03-24-2007, 04:55 PM
Bid’ah is every Belief, action or saying which is introduced after the death of the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم with the intention of worshiping and drawing close to Allaah with no evidence from the Book of Allaah nor from the Sunnah and nor from the actions of the Salaf.
The categories of Bid’ah are five. All of them are misguidance and some are more evil than others.
1. Bid’ah in Belief: Which is every belief that is in opposition to the Book and Sunnah. Like the one who believes that the leaders or personalities conduct or control anything in the universe, or that they know the unseen. This is Kufr (disbelief).
2. Bid’ah of speech: Every type of speech that a person says intending by it worship of Allaah and it is not from the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah. Like the one who remembers Allaah with just His name ‘Allaah’ or with the pronoun ‘huwa’ (so he just says ‘hu hu hu’)
3. Bid’ah of action: Every action or movement that is not from the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah and the person intends worship by it. Like the one who dances when remembering Allaah.
4. Bid’ah of wealth: Every type of wealth that is spent intending worship by it in everything that is not from the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah . Like the building of domes on graves.
5. Bid’ah of leaving alone, neglecting: Like the one who leaves that which is from the Deen or that which is allowed intending by it worship. Like the one who leaves off marriage or eating meat.
<b>Our beloved Prophet Muhammad</b> (s.a.s.) issued a stern warning: "Whoever imitates a nation is one of them!" (Abu Da'oud). Muslims should heed this warning and refrain from copying or imitating the kufar in their celebrations. Islam has strongly forbidden Muslims to follow the religious or social customs of the non-Muslims, and especially of the idol-worshippers or those who worship the devil. The Prophet (s.a.s.) said: "By Him in Whose hands is my life, you are ordered to enjoin good and forbid evil, or else Allah will certainly afflict you with torments. Thereafter, even your du'a (supplications) will not be accepted." (Tirmidhi). From an Islamic standpoint. If Muslims begin to take part in such customs, it is a sure sign of weak iman and that we have either forgotten, or outrightly rejected the mission of our Prophet (s.a.s.) who came to cleanse us from jahiliyyah customs, superstitions and false practises.
Muslims are enjoined to neither imitate the behaviour and customs of the non-Muslims, nor to commit their indecencies. Behaviour-imitation will affect the attitude of a Muslim and may create a feeling of sympathy towards the indecent modes of life. Islam seeks to cleanse the Muslim of all immoral conducts and habits, and thus paving the way for the Qur'an and Sunnah to be the correct and pure source for original Islamic thought and behaviour. A Muslim should be a model for others in faith and practice, behaviour and moral character, and not a blind imitator dependant on other nations and cultures.
<b>"We have sent them the Truth, but they indeed practise falsehood" (23:10). </b> Muslim parents must teach their children to refrain from