FRIDAY SERMON: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Mohammad Younis Bhat (Zahid)
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Master of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad ﷺ, and upon his family and all his companions.
The religion of Islam is a complete, comprehensive, and eternal faith. It provides guidance for every aspect of human life. Allah Almighty has perfected this religion through His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and has placed in it guidance until the Day of Judgment. For this reason, there is no room in Islam for any deficiency or any addition.
Allah Almighty declares:
﴿ٱلۡیَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِینَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَیۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِی وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِینࣰا﴾
(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 3)
“Today I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
Since the religion has been perfected, adding anything new in the name of religion is not only unnecessary but also dangerous. In Shariah terminology, such an addition is called Bid’ah (innovation in religion).
Linguistic and Shariah Definition of Bid’ah
Linguistic Meaning
In language, Bid’ah means to originate or invent something for the first time, without any prior example.
Shariah Definition
In Shariah terms, Bid’ah refers to any new belief, action, or method that:
- Is not established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- Was not present in the era of the noble Companions (Sahaba)
- Is adopted while considering it part of the religion
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هٰذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ»
(Bukhari, Muslim)
“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (our religion) something that is not part of it, it is rejected.”
This Hadith makes the issue of Bid’ah completely clear: adding anything new to the religion is not accepted by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
Fundamental Difference Between Bid’ah and Sunnah
What is Sunnah?
- Any saying, action, or approval established from the Prophet ﷺ
- Practiced by the noble Companions
- In accordance with the Quran and Hadith
What is Bid’ah?
- An action not established from the Prophet ﷺ
- Not adopted by the Companions
- Yet later taken up while considering it an act of goodness or worship
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ»
(Abu Dawud)
“It is obligatory upon you to adhere firmly to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Caliphs.”
Causes of Bid’ah
- The assumption that there is a deficiency in the religion
- Giving preference to emotions over Shariah
- Distance from the Quran and Hadith
- Disregard for righteous scholars
- Blind following and adherence to customs and traditions
Severe Harms of Bid’ah
- Bid’ah is performed thinking it is goodness
The greatest danger of Bid’ah is that it is done under the impression of being an act of worship and a means of reward. - Bid’ah closes the door of repentance
Because the one committing Bid’ah does not see himself as sinful but as pious. - Bid’ah leads toward Shirk (polytheism)
In the nation of Nuh (Noah) عليه السلام, Shirk began from memorials of righteous people.
The Quran says:
﴿وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمۡ﴾
(Surah Nuh: 23)
Some Common Bid’ahs Prevalent in Society
(These examples are only for the purpose of reform):
- Considering the 3rd day (Teesra), 40th day (Chaliswan), and annual death anniversary (Barsi) after someone’s passing as obligatory
- Designating specific days and nights for worship without evidence
- Reciting adhkar (remembrances) and wazaif (regular invocations) not established from the Prophet ﷺ
- Seeking impermissible help from graves
- Treating certain gatherings as obligatory or essential
The principle is:
Whatever practice was not present in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, and the Tabi’in cannot be goodness.
The Misconception of “Bid’ah Hasanah” (Good Bid’ah)
Some people claim that not every Bid’ah is evil. However, the Prophet ﷺ said:
«كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ»
(Muslim)
“Every Bid’ah is misguidance.”
The statement of Umar رضي الله عنه “نعمت البدعۃ” (“What an excellent innovation”) referred to a linguistic Bid’ah (something newly started), not a Shariah Bid’ah, because congregational Tarawih is established from the Prophet ﷺ.
Practical Steps to Avoid Bid’ah
- Before any action, seek evidence from the Quran and Hadith
- Make Shariah the criterion, not emotions
- Revive the Sunnah
- Seek guidance from righteous scholars
- Keep the religion easy, not complicated
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«إِنَّ الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ»
(Bukhari)
“Indeed, the religion is ease.”
Firm Belief and Salvation from Bid’ah
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطِی مُسۡتَقِیمࣰا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ﴾
(Surah Al-An’am: 153)
“This is My straight path, so follow it.”
