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02-03-2012, 02:08 AM | #1 |
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Salam,
Could someone explain the hadith : "Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error." (Abu Dawud) It seems confusing because novelty and bidah as I understand essentially means "new". If I were to apply that meaning to the narration then it would mean: ".........for every *new matter* is an *new matter*, and every *new matter* is an error." Which does not make it a proper meaningful sentence. |
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02-04-2012, 02:22 AM | #2 |
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This letter by the Mujaddid, written in response to a letter from Shaikh Hasan-i Barki, encourages to recover the forgotten sunnats and to abstain from bidats. I begin to write this letter with the Basmala. May hamd (grateful praise) be to Allahu ta'ala. I send my salams to and prayers for the good people chosen by Allahu ta'ala. I was very much pleased to read the letter from my brother Shaikh Hasan. Valuable pieces of knowledge and marifats were written in it. When I understood them, I became quite pleased. Thanks be to Allahu ta'ala, all the knowledge and kashfs which you wrote are correct. They are all agreeable with the Qur'an and hadiths. So are the right beliefs of the savants of Ahl as-sunnat. May Allahu ta'ala keep you on the right way. May He bless you with attaining high grades! You write that you have been striving to do away with the bidats that are so widespread. At such a time as this, when the darknesses of bidats are so prevalent, it is a very great blessing to bring about the annihilation of one bidat and to recover one of the forgotten sunnats. Our Prophet "sall-Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam' states in a sahih hadith: "He who recovers one of my forgotten sunnats will receive as many thawabs as a hundred martyrs will receive!" The greatness of this deed must be inferred from this hadith. But, when doing this, there is an important subtlety to be observed. That is, while trying to recover one sunnat, we should not cause any fitna; one goodness should not give birth to a variety of problems or evils, for we are in the latest time. We are in a century when Muslims are weak and forlorn. Do your best to educate and to bring up so as to be well-mannered and well-learned the late Mawlana Ahmad's "rahmatullahi ta'ala 'alaih' children. Teach them spiritual and bodily adabs! Be an example for everybody you know and meet and even all your brothers- in-Islam there by obeying the Shariat and holding fast to the sunnat! Tell everybody about the harms of committing bidat, of disbelief! May Allahu ta'ala bless you with the lot of doing good deeds! May He give success to those who strive for the spreading of the Islamic din and for teaching it to the youngsters! May He protect us and our children against going astray by being deceived by the enemies of the din and virtue, by those who strive to demolish the Islamic din and steal the iman and morals of the pure youth, and by those who try to deceive the youngsters through lies and slanders! Amin. My son! When fitna is widespread and fasads are abundant, it is time to repent and make istighfar. You must keep aloof and not participate in fitna. Fitna is growing and spreading each day. Our beloved Prophet "sallallahu alaihi wa sallam' said: "As the Doomsday approaches, fitna will increase. It will resemble the increase in darkness as night begins. Many who leave their homes in the morning as Muslim, will return home as kafirs in the evening. While they are Muslim in the evening, they will lose their belief during the night at places of amusement. During such times, to stay at home is better than being involved in fitna. Those who stay aloof are better than those who attack and lead in front. On that day, break your arrows! Leave your weapons and swords! Address everybody with a smiling face and sweet words! Do not leave your house!"” (Vol 3:105) |
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02-04-2012, 09:32 PM | #3 |
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The Mujaddid's letters clarify beyond any doubt that his view on Bid'ah Hasanah is in stark contrast to that of the extreme sufis of today. I will now quote some of the Mujaddid's views on a number of other issues, which will demonstrate further how different his views are to many of the deviated brands of sufism in vogue nowadays. |
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03-05-2012, 12:01 AM | #4 |
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for all your informative posts. Could you please provide a refernece for the above quote? May I also ask where are you getting all the translated quotes from - are they from the hakikat kitabevi website? Also can you clarify whether the Imam is referring to the 'linguistic' usage of the term bida' that you highlighted in the earlier posts, when he uses the term 'bida' hasana'? |
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04-02-2012, 12:47 PM | #5 |
