“Bidaah is something way that has been created in religion and it is like a ‘Syariah’, purpose to abundant in worship to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala”.
We must know the different between ‘Ibadah’ and Culture. In the method of the feqh motion (Usul Feqh), all ‘Ibadah’ is illicit, but we just do what was commanded by Allah and our Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam such as in Solah, Zakat, Hajj, and so on. Culture is differing with ‘Ibadah’ because all culture is lawful, and we cannot do what has been prohibited by Allah and our Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam in term of food, transport, and other else. However, some culture is become ‘Wajib’ to be complete the ‘Ibadah’ such as riding an aeroplane to perform hajj and pilgrimage.
Imam as-Syatibi said about the meaning of “تضاهي الشرعية ” is something similar with law in Islam, but it is not in reality. ‘Bidaah’ is a true deed in beginning, but it was added and changed by people. They specialize this commanded in their own way, in time, and in certain event. In example, ‘tahlil’ reciting, ceremony of prophet birth, takbir from one home to other homes in night of Islam celebration (Raya), Yassin reciting in the night of Friday and so on. Reciting Yassin is an ‘Ibadah’, but why they are limiting this ‘Ibadah’ in a night of Friday? In reality, purpose of bidaah is for abundant their worship to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. Do you think what Allah has created and invariable in Islam are not enough yet? And, how about the decree of God in our holy scripture in Surah Al-Maidah, ayat 3? Allah says:
“Today, I am complete your religion…..”
How about our society had been always talk about the word of good bidaah? In fact, the term of good bidaah was misunderstood by our Muslims society. Al-Imam Malik B. Anas rahimahullahsallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam. It is because Allah says: “Today, I am complete your religion (Islam)”. Something which are not become our religion in the past, surely will not become our religion nowadays”. (179H) said in Al-I’tishom: “Whoever do any of bidaah in Islam and assume what they have done are good, verily he was insulted and betrayed our Prophet
We cannot denied what has Imam asy-Syafi’e (204H), Imam An-Nawawi (676H), and Imam Sayuti (911H) rahimahullah said, we have a good bidaah, but when we delve about their speeches, we found that the true meaning of good bidaah referred to general aspect, not in techniqal. As we know, bidaah in general refer to our culture and not refer to ‘Ibadah’.
I would like to take quotation by Imam asy-Syafi’e rahimahullah about good bidaah and explain it briefly. According to Ibn Rejab Al-Hanbali rahimahullah (795H), Asy-Syafi’e said: “There are two types of bidaah in Islam, good bidaah and the other one is despicable bidaah. What is exactly and occupied with sunnah, so it is called good bidaah while what is unoccupied with sunnah, it is called despicable bidaah”. During explaining about division of bidaah by Imam asy-Syafi’e, Al-Hafizd Ibn Hajr Al-‘Asqalani rahimahullah (852H) said in ‘Syarah Bukhari’ (Fath al-Bari, chapter 15): “Term of bidaah is despicable and this differ with meaning of bidaah in general where all things that have been created without example before this is a bidaah either good or bad”. Imam asy-Syafi’e refused that good bidaah and this can be proven in his book, Al-Umm. He protest one group that still reciting zikr with a raise sound after performing Solah. Many people assumed or expected this as a good bidaah. We can take the other examples of false or wrong bidaah which is connected with good bidaah in his books.
Finally, I would like to bring up one popular example among Muslims about good bidaah. One hadith said: “If Muslims are predicted that something are good for them, so it will become good for God, otherwise if they are predicted that something are bad for them, so it will become bad for God too”. In fact, this hadith are weak because of several reasons with strong evidence. The several are:
Syeikh Nasiruddin Al-Albani rahimahullah, is one of the famous Ulama in hadith’s field prove that this hadith is not come from Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, but it is come from Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud. Al-Albani said: “This is hadith mauquf (words by Sahabah), and because of that, this hadith cannot be a contention because it is opposite with a word by Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam: “All bidaah are mislead”.
The significant of ‘Al-Muslimun’ in this hadith refer to sahabah agreement and this can be proven in the first part of this hadith which he said: “A great liver as a slave of God is the liver of Sahabah, and they become as a minister for their Prophet…..”
‘Al-Muslimun’ in this hadith also not suitable to refer for all Muslims because the fool person cannot do any opinion and agreement.
A lot of statement by Ibn Mas’ud is opposite and different with this hadith like a ‘sahih’ word by him which is created by Imam at-Tabrani: “Follows up and don’t create something (bidaah). Actually, it was enough for all of you (Al-Quran and Hadith)”
-Wallahu a’lam-
