1.2
THE TWO TYPES OF BID'AT
Now let us see the difference between Bid'at I'tiqaadi and Bid'at
Amali.
1.2.1
BID'AT I'TIQAADI (INNOVATION IN BELIEF)
Is that new belief (which is in contradiction with the Holy
Quran and Sunnah) which found its way into Islam after the blessed
age of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). Christianity,
Judaism, Zoroasterism and Polytheism are not Bid'at I'tiqaadi
as these beliefs were in practice before and during the blessed
time and also because they do not claim themselves to be Muslims
whereas the Jabriyya, Qadriyya, Batiniyya, Bahaaism, Qadyanism,
etc. are Bid'at I'tiqaadi (innovations in belief) because they
come into being after the blessed age and also came themselves
to be Muslims. (See Endbliss Bliss, Vol. 2, Waqf Iklah
Publications, for a brief history of some of these sects).
BID'AT-E-HASANA:
and its evidence from the Holy Quran. Allah Ta'ala says in the
Holy Quran:
"And
We placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed
him (Jesus), but Monasticism they invented - We ordained it
not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed
it not with right observance." (LVII: 27)
and
then He says:
"So
We gave those of them who believe their rewards." (LVII: 27)
From
this we see that the believers of Hazrat Isa (alaihis salaam)
invented Bid'at Hasana, i.e. Monasticism, and Allah Ta'ala raises
them and also promises them reward. But those who did not foster
it (Monasticism) with right observance were reproved:
"And
they observed it not with right observance." (LVII: 27)
Note
that those who invented this Bid'at are not reproved but those
who did not observe it rightly were reprimanded. This proves
that Bid'at-e-Hasana is a good thing and has an incentive for
reward.
The
first Hadith of Miskhaat-ul-Masabih under Babul-I'tisaam
is "Whosoever introduces a new belief in our religion which
contradicts with it is rejected." We have translated the
word "Ma" in the Hadith as "belief" because another name for
religion is belief, and not as actions as actions are subsidiary
and take the secondary place. Let's take an example: A person
who does not pray the daily Salaah will be sinful but not as
a disbeliever (Kafir), while a person whose beliefs are in contradiction
with the beliefs of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat will either be
of the misguided (stray) ones or a disbeliever. This shows that
were the word Bid'at is mentioned it means innovation in belief
and not action.
The
same book Miskhat under Kitab-ul Imaan says that when
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (radi Allahu anhuma) was told that
some person had given him Salaams, he said, "I have had news
that he (the person who has given Salaams) has become a Bid'ati,
if it is so then don't return him my Salaams." How did he
become a Bid'ati? It is said that he had become a (*) Qadriyya.
Such a person is called a Bid'ati.
(*)
Qadriyya is that sect which believes that man has got full power
to do whatever he wishes and that he himself creates his actions.
They also disbelieve in destiny. While the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat
believe that man opts (intends) for a thing and Allah Ta'ala
creates it. The Creator of everything, including man's actions,
is Allahu Ta'ala.
Durr-e-Mukhtar
(Babul-Imaamat) says, "It is Makruh to pray behind an Imam
who is a Bid'ati. Bid'at is that belief (I'tiqaad) which contradicts
that which has been conveyed to us from Rasulullah (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam)."
This
shows that new fangled beliefs are Bid'ats and wherever the
Hadiths have mentioned about punishments for Bid'atis these
punishments are meant for those who practice Bid'at in beliefs,
i.e. those beliefs which are in contradiction with Ahle Sunnat
Wal Jamaat. A Hadith says, "He who exalts those people who
commit Bid'ats has helped in demolishing Islam."
Fatawa
Rashidiyya (considered as authentic by scholars of Deoband)
writes in it's first volume (page 90) under Kitabul Bid'at:
"Such threats of punishments for Bid'ats are meant for those
who have innovated a belief (Aqeedah) which contradicts with
that of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, for example, the Rawafidh,
the Khawarij, the Mu'tazila, etc."