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Salam, Brother I want to add a question with u, which type of Bid‘ah did they perform mentioned in following hadith? Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 76, Number 584: Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, "Some of my companions will come to me at my Lake Fount, and after I recognize them, they will then be taken away from me, whereupon I will say, 'My companions!' Then it will be said, 'You do not know what they innovated (new things) in the religion after you." |
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04-04-2012, 05:36 AM | #6 |
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The Mujaddid said: “You have asked how it is that I forbid dhikr with loud voice and not condemn many other things which had not existed at the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) such as the shirt open in front (libas farji) and pyjamas. Please note that the acts of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) were of two kinds: those that were performed as ibadah, an act of worship, and those that were done as urf and adah, habits and customs. The acts which were done as ibadah, we consider deviations from them to be evil innovations, and condemn them strongly, for they are innovations in religion (din) and must be rejected. But the acts which were done as part of habit and custom, we do not regard deviations from them as innovation, and do not proscribe them. For they do not belong to religion (din); their existence or disappearance depends upon the custom of society rather than religion” (Vol 1:231) |
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05-04-2012, 08:22 PM | #7 |
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The only reference I have for Imam Malik's saying is Al-I'tisam by Imam Shatibi The quotes from Mujaddid are from a number of sources including the one you mentioned. There is no-one that can deny the linguistic usage of the word bi'dah hasanah. Even the Salaf used the word bid'ah in its linguistic usage as demonstrated here: http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/show...l=1#post740227 The Mujaddid refers several times to innovation in the Deen, which is the definition of legal bid'ah. |
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05-04-2012, 11:52 PM | #8 |
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I’m still slightly confused regarding what you are trying to ‘prove’ or demonstrate. I don’t think anyone denies the reprehensibility of ‘legal bida’. It boils down to what actions you categorize under this heading. What type of ‘bida hasana’ as classified by some ulema is the Mujaddid speaking against? It would help if you gave examples of what you understand from the Imams words i.e. give examples of action that fall within the categories mentioned by him. |
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05-05-2012, 06:08 AM | #9 |
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Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi's opinion seems to rest emotionally on his attachment to the sunnah, and against bid'as that abolish or lead to (further) neglect of the sunnah. That is what I can discern and perhaps he is citing a wisdom that is aware of the sunnah in much more detail than others are and feels they are hiding the sunnah thereby. This is understandable and noteworthy to differentiate from those who oppose bid'a for the fact of hating bid'a for itself, rather than hating it because of what it distracts from.
This is a matter of Usul. Bid'a exists right from the get-go in Islam. In fact, the polemic refuting Sunniforum members regularly and excessively engage in, is in fact, itself a bid'a that Imam al-Bayhaqi spoke about and said is a good bid'a for the sake of establishing the truth (although its clear how it can be a bad bid'a too)! There are other bid'as as well, like shaking hands with people which I believe the Muslims got from the Ashari tribe of Yemen. The following diagram is a survey of the topic I have put together. Source: http://muslimology.wordpress.com/201...standing-bida/ |
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06-04-2012, 04:35 AM | #10 |
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07-03-2012, 04:15 AM | #11 |
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Hadrat Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani said in another letter: “As long as man does not abstain from such ‘bid’ah hasanah’ which is in reality ‘bid’ah sayyiah’, he will be deprived of the fragrance of this wealth of Imaan. Today, the comprehension of the tenth has become most difficult because the entire world is drowning in the ocean of bid’ah. People are reclining and taking comfort in the darkness of bid’ah practices. Who today has the ability to eliminate bid’ah and revive Sunnah? The majority of the Ulama of this age are engaged in establishing bid’at and eliminating Sunnah….” [Maktoob 54, Daftar 11, addressed to Sayyid Shah Muhammad] |
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07-03-2012, 06:31 AM | #12 |
