#336: Ruling on what necessitates Bid`ah
As-Salaamu Alaykum
” I have a question, what qualifies something as bidya or bid’aa? I honestly do not get this.”
ANSWER
Alhamdulillāh!
The word ‘bid’a’ is derived from the word ‘bada’a’ in Arabic which is ‘to invent’ or ‘to initiate’ something. That is the linguistic meaning of it.
Technically, it is used to imply matters of worship in the Din which were neither sanctioned by the Rasul – salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam – nor derived from the tradition of the Khulafaa Ar-raashidun (the Rightly Guided Caliphs).
It is important for you, dear one, to understand that the Ulamaa of Usul Al-Fiqh, after having synthesized the texts of the Qur’an and the Hadīth, broadly categorized them into two: matters relating to the relationship between a servant and his Lord – known as Ibaadaat – and matters that relate to the relationship between a servant and fellow servants of Allāh – known as mu’aamalaat.
As for Ibaadaat, what is default is that nothing of it is permissible but what Allah and His Messenger – salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam – sanctioned as either compulsory or supererogatory.
It is important to know that it is in the sphere of Ibaadaat that bid’a comes in.
What this mean is that if a servant, out of his own biding here, decides to, invent his own form of rendering some act of worship, it will be regarded as a bid’a.
As for the Mu’aamalaat, what is default is that everything in it is permissible but that which has been declared impermissible by way of dislike or by way of prohibition by Allāh and/or His Messenger – salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.
Bid’a does not fall into mu’aamalaat unless for areas where the Shari’a has already defined a definite way.
For example, it is agreed upon by the Fuqahaa that every animal is permissible to be eating but those that were specifically forbidden. This is why it will be sheer ignorance for someone to say, for instance, that eating what the Prophet – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – did not eat is a bid’a.
If you have more questions on this matter, you may ask further questions on the specific aspects you seek clarification and you may look to the book ‘Al-I’tisaam’ written by Imaam Abu Is’haq Ash-Shaatibi – rahimahullaah – for elucidation.
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran
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