by them, so these matters do not
enter into the definition of bid'ah. Examples he gives include imposed fines (that a ruler
may subject upon his subjects) that have a particular value which may resemble that of
zakah, likewise making use of sieves and washing hands with potash from the things that
were not previously present. Whilst they may resemble something from the Shari'ah, they
are not intended to make exaggeration in worshipping Allaah, the Exalted.
Element 6: Al-Shatibee also explains that included within this definition is the bid'ah
tarkiyyah, and this is when a person abandons an action, seeking closeness and
nearness to Allaah, and this abandonment is in opposition to the Shari'ah. This matter will
be touched upon in a separate article inshaa'Allaah.
Refer to:
al-I'tisaam (tahqiq, M. Salman, Maktabah al-Tawhid) 1/41-55.
Imam al-Shatibi's Comprehensive and Definitive
Definition of Bid'ah
Posted by Abu.Iyaad on Monday, July, 11 2011 and filed under Foundations
Key topics: Al-Shatibi • Al-Shaatibee
Imaam al-Shatibee in his excellent work, al-I'tisaam, has provided the most comprehensive, concise
and definitive legislative definition of al-bid'ah ( )اﻟﺒﺪﻋﺔand the foundations would not be complete
except by a discussion of it. Imaam al-Shatibee said in al-I'tisaam (1/43):
ﻳُﻘﺼﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻠﻮك ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ، ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﰲ اﻟﺪﻳﻦ ﳐﱰﻋﺔ ﺗﻀﺎﻫﻲ اﻟﺸﺮﻋﻴّﺔ:ﻓﺎﻟﺒﺪﻋﺔ إذن ﻋﺒﺎرة ﻋﻦ
اﳌﺒﺎﻟﻐﺔ ﰲ اﻟﺘﻌﺒﺪ ﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ
[The word] innovation (al-bid'ah) then, is an expression of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A path taken in religion
Which is invented
And resembles the Shari'ah
And by whose practice exaggeration in worshipping Allaah, the Exalted, is
intended.
This definition was elaborated upon by al-Shatibee himself and likewise there are from the Scholars
from Ahl al-Sunnah who have commented upon it. It contains numerous elements and they can be
summarized as follows:
Element 1: A path ()ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ, this is any sabeel, tareeq, sunan (all terms referring to ways),
they are all the same, and it refers whatever is laid down in order to be followed and
traversed. So this is the first matter here, that the intent behind the devising or initiation of
such a path is for it to be taken as a course of action.
Element 2: In religious matters ()ﻓﻲ اﻟﺪﻳﻦ, so this excludes all other affairs, such as habits,
customs and so on, and this is because this path or way is being ascribed to the religion,
and if it was a worldly matter, it would not be labelled a bid'ah (innovation) [in the
legislative sense]. Thus all worldly affairs are outside of the definition of bid'ah. This is
important to grasp because in the language of some of the Scholars one can find them
using this term in its wider linguistic sense, and examples of this can be found in the
speech of Imaam al-Shafi'ee, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Shaykh Muhammad bin
Abd al-Wahhaab.
Element 3: Invented ()ﻣﺨﺘﺮﻋﺔ, meaning it has no previous example or model, and with this
restriction, many things are excluded from the definition of bid'ah, in particular those
things that do have a foundation in the Shari'ah and such things include the compilation of
the Qur'an, the writing and compiling of hadeeth, the congregational tarawih prayer, the
principles of fiqh, knowledge of grammar and morphology and so on. Even if they were
not formally present, their foundations can be found in the Shari'ah. So these are not
considered innovations in the legislative (blameworthy sense), and whoever referred to
them as innovations, only did so in the linguistic sense, as is found in the saying of Umar
bin al-Khattaab about his gathering the people together in a single jamaa'ah for the
taraaweeh prayer, that it is an "excellent bid'ah," and this action has a foundation in the
Sunnah as the Messenger (alayhis salaam) led the people for three days in Ramadan in
congregational taraweeh prayer.
