Can the category of bidah change?

Discussion in 'Hanafi Fiqh' started by Aqdas, Dec 3, 2021.

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  1. Aqdas

    Aqdas Staff Member

  2. On innovation then refer to the 5 point classification by Imam IzzaDin Abdus Salaam (RehmatUllah Alaih) of Obligatory, unlawful, recommended, offensive and permissible . If you have Reliance of the Traveler, there's a whole section on the subject that will dispell any confusion you may have- W29 from pages 906 onwards.
    This classification is pretty much accepted by everyone. However, I suspect your question is based on something else and not this traditional accepted categorisation on innovated matters, namely that people are holding khatams to a different standard, then again its not the classification of innovation you look at but people's personal acceptance level of it. In other words are they saying its Fard and mean this literally?
     
  3. If a thing becomes so well established in the hearts and minds of a people and its acceptance is widespread then you should not change this due to the Narration:
    At-Tirmidhi (2167) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah will not cause my ummah to agree on falsehood; the hand of Allah is with the jamaa‘ah (the main body of the Muslims).”

    As for people taking a thing to the level from permissible to obligatory then it is simply taken to mean their emphasis on a thing due to its widespread acceptance as well as "Wara". Being scrupulous and having Wara is to hold a thing so important that one never leaves it (holding it to the importance of Fard while knowing its not). This practice of Wara on permissible things being held to such a level of importance has been the practice of the elect of this Ummah since the beginning. But if you asked these people you refer to about how they categorise khatams they will not say its a Fard and Allahu Alam.
     
  4. Khanah

    Khanah Veteran

    Assalaamu alaykum,

    I understand that bidah has various types and can be good or bad, depending on the action. For the record, I believe mawlid is permissible as is holding urs, gatherings of dhikr as done by the righteous sufis, etc.

    However, I had read somewhere that when someone deems something which is mustahab to be greater than that (e.g waajib), then the action becomes an evil bidah as opposed to a good bidah. For example, holding khatam 40 days after someone's death is mustahab. But if you believed it was waajib to do so, then it would be a bad bidah. I do not know if this understanding is correct but can someone enlighten me? Just to clarify, I don't remember where I read this as it was a number of years ago- and the source could have been deobandi (I wasn't really aware of these issues at the time so didn't take the care that I should have)

    The problem I see is that people think these acts may be more important than they are. For example, I remember when a close family member of mine had died. For certain practical and logistical reasons, it was difficult to hold the khatam on the third day. I suggested that we just do it on a different day, such as the 4th. The backlash I got was astonishing, with people clearing believing it was obligatory to hold the khatam on the third day. I didn't press the issue but it caused quite a ruckus.

    I remember once someone told me holding the khatam took the same ruling as the janazah itself i.e communal obligation. Does holding such a belief make someone a person of innovation or just uninformed?

    Jazak Allah khair
     

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