Bid'ah (Innovation in Religion)
An innovation or addition to religion that has no basis in the Quran or Sunnah.
Bid'ah (plural: bida') refers to any innovation or addition to Islamic practice that has no basis in the Quran, the Prophet's Sunnah, or the practice of the rightly guided caliphs. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every innovation is bid'ah, and every bid'ah is misguidance" (Sahih Muslim).
In Sunni Islam, there are two main viewpoints on bid'ah. The stricter position, represented by Ibn Taymiyyah and the Hanbali tradition, considers all religious innovations as prohibited. The more nuanced position, represented by Imam al-Shafi'i and al-Nawawi, divides bid'ah into five categories: obligatory, recommended, permissible, discouraged, and prohibited.
Regarding prayer, bid'ah is often discussed in connection with adding acts or formulations not transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Imam Malik said: "Whoever introduces a bid'ah in Islam and considers it good, claims that Muhammad (peace be upon him) has failed in his message."
Related terms
Muezzin (Caller to Prayer)
The person who calls to prayer by reciting the adhan.
Adab al-Salah (Prayer Etiquette)
The recommended norms and inner attitudes that enrich the prayer.
Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.
Adhan (Call to Prayer)
The Islamic call to prayer, recited by a muezzin.
Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer)
The weekly congregational prayer on Friday, which replaces Dhuhr.
Najaf (Imam Ali's City)
The sacred city in Iraq housing Imam Ali's tomb and the Shia scholarly center.