Element 4: Resembles the Shari'ah ()ﺗﻀﺎﻫﻲ اﻟﺸﺮﻋﻴّﺔ, this is a another crucial part to the
definition, because innovation in the religion is of two types. One that has absolutely no
basis and is completely alien to the religion and other type which resembles the Shari'ah
in its foundation, but opposes the Shari'ah in its form and details and most innovations are
of this nature. Al-Shatibee gives some examples of what is meant by this part of his
definition and he mentions congregational dhikr (remembrance in unison with a single
voice), annd taking the birthday of the Prophet (alayhis salaam) as a day of celebratoin
(eed). Dhikr has a foundation in the Shari'ah as does a day of celebration (eed), however
in the particular details, these matters (dhikr in unison and the celebrating the Prophet's
birthday) are innovations. Al-Shaatibee says that if it was not the nature of innovations to
resemble the Shari'ah they would be treated nothing more than habitual actions. AlShatibee also explains that the person of innovation innovates these matters from the
outset to make them resemble the Shari'ah so that he can deceive others and he will mix
affairs of the Sunnah with his innovation, as this is the only way that he will get any
response from the people. This is from the most important things that al-Shatibee points
out, because you see the innovators, from the contemporary grave-worshippers and other
than them who try to justify their actions by claiming they have a basis in the Shari'ah.
This is not the place to refute this doubt, inshaa'Allaah it will be done in another article, but
it is important to make careful note of this, that it is the very nature of innovation to
strongly resemble the Sharee'ah and thus most innovation will have a basis in the
Sharee'ah in some aspect, but depart from it in other aspects.
Element 5: Exaggeration in worship of Allah is what is intended by traversing the
particular innovated way ()ﻳُﻘﺼﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻠﻮك ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﻤﺒﺎﻟﻐﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺘﻌﺒﺪ ﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ, this is from the completion of
the definition of bid'ah, because this is the main objective behind inventing it, and it is as if
the Innovator thinks that he has license to do this because it is the objective for his
creation, as per the saying of Allaah, "I have not created Jinn and Men except to
worship me" (51:56). However, it has not become clear to him that what Allaah has
legislated of the laws, rules and limits is sufficient. However, often the innovator has
desires such as wanting to be followed, and this is what motivates him to innovate for the
people through the claimed objective of bringing them closer to Allaah. And in this regard
al-Shatibee quotes the saying of Mu'adh bin Jabal (radiallaahu anhu):
It is feared that a man might say: They are not my followers and will
not follow me, even though I have recited the Qur'an to them. They will not
follow me until I innovated something else for them. So beware from what
he innovators, for what he innovates is misguidance. Reported by Abu Dawud in
his Sunan, al-Darimi in his Sunan, and likewise al-Aajurree in al-Shari'ah, Ibn Waddah in al-Bida'
and others.
Al-Shatibee also points out that from this part of the definition, it becomes clear that the
notion of innovation [that is blameworthy] does not enter into the habitual matters (alaadaat). There are ways and matters innovated, which resemble the Shari'ah but
nearness to Allaah and worship of Him are not intended by them, so these matters do not
enter into the definition of bid'ah. Examples he gives include imposed fines (that a ruler
may subject upon his subjects) that have a particular value which may resemble that of
zakah, likewise making use of sieves and washing hands with potash from the things that
were not previously present. Whilst they may resemble something from the Shari'ah, they
are not intended to make exaggeration in worshipping Allaah, the Exalted.
Element 6: Al-Shatibee also explains that included within this definition is the bid'ah
tarkiyyah, and this is when a person abandons an action, seeking closeness and
nearness to Allaah, and this abandonment is in opposition to the Shari'ah. This matter will
be touched upon in a separate article inshaa'Allaah.
Refer to:
al-I'tisaam (tahqiq, M. Salman, Maktabah al-Tawhid) 1/41-55.