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I have a question which has been sitting in the back of my mind for quite some time now and that is do the Hanafis (from classical texts) believe in the concept of bid`ah hasanah? Furthermore, do the Deobandi Hanafis believe in the concept of bid`ah hasanah? From what I've read, the Shafi`is and Malikis accept this categorization of bid`ah but as for the Hanafis, I haven't really grasped a clear picture. The following is a brief explanation of bid`ah by Mufti Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf which I was wondering if someone could elaborate on as to whether he is explaining bid`ah hasanah. “Whoever innovates something reprehensible in this matter of ours that does not belong to it is rejected.” (Bukhari, Muslim) "In this matter" i.e. religion - Islam. Defining "innovation," Qadi Iyad writes, "Whoever innovates an opinion in Islam that does not have any manifest (zahir) or obscure (khafi) or clear derived substantiation from the Qur'an and Sunna, then it is rejected." Islam was preferred as a religion, and anyone who attempts to bring into it an unsubstantiated idea has undertaken a disliked practice - disliked because of the implication that Islam is incomplete or defective, and hence has need for some innovation. As for the words "that does not belong to it," they indicate that innovating something that is in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunna (i.e. "which belongs to it") cannot be considered reprehensible. Imam Shafi'i said, "Any innovation that violates the Qur'an or Sunna or a statement [of the Companion - athar] or the consensus (ijma') [of Muslim scholars] is a deviance. And whatever good that has been innovated and does not contravene any of the above is not reprehensible" (Mirqat al-mafatih 1:366, 368). Thus, according to Islamic law, bid'a is any new way in worship that is done with the intention of attaining more reward, but not proven from the words or the actions - explicit or tacit - of the Messenger (salawaatullahi wasalaamu alaih) or the four caliphs, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali (radiallahu anhum), in spite of them having had the ability to do so (Shatibi, Al-I'tisam). The Messenger of Allah strongly warned his Umma against innovating something into Islam saying, "When a people innovate something new into their religion, a sunna to that amount is lifted from them. Hence, holding fast to a sunna is superior to introducing a new innovation (Ahmad). This is why extreme caution is required in the issue of bid'a. When there is doubt about whether or not something is a reprehensible innovation, it is superior to leave the action. Ibn 'Abidin, the great Syrian jurist, writes, "When there is confusion between the ruling of something being a sunna or bid'a, it is preferable that one abandon the [possible] sunna than enact the [possible] innovation" (Radd al-muthar 1:431) New methods invented to fulfill human needs have nothing to do with bid'a, because they are not introduced as an act of worship or with the intention of earning reward. Hence, they are permissible as long as they do not violate any command of the Shari'a. It also can be understood from the above explanation of bid'a that many things were not needed in the time of Allah's Messenger , but were established later to achieve a religious objective, cannot be included in the realm of bid'a (in the legal sense) either, [even though they may be considered bid'a in the literal sense, i.e., "an innovation" or "something new." Many times the later is intended when referencing a certain matter to be a good or bad bid'a, since every action legally considered a bid'a can only be reprehensible]. Some innovations that do not violate the Qur'an or the Sunna include the establishment of of madrasas with their organized curricula and classrooms and centers and institutions for spreading Islam (da'wa). Also included among these commendable innovations is the codification of sciences like Arabic grammar, syntax, etymology, rhetoric, and literature to better understand and interpret the Qur'an and hadith; the study of philosophy [or other relevant subjects] to repudiate heretical groups; and the use of certain modern weapons for the defense of Muslims. Examples of [legally] reprehensible innovation include [unnecessary] decoration of masjids or the custom of shaking hands after the prayers. Mulla 'Ali al-Qari writes, "Some of our scholars [i.e. the Hanafi scholars] have explicitly mentioned that it [shaking hands after prayer] is disliked, and for this reason it is from among the reprehensible innovations (Mirqat al-mafatih 1:368, see also Radd al-muthar 5:244). [A] Conversely, one must also be cautious of ignorantly labeling something, which may be recommended or permissible, as a bid'a, since that is also detrimental to the faith. [Excerpt from, Provisions for the Seekers with commentary by Mufti Abdur-Rahman Ibn Yusuf] http://www.muftisays.com/blog/Seifed...d%27ah%29.html |
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08-02-2012, 01:11 PM | #13 |
