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
Tawhid (God's Oneness)
Islamic monotheism — belief in Allah's absolute oneness, the core of prayer.
Karbala (Imam Husayn's City)
The sacred city in Iraq where Imam Husayn was martyred, and home of the turbah.
Bismillah (In the Name of Allah)
The formula "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," which opens prayer and action.
Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)
The Islamic legal science that derives practical rules from the Quran and Sunnah.
Mab'ath (The Prophet's Calling)
The day when Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation and was called to prophethood.
Taharah (Ritual Purity)
The state of ritual purity, which is a prerequisite for prayer.