The Sunni Definition of Bida As Either Good

or Bad GF Haddad Qasyoun@ziplip.com Shawwl 1423

This article is in two parts: I. Al-Shfis definition of bida as either good or bad; II. The division of
bida into good and bad among Ahl al-Sunna.


I. Al-Shfis Definition of Bida as Either Good or Bad


A major contribution of Imm al-Shfi in the Foundations of Jurisprudence (us
.
l al-fiqh) was
his division of innovation (al-bida) and innovated matters (al-muh
.
datht) into good and bad
depending whether they conformed or not to the guidelines of the Religion. This is authentically narrated
from al-Shfi from two of his most prestigious students in the latter period of his life, the Egyptian
h
.
adth Masters H
.
armala ibn Yah
.
y al-Tujayb and al-Rab ibn Sulaymn al-Murd:

57. H
.
armala said, I heard al-Shfi say: Innovation is two types (al-bidatu bidatn): approved
innovation (bida mah
.
mda) and disapproved innovation (bida madhmma). Whatever conforms
to the Sunna is approved (mah
.
md) and whatever opposes it is abominable (madhmm). He used
as his proof the statement of Umar ibn al-Khat
.
t
.
b about the [congregational] supererogatory night
prayers in the month of Ramad
.
n: What a fine innovation this is!
1


58. Al-Rab said, Al-Shfi said to us: Innovated matters are of two kinds (al-muh
.
dathtu min al-
umri d
.
arbn): one is an innovation that contravenes (m uh
.
ditha yukhlifu) something in the
Qurn or the Sunna or a Companion-report (athar) or the Consensus (ijm): that innovation is
misguidance (fahdhihi al-bidatu d
.
alla). The other kind is the innovation of any and all good
things (m uh
.
ditha min al-khayr) contravening none of the above, and this is a blameless innovation
(wahdhihi muh
.
dathatun ghayru madhmma). Umar said, concerning the prayers of Ramad
.
n:
What a fine bida this is! meaning that it was innovated without having existed before and, even
so, there was nothing in it that contradicted the above.
2


Thus al-Shfi set forth the essential, indispensable criterion for the determination of true bida, as
defined, among others, by Imm al-Haytam, Qd
.
Ab Bakr Ibn al-Arab, and Imm al-Lacknaw
respectively:
Bida in terms of the Law is everything innovated in contravention of the Lawgivers
command and the latters specific and general proof.
3

Only the bida that contradicts the Sunna is blameworthy.
4

Bida is all that did not exist in the first three centuries and for which there is no basis among
the four sources of Islm i.e. Qurn, Sunna, Ijm, and Qiys.
5


Consequently, it is not enough for something merely to be novel to be a bida; it must also contradict
the Religion.

Al-Bayhaq commented on al-Rabs report thus:

1
Narrated from H
.
armala by Ab Nuaym with his chain through Ab Bakr al-jurr in H
.
ilyat al-Awliy (9:121
#13315=1985 ed. 9:113) and cited by Ab Shma in al-Bith al Inkr al-Bida wal-H
.
awdith (Ryadh 1990 ed.
p. 93), Ibn Rajab in Jmi al-Ulm wal-H
.
ikam (p. 267=Zuh
.
ayl ed. 2:52= Arnat
.
ed. 2:131 s
.
ah
.
h
.
), Ibn H
.
ajar in
Fath
.
al-Br (1959 ed. 13:253), al-Turt
.
sh in al-H
.
awdith wa al-Bida (p. 158-159), and al-Shawkn, al-Qawl al-
Mufd f Adillat al-Ijtihd wa al-Taqld (1347/1929 ed. p. 36). Umars report is narrated by Mlik in al-Muwat
.
t
.
a
and al-Bukhr in his S
.
ah
.
h
.
.
2
Narrated from al-Rab by al-Bayhaq in his Madkhal and Manqib al-Shfi (1:469) with a sound chain as stated
by Ibn Taymiyya in his Dr Tarud
.
al-Aql wa al-Naql (p. 171) and through al-Bayhaq by Ibn Askir in Tabyn
Kadhib al-Muftar (Kawthar ed. p. 97). Cited by al-Dhahab in the Siyar (8:408), Ibn Rajab in Jmi al-Ulm
wal-H
.
ikam (p. 267=Zuh
.
ayl ed. 2:52-53=Arnat
.
ed. 2:131 s
.
ah
.
h
.
), and Ibn H
.
ajar in Fath
.
al-Br (1959 ed.
13:253).
3
Al-Haytam, al-Tabyn f Sharh al-Arban (p. 32).
.
4
Ibn al-Arab, ridat al-Ahwadh (10:147).
. .
5
Cf. al-Lacknaw, Iqmat al-H
.
ujja (p. 12).
Similarly, debating with the people of innovations when they make public their innovations or
bring up their insinuations to refute them and expose their fallacies: even if this is an innovation,
nevertheless, it is a praiseworthy one because it consists in refuting what we just mentioned. The
Prophet was asked about Divine foreordainment (al-qadar) and so were some of the Companions,
and they replied with the answers that were narrated to us from them. At that time, they contented
themselves with the words of the Prophet and, thereafter, with the reports to that effect. However, in
our time, the innovators do not content themselves with such reports nor do they accept them.
Therefore, it is necessary to refute their insinuations when they make them public with what they
themselves consider proofs. And success is through Allh.
6