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08-02-2012, 10:23 PM | #14 |
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Words can have a literal definition and a technical definition. Bidah used in its literal sense can be used for anything new, such as the latest technology. Used in this sense, Bidah can be classified into good and bad. Minarets can be called a good bid’ah, whilst photo booths can be called reprehensible bid’ah. Umar used the word Bid’ah in this sense, when talking about taraweeh. As another example to portray the difference between literal/linguistic and technical/legal definition, the word ‘Shirk’ can be used in its literal sense to label any partnership. A business partnership to run a charity can be called ‘Good Shirk’ or 'Shirk Hasanah', whereas a partnership to run a pub can be called ‘Bad Shirk’, again in its literal sense. Just as there is no such concept as Shirk Hasanah in its technical (religious) usage, there is no such concept as Bid’ah Hasanah. The Prophet condemned Bi’dah repeatedly without restriction almost as many times as he condemned Shirk. All Bid’ah in its technical usage, i.e. innovations in the deen, are reprehensible. Some ulamah were not very particular in their usage of the word Bid’ah and mistakenly conflated the literal and technical definitions of the word. The Ahl al-bid’ah have used this to their advantage to open the apparently limitless door towards justifying the countless Bid’ah that are in vogue today. As Allamah Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani said: "By this account which we reviewed from the instructions of our praiseworthy teacher [Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan] and others of the ‘ulama of this field (Allah have mercy on them), it [should] be clear to you, if Allah (Most High) wills, legal bid’ah in its entirety is evil and blameworthy and is not divided into good and bad, or obligatory, recommended and disliked, and other divisions. So his (Allah bless him and grant him peace) statement in the hadith of the chapter “every bid’ah is misguidance” is understood by us as general. Those who specify it as evil bid’ah and divide bid’ah into types seem not to have been over particular about the use of this word and they shifted from the legal definition to the linguistic definition and construed it as legal[11], as the statement of al-Zurqani in Sharh al-Mawahib indicates where he said: “It is linguistically what is done without a past precedent and is used in the Shar’iah in this sense also. It divides into obligatory [bid'ah] like knowledge of the evidences of the dialectical theologians (mutakallimin) to refute the atheists and innovators; recommended, like compiling books, building schools and endowments; permissible, like expanding foods and drinks; prohibited, like errors produced in [the recitation of] the Qur’an; and disliked, like the effect of something the detestability of which is proven textually.” http://www.deoband.org/2010/07/gener...n-the-shariah/ |
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08-02-2012, 11:53 PM | #15 |
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I dont see the issue has anything to do with the not so relevent classification of linguistic bidah and technical bidah or so forth. The issue is about what exactly is "new".
Those who accept a good bidah say that a good bidah would be having a basis in the shariah, and hence we know it is "good". If it contridicts shariah, it is "bad". Then there would those which would be neutral/doubtful. They are new and hence called bidah. But they are good because the goodness of it is based on the shariah itself or in other words the shariah itself permits this good bidah. Those who reject good bidah falls into two categories. One category would accept a innovation which has a basis; meaning the shariah itself permits that particular innovation and does not put a restriction to innovate. But does not call it "bidah" because that permission to innovate is part of shariah itself and therefore not new to the shariah. Hence not really a bidah. There is another category of those who reject bidah whereby they tend towards rejection of qiyas and do not consider permissible to do anything which the prophet sallallahu alaihi wassallam did not specifically do in the exact manner such that no dot or exclaimation mark should be changed or added. The latter category would then sometimes try to further narrow down by categorizing between religion from wordly matters or matters of worship from matters that which are not considered as worship, etc and appply bidah to only one aspect of the classification I.e religion or worship. If you notice from these three, the first case and the second case are same and their difference is merely linguistic. But the third case has fundamental difference with the first two case. And the real controversy on bidah is between the third case with the other two. And hence not a mere issue of linguistic difference. Wasalam |
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08-03-2012, 12:05 AM | #16 |