The Approach of the Companions Toward Bid’ah
The Companions رضي الله عنهم understood the religion best and were the closest students of the Prophet ﷺ. They strictly avoided any practice whose basis was not in Shariah.
The famous incident of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه is well-known: When he saw some people in the mosque counting pebbles in group dhikr, he said:
“You are either more guided than the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, or you are opening the door of misguidance.”
This shows that even with good intention, if an action is not in accordance with the Sunnah, it is not acceptable.
Bid’ah in Islamic History
Islamic history bears witness that whenever Bid’ah became widespread in the Ummah:
- Knowledge weakened
- Sectarianism increased
- The Ummah fell into disunity
Imam Malik رحمه الله said:
“Whoever considers a Bid’ah in Islam to be good is as if he claims that the Prophet ﷺ was unfaithful in conveying the religion.”
Bid’ah and Worship
In worship, the essence is following the Sunnah, not the abundance of actions.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ»
(Bukhari)
“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if they are few.”
Thus, worship that follows the Sunnah—even if small—is better than abundant worship based on Bid’ah.
Bid’ah in the Modern Era
In today’s age, Bid’ah appears in new forms:
- Unauthentic adhkar on social media
- Prioritizing dreams and spiritual unveilings over Shariah
- Turning religion into cultural rituals
All of these distance the younger generation from the true religion.
The Role of Scholars in Protecting from Bid’ah
It is the duty of righteous scholars to:
- Clearly call Bid’ah what it is
- Reform with wisdom and gentleness
- Connect people to the Quran and Sunnah
Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَسْـَٔلُوٓا أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾
(Surah An-Nahl: 43)
Responsibilities of the Common Muslim
Every Muslim must:
- Learn the religion
- Ask for evidence for every action
- Avoid Bid’ah himself and warn others
The Path to Salvation from Bid’ah
The only path to salvation is the one followed by the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا مَا تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا: كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّتِي»
(Muwatta Imam Malik)
“I have left among you two things; you will never go astray as long as you hold fast to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.”
What is Bid’ah?
Bid’ah is every new belief or action adopted as part of the religion but not proven from the Quran, Sunnah, or the practice of the Companions.
What is Ghuluww (Extremism/Exaggeration)?
Ghuluww means exceeding the limits set by Shariah in any belief, action, or regarding a personality.
Allah says in the Quran:
﴿يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ﴾
(Surah An-Nisa: 171)
“O People of the Book! Do not exceed the limits in your religion.”
Fundamental Difference Between Ghuluww and Bid’ah
- Ghuluww is exceeding limits in something that is permissible or established.
- Bid’ah is introducing something new into the religion that has no basis in Shariah.
For example:
- Love for the Prophet ﷺ is obligatory, but elevating him to divinity is Ghuluww.
- Inventing a method of worship not from the Prophet ﷺ is Bid’ah.
Does Ghuluww Lead to Bid’ah?
Yes, often Ghuluww opens the door to Bid’ah, and Bid’ah can eventually lead to Shirk.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْغُلُوَّ فِي الدِّينِ، فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمُ الْغُلُوُّ فِي الدِّينِ»
(Nasa’i)
“Beware of Ghuluww in religion, for it was only Ghuluww in religion that destroyed those before you.”
Is Every Ghuluww a Bid’ah?
Not every Ghuluww is Bid’ah, but every Bid’ah contains some degree of Ghuluww.
The Easy Way to Avoid Bid’ah
Examine every action on the scale of the Quran and Sunnah, and take the way of the Salaf as-Salih (righteous predecessors) as the standard.
Conclusion
The issue of Bid’ah is not merely a jurisprudential matter but an issue of faith (Iman). It is essential for a Muslim to keep his religion pure, hold firmly to the Quran and Sunnah, and avoid anything that amounts to addition in the religion.
May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to recognize truth as truth and act upon it, and to recognize falsehood as falsehood and abstain from it. Ameen, O Lord of the worlds.
And Allah knows best.
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