This is a clear-cut defense of the necessity and Sunna character of kalm in the defense against
innovators on the part of Imm al-Bayhaq. Something similar is reported from Ibn Askir, Ibn al-
S
.
alh
.
, al-Nawaw, Ibn al-Subk, Ibn bidn, and others of the great Imms.



II. Division of Bida into Good and Bad among Ahl al-Sunna


Al-Ghazzls Identical Definition

H
.
ujjat al-Islm al-Ghazzl said in his discussion of the adding of dots to the Quranic 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 Tarwh
.
that it
was among the innovations of Umar and that it was an excellent innovation (bida h
.
asana). The
blameworthy bida in only what opposes the ancient Sunna or might lead to changing it.
7


Ibn al-Arab al-Mliks Identical Definition

The Qd
.
Ab Bakr Ibn al-Arab said in his discussion of bida:
Know May Allh grant you knowledge! that innovated matters are two kinds (al-
muh
.
dathtu d
.
arbn). [1] An innovated matter that has no basis other than lust and arbitrary practice.
Such is categorically invalid. And [2] An innovated matter understood to correspond to something
[established]. Such is the Sunna of the Caliphs and that of the eminent Imms. Innovated matters
and innovations are not blameworthy merely for being called muh
.
dath and bida nor because
of their meaning! Allh Most High has said, Never comes there unto them a new (muh
.
dath) re-
minder from their Lord (21:2) and Umar said: What a fine bida this is! Rather, only the
bida that contradicts the Sunna is blameworthy and only the innovated matters that invite to
misguidance are blameworthy.
8


Ibn H
.
azm and Ibn al-Jawzs Identical Definition

Ibn H
.
azm al-Z
.
hir said:
Bida in the Religion is everything that did not come to us in the Qurn nor from the Messenger
of Allh , except that one is rewarded for some of it and those who do this are excused if they
have good intentions. Of it is the rewardable and excellent (h
.
asan), namely, what is originally
permitted (m kna as
.
luhu al-ibh
.
a) as was narrated from Umar : What a fine bida this is!
Such refers to all good deeds which the texts stipulated in general terms of desirability even if its
practice was not fixed in the text. And of it is the blameworthy for which there is no excuse such as
what has proofs against its invalidity.
9


Ibn al-Jawz speaks in similar terms in the beginning of his Talbs Ibls: Certain innovated matters
(muh
.
datht) have taken place which do not oppose the Sacred Law nor contradict it, so they [the Salaf]
saw no harm in practicing them, such as the convening of the people by Umar for the night prayer
in Ramad
.
n, after which he saw them and said: What a fine bida this is!

6
Al-Bayhaq, Manqib al-Shfi (1:469).
7
Al-Ghazzl, Ihy Ulm al-Dn (1:276).
.
8
Ibn al-Arab, ridat al-Ahwadh (10:146-147).
. .
9
Ibn H
.
azm, al-Ih
.
km f Us
.
l al-Ah
.
km (1:47).

Ibn al-Athr al-Jazars Identical Definition

The lexicographer Ibn al-Athr said in his masterpiece, al-Nihya f Gharb al-H
.
dth wal-Athar:
Bida is two kinds: the bida of guidance and the bida of misguidance (bidatu hud wa-
bidatu d
.
alla). Whatever contravenes the command of Allh and His Messenger : that is within
the sphere of blame and condemnation. And whatever enters into the generality of what Allh 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 Islm (man sanna fl-islmi
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 Islm (waman sanna fl-islmi sunnatan
sayyiatan) bears its onus and the onus of all those who practice it.
10
Such is when the act goes
against what Allh and His Messenger commanded.... It is in this sense that the h
.
adth every
innovation is misguidance
11
is understood: he means, whatever contravenes the bases of the Law
and does not concur with the Sunna.
12


Ibn Abd al-Salms Final Fivefold Classification

Shaykh al-Islm, Sult
.
n al-Ulm, Imm al-Izz Ibn Abd al-Salm similarly said:
There are different types of innovations (bida). The first type is whatever the Law indicated as
praiseworthy or obligatory and the like of which was not done in the first period of Islm. The
second type is whatever the Law indicated as forbidden or disliked, and which was not done in the
first period of Islm. The third type is whatever the Law indicated as indifferently permitted and
which was not done in the first period of Islm.
13