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For example take the hadith: “The Religion is naseeha (sincerity and sincere advice).”*[Saheeh Muslim]
Ist case is a person who accepts good bidah. He would consider a innovation in naseeha as permissible and good when the goodness of the innovated naseeha has a basis in shariah 2nd case also accepts innovation in naseeha, the only difference bbeing that he does not consider it a "bidah" as the permissibility of innovation is part of shariah and not a new addition to it. The 3rd category is were issues and difference really lie. As their definition of innovation would have to consider a innovation in naseeha to be forbidden as a naseeha cannot be done in any way or manner other than which the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him, did. The hadith considers naseeha as an aspect of religion hence a classification into secular and religious matter wouldn't apply to this. |
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08-03-2012, 03:43 AM | #17 |
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The barelwis' claim of being true inheritors of Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani and Shah Waliullah (along with their claim of being true conveyors of the Hanafi madhab), is almost as hollow as their claim of having love for the Prophet whilst relegating his beloved Sunnah in preference to actions not found in the Sunnah. The Ahl al-Bid’ah tend to use one of two methods when interpreting the statements of the two Mujaddids: 1)They claim, without manuscriptural evidence, that their works have been fabricated and forged. Nobody should access their works except through the filters of the deviant group e.g. only those parts that are not in conflict with barelwism has escaped tampering. This tactic allows any deviant group to lay claim to any scholar in history. It also implies that Allah sends a reviver, a signpost through which the Ummah can be set straight again, only to allow the reviver’s works to become inaccessible. 2)They claim, without sound basis, that Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani and Shah Waliullah have erred and/ or are deviants. |
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09-04-2012, 12:21 AM | #19 |
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Introduction There exists a stereotype of Sufis which conveys the impression that they are lax with regards to the Shariah, that they perpetrate acts of bid'ah, and that they condone practices which easily lead to shirk. Hopefully, this thread will serve to counter such a stereotype by demonstrating that the true Sufis, such as Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani and Shah Waliullah, and their closest inheritors, the Deobandi Akabir, held views that were completely contrary to the stereotype. The fact that no non-sufi contemporaries of these Mujaddids came remotely close to them in terms of the barakah bestowed upon their revival efforts and legacy, of which only one strand is their transformation of hundreds of millions of Muslims to this day, bears the mark of Allah's guidance on and acceptance of these luminaries. May Allah grant us all the tawfeeq to recognise the true Mujaddids, as promised to the Ummah in the Ahadith, and enable us to follow them completely. A note of warning for those who have become acclimatized to the widespread acts of bid'ah justified under the guise of 'bid'ah hasanah': Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani stated clearly that his words against bid'ah hasanah would be hard to digest. Before mentioning the example of an Alim who would practise bid'ah hasanah and who as a result would be executed by Imam Mahdi, he said: "Today, due to wide spread propagation of Bid'ah, these wordings would be hard to bear upon many, but tomorrow they would know whether we are on the right path or they." And in another letter, whilst referring to the Ulama as the culprits: "This is something difficult in this time for the world is immersed in a profound sea of bid'ah and content with the darkness of it. Who has the ability to speak in this time of the removal of bid'ah and the raising of the Sunnah? The majority of the Ulama of this age are engaged in establishing bid’ah and eliminating Sunnah..." Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani's stance against Bid'ah Hasanah (Vol 1) Letter 186 to Khwajah ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Mufti al-Kabuli in Encouraging Adherence to Sunnah and Avoidance of Bid‘ah and that every Bid‘ah is Misguidance I ask Allah – glorified and exalted is He – with humbleness and contrition, helplessness and poverty, humility and brokenness, in secret and in openness, to not try this feeble one with those who unite near Him or rely on Him in performing every innovated practice of bid‘ah in the religion, of that which was not present in the time of the best of humanity and the time of the rightly guided caliphs (upon him and upon them blessings and peace), even if that act is like the breaking of dawn in clarity, and [I ask Allah] that He