INNOVATION IN RELIGION (BID’AH)

INNOVATION IN RELIGION (BID’AH)

Q.   What is the gravest of sins after unbelief and polytheism?

  Bid’ah (innovation in religion) is the greatest of all sins after unbelief and polytheism.

Innovation is a thing done in the same of religion even though there be no place for it in Shariah, i.e., it has no sanction of the Holy Qur-an or the Hadith and had no basis or existence in the days of the holy Prophet (peace be on him) or his Companions or the period immediately following them.

Innovation is an evil practice. The holy Prophet (peace be on him) has characterized all innovations in religion as despicable and has called an innovator a demolisher of religion. He has also said that every innovation is a deviation from path and every deviation from path will lead to Hell.

Q.   Mention some of the acts that amount to innovation.

  People have devised thousands of innovations. Some of them are as follows:

·   Constructing pucca graves;

·   Constructing domes on graves;

·   Organizing fairs on graves with great fanfare;

·   Bedecking the graves with covers and sheets of cloth;

·   Illuminating the graves;

·   Assembling on the house of the deceased person for feasting;

·   Covering the face of the bridegroom with wreaths of flowers, gold and silver in marriages;

·   Adding conditions and qualifications to any otherwise permissible and desirable acts that have no basis in Islam.