Elsewhere he states that the categories of bida are five, identical to the jurists classification of
deeds: obligatory (wjib), forbidden (h
.
arm), recommended (mandb), disliked (makrh), and
permitted (mubh
.
).
14


Al-Nawaws Endorsement of the Fivefold Classification

Shaykh al-Islm, Imm al-Nawaw said:
Al-Bida in the Law is the innovating of what did not exist in the time of the Messenger of Allh
and is divided into excellent and bad (wahya munqasimatun il h
.
asana wa qabh
.
a). The
Shaykh, the Imm on whose foremost leadership, greatness, standing, and brilliance in all kinds of
Islamic sciences there is consensus, Ab Muh
.
ammad Abd al-Azz ibn Abd al-Salm Allh have
mercy on him and be well-pleased with him! said toward the end of his book, al-Qawid [al-
Kubr]: Innovation is divided into obligatory (wjiba), forbidden (muh
.
arrama), recommended
(mandba), offensive (makrha), and indifferent (mubh
.
a). The way [to discriminate] in this is
that the innovation be examined in the light of the regulations of the Law (qawid al-shara). If it
falls under the regulations of obligatoriness (jb) then it is obligatory; under the regulations of

10
Narrated from Jarr ibn Abd Allh al-Bajal by Muslim, al-Tirmidh, al-Nas, Ibn Mjah, Ah
.
mad, and al-
Drim. Also narrated with a similar wording from Ab Hurayra by Ibn Mjah and Ah
.
mad; from Ab Juh
.
ayfa by
Ibn Mjah; and from Hudhayfa by Ah
.
mad.
11
Narrated from al-Irbd
.
ibn Sriya by al-Tirmidh (h
.
asan s
.
ah
.
h
.
), Ab Dwd, Ibn Mjah, Ah
.
mad, al-Drim, Ibn
H
.
ibbn (1:178-179 #5 s
.
ah
.
h
.
), al-H
.
kim (1:95-97=1990 ed. 1:174-177) declaring it s
.
ah
.
h
.
while al-Dhahab
confirmed it and in al-Madkhal il al-S
.
ah
.
h
.
(p. 80-81), al-jurr in al-Shara (p. 54-55 #79-82=p. 46 s
.
ah
.
h
.
), Ibn
Ab s
.
im in al-Sunna (p. 29 #54 s
.
ah
.
h
.
), al-T
.
ah
.
w in Mushkil al-thr (2:69=3:221-224 #1185-1187 s
.
ah
.
h
.
), Mu-
h
.
ammad ibn Nas
.
r al-Marwaz in al-Sunna (p. 26-27 #69-72 s
.
ah
.
h
.
), al-H
.
rith ibn Ab Usma in his Musnad (1:197-
198), al-Ryn in his Musnad (1:439), Ab Nuaym in H
.
ilyat al-Awliy (1985 ed. 5:220-221, 10:115), al-T
.
abarn
in Musnad al-Shmiyyn (1:254, 1:402, 1:446, 2:197, 2:298) and al-Kabr (18:245-257), al-Bayhaq in al-Sunan al-
Kubr (10:114), al-Madkhal (p. 115-116), al-Itiqd (p. 229), and Shuab al-mn (6:67), al-Baghaw who declared
it h
.
asan in Sharh
.
al-Sunna (1:205 #102 isnd s
.
ah
.
h
.
), Ibn al-Athr in Jmi al-Us
.
l (1:187, 1:279), Ibn Askir in
al-Arban al-Buldniyya (p. 121), Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhd (21:278-279) and Jmi Bayn al-Ilm (2:924
#1758) where he declared it s
.
ah
.
h
.
, and others.
12
Ibn al-Athr, al-Nihya (1:79 entry b-d-).
13
Ibn Abd al-Salm, al-Fatw al-Mawsiliyya (p. 129).
.
14
Ibn Abd al-Salm, al-Qawid al-Kubr (2:337-339) cf. al-Nawaw in al-Adhkr (Thaqfiyya ed. p. 237) and
Tahdhb al-Asma wal-Lught (3:20-22), al-Sht
.
ib in al-Itis
.
m (Beirut ed. 1:188), al-Kirmn in al-Kawkib al-
Darr (9:54), Ibn H
.
ajar in Fath
.
al-Br (13:253-254), al-Suyt
.
, introduction to H
.
usn al-Maqs
.
id in al-H
.
w lil-
Fatw; al-Haytam, Fatw H
.
adthiyya (p. 150), Ibn bidn, Radd al-Muh
.
tr (1:376) etc.
prohibitiveness (tah
.
rm) then it is prohibited; recommendability, then recommended; offensiveness,
then offensive; indifference, then indifferent.
15


Ibn H
.
ajars Endorsement of the Fivefold Classification

The H
.
fiz
.
Ibn H
.
ajar said:
The root meaning of innovation is what is produced without precedent. It is applied in the law in
opposition to the Sunna and is therefore blameworthy. Strictly speaking, if it is part of what is
classified as commendable by the law then it is a good innovation (h
.
asana), while if it is part of what
is classified as blameworthy by the law then it is blameworthy (mustaqbah
.
a), otherwise it falls in the
category of what is permitted indifferently (mubh
.
). It can be divided into the known five categories.
16


Agreement of the Schools over the Fivefold Classification

Agreement formed in the Four Schools around the fivefold classification of bida as illustrated by
the endorsement of the major later authorities in each School.