does not try us with approving of that innovator, [and I ask this] through the sanctity of the select master and his righteous progeny (upon him and upon them blessing and peace). Some people say bid‘ah is of two types: good and bad. Thus, good bid‘ah is every righteous deed which arose after the time of our Prophet and the time of the rightly guided caliphs (upon him and upon them blessings and peace) and does not eliminate a Sunnah practice; while bad bid‘ah does eliminate a Sunnah practice. This needy one has not seen any goodness or light in any bid‘ah, and he has not sensed in them anything besides darkness and dirt. Whoever, in the present time, supposedly finds praise and light in an innovated matter due to a weak insight, he will learn tomorrow after gaining sharpness in vision, that it has no advantage at all besides in regret and loss. [poetry not translated] The master of men (upon him blessing and peace) said: “Whoever innovates in this matter of ours what is not of it, it is rejected.” So when a thing is rejected, from where will goodness come to it? He (upon him blessing and peace) said: “To proceed. Verily the best speech is the Book of Allah, and the best conduct is the conduct of Muhammad. The worst of affairs are their innovations, and every innovation is bid‘ah, and every bid‘ah is misguidance.” He (upon him blessing and peace) said: “I enjoin unto you the fear of Allah, and listening and obedience, even if an Ethiopian slave [is your leader]; for indeed those of you who live after me will see much conflict. Incumbent on you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs. Remain steadfast on that, and bite on it with the molar teeth. And beware of innovated matters, for indeed every innovation is bid‘ah, and every bid‘ah is misguidance.” Since every innovation is bid‘ah, and every bid‘ah is misguidance, what is the meaning of goodness in bid‘ah? Furthermore, the purport of the hadiths is that every bid‘ah eliminates a Sunnah, and eliminating [Sunnah] is not restricted to some [bid‘ahs]. Hence, every bid‘ah is bad. He (upon him blessing and peace) said: “No group innovates a bid‘ah except the like of it from the Sunnah is lifted.” Thus, adhering to the Sunnah is better than inventing a bid‘ah. It was narrated from Hassan [ibn Thabit] that he said: “No group innovated a bid‘ah in their religion except Allah removed the like of it from their Sunnahs, and then He will not return it to them till the Day of Resurrection.” It should be known that some bid‘ahs which the ‘ulama and mashayikh counted amongst good bid‘ah, when carefully considered, it will be realised that it eliminates a Sunnah practice. An example of this is that they consider putting a turban on the dead a good bid‘ah, although it eliminates a Sunnah because it is an addition on the Sunnah number [of garments] for shrouding, which is three garments, and [according to the principles of jurisprudence] an addition is abrogation, and abrogation is the very essence of elimination. Similarly some mashayikh have considered releasing the tail of the turban to the left to be good although the Sunnah is to release it between the shoulders, and this bid‘ah eliminating that Sunnah is manifest containing no obscurity. Likewise some scholars have considered it good to articulate with the tongue the intention of Salah along with the intention of the heart even though articulating the intention on the tongue has not been established from the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), nor his noble companions, nor the great successors, neither in an authentic transmission nor in a weak transmission. Rather they would do the initial takbir after standing. Thus, articulating [the intention] is bid‘ah. And they say that it is a good bid‘ah. This needy one says that this bid‘ah eliminates an obligation let alone a Sunnah, because most people suffice with this degree, of expressing the intention with the tongue, meaning without bringing the intention in the heart, and without care for the heedlessness of the heart from this matter, and thus an obligation from the obligations of Salah, that is the intention [of the heart], is completely abandoned, and leads to the corruption of Salah. And likewise all bid‘ahs and innovations follow on this pattern because they are additions to the Sunnah, even if only in one aspect, and an addition is abrogation, and abrogation is elimination. Thus, you must restrict yourself to following the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and suffice with imitating the noble companions for they are like stars: whichever of them you imitate, you will be guided. As for analogy (qiyas) and exercising scholarly opinion (ijtihad) it is not bid‘ah at all, because it is a clarifier of the meaning of the texts, and it does not establish an additional matter. So take heed O possessors of intelligence! Peace be on those who follow guidance, and adhere to the practice of the Chosen One – upon him and upon his progeny the best of blessings and the most complete of salutations. |
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