Q. What we eat, drink and the clothes we use were not known at the Prophet’s time. Does this mean that these are bid’ah? May I also mention that when Umar arranged that the taraweeh prayer be offered in congregation, he commented that it was a good bid’ah. On this basis many imams are using the same term to introduce new things in prayer, dhikr, and other practices. Please comment.
Abu Aqeelah
A. The term bid’ah is derived from a root bada’a, which means “to invent, produce something new, etc.” In its linguistic usage, the word carries proper and commendable connotations. From the same root, the term badee’ is derived, which means “1) fine, excellent, and 2) originator.” When it is applied to God, it means the latter or “creator.” Thus God describes Himself in the Qur’an as Badee’ Al-Samawat wal-Ard, which means “the Creator of the heavens and the earth.”
The Prophet speaks about bid’ah and distinguishes between what is good and what is bad. But he makes clear that this applies to areas where God wants us to follow a certain line. Where no specific guidance is given, we have complete freedom of choice. The examples you have given provide a good basis.
The Prophet has not specified guidance on food and clothes, except to point out what is forbidden in either. This means that whatever we choose is perfectly acceptable as long as we remain within the values and morality outlined by Islam. Some people may think that it is a Sunnah to imitate the way the Prophet used to dress.
But the Prophet used the clothes his people used, without introducing anything new. There was no difference between the unbelievers and the Muslims in the way they dressed, except where something is forbidden in Islam. Thus, no Muslim would wear a robe made of silk, or one, which reveals the area that, must be covered.
Normally people eat and dress what is suitable for their environment and climate. This is perfectly acceptable. No bid’ah applies here, because the Prophet did not state anything to prevent this. Nor did he recommend certain types of clothes saying that they were the ones to be used by Muslims throughout the world and in all generations.
Where bid’ah clearly applies is in matters of worship. It is here that the word acquires negative connotations. Generally speaking, the word is translated as “innovation”, but the English word has positive connotations, while the Arabic word has no such sense. Hence, it is better to translate it as “deviation.” The Prophet has given us a complete package of worship that admits no change or modifications. Hence, nothing can be added to Islamic worship, or it will be a deviation or bid’ah. In this area, there is no such a thing as good bid’ah.
But people often quote Umar’s action and his words. These have to be put in context. The taraweeh prayer was first offered in congregation by the Prophet. He offered it the first night with a number of his companions. On the second night, there was a much larger group of them and they offered it together with the Prophet leading the prayer.
The third night, before coming out of his home he looked at the people gathering in the mosque for this prayer and he found the mosque full with hardly any room left for any newcomer. He did not come out for it. When he was asked later why he remained at home, he said: “I feared lest that this prayer should become compulsory for you.”
During his reign, Umar went out at night to find out how people were faring, as was his habit. He noticed that there were many people in the mosque, but there were several congregational prayers in progress at the same time. He did not like what he saw because it gave an impression of disunity in the Muslim community.
He interfered to make all these groups join one congregation, led by Ubayy ibn Kaab, a companion of the Prophet who was famous for his perfect recitation of the Qur’an. The next night, when Umar went to the mosque he found that all people were in one congregation. He commented saying: “This is a good bid’ah.”
From all this we realize that Umar did not introduce anything new. Nor did he initiate something that was not done before. It was the Prophet who in practice recommended that night worship in Ramadan, which is known as taraweeh, be offered in congregation. When he absented himself from it later, this was for a specific reason. Then Umar brought it back to what was done by the Prophet. Thus, his bid’ah was to go back to the right practice. This was certainly good.
To use his comment to justify something we invent is to quote it out of context. There can simply be no good bid’ah in matters of worship. No one has ever been a more devoted worshipper of God than the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). If he did not do a particular act of worship, then it is not part of Islamic worship and can never be so. Anything new is a bid’ah, or deviation, and deviation can never be good.