[1] Among the H
.
anafs: al-Kirmn, Ibn bidn, al-Turkmn, al-Ayn, and al-Tahnaw.
17

[2] Among the Mliks: al-T
.
urt
.
sh, Ibn al-H
.
jj, al-Qarf, and al-Zurqn, while al-Sht
.
ib attempts a
refutation and claims that the fivefold classification is an invented matter without proof in the
Law!
18

[3] Consensus among the Shfis.
19

[4] Reluctant acceptance among later H
.
anbals, who altered al-Shfi and Ibn Abd al-Salms
terminology to read lexical innovation (bida lughawiyya) and legal innovation (bida
shariyya), respectively although inaccurately matching al-Shfis approved and abomi-
nable.
20
This manner of splitting hairs has become the shibboleth of Wahhbism in every micro-
debate on bida although the correct way as usual is patently that of the Jumhr.

Shaykh Muh
.
ammad Bakht al-Mut
.
concluded that The legal bida is the one that is misguidance
and condemned; as for the bida that the Ulema divided into obligatory and forbidden and so forth,
such is the lexical bida which is more inclusive than the legal because the legal is only part of it.
21


Al-Shawkn concluded in Nayl al-Awt
.
r 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 Imm of the Salaf said so on the basis of the Qurn and Sunna re-
gardless of the argumentations of later centuries whether from a would-be murajjih
.
like al-Shawkn or a
would-be censor like al-Sht
.
ib in light of the concurrence of the Jumhr around al-Shfis
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 Imm in Ilm who follows aberrant (shdhdh) positions (Abd al-
Rah
.
mn ibn Mahd). And Allh knows best.



15
Al-Nawaw, Tahdhb al-Asm wal-Lught (3:20-22).
16
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Br (1959 ed. 5:156-157=1989 ed. 4:318).
.
17
Al-Kirmn, al-Kawkib al-Darr Sharh
.
S
.
ah
.
h
.
al-Bukhr (9:54), Ibn bidn, H
.
shiya (1:376, 1:560); al-
Turkmn, al-Luma fl-H
.
awdith wal-Bida (Stuttgart, 1986, 1:37); al-Tahnaw, Kashshf Ist
.
ilh
.
at al-Funn
(Beirut, 1966, 1:133-135); al-Ayn, Umdat al-Qr in al-H
.
imyar, al-Bidat al-Hasana (p. 152-153).
.
18
Al-T
.
urt
.
sh, Kitb al-H
.
awdith wa al-Bida (p. 15, p. 158-159); Ibn al-H
.
ajj, Madkhal al-Shar al-Sharf (Cairo,
1336/1918 2:115); al-Qarf, al-Furq (4:219) cf. al-Sht
.
ib, al-Itis
.
m (1:188-191); al-Zurqn, Sharh
.
al-Muwat
.
t
.
a
(1:238). Al-Sht
.
ibs Itis
.
m was recirculated by two Wahhbs: Rashd Rid
.
then Salm Hill. A third Wahhb,
Muh
.
ammad Abd al-Salm Khad
.
ir al-Shuqayr Rid
.
s student authored al-Sunan wal-Mubtadat al-
Mutaalliqa bil-Adhkr wal-S
.
alawt which he filled with unverifiable tales which he proceeds to denounce with
much ado.
19
Ab Shma, al-Bith al Inkr al-Bida wa al-H
.
awdith (Riyad: Dr al-Raya, 1990 p. 93, Cairo ed. p. 12-13) as
well as those already mentioned. Note: consensus (ijm) is more inclusive than agreement (ittifq), and
binding.
20
Ibn Rajab, al-Jmi fl-Ulm wal-H
.
ikam (2:50-53), and Ibn Taymiyyas section on bida in his Iqtid
.
al-S
.
irt
.
al-
Mustaqm Mukhlafat As
.
h
.
b al-Jah
.
m. This is also the position of Ibn Kathr: see his commentary of the verse:
The Originator of the heavens and the earth! (2:117) in his Tafsr. He followed in this his teacher Ibn
Taymiyya.
21
Bakht, Fatw Hadthiyya (p. 205).
.
22
Al-Shawkn, Nayl al-Awt
.
r (4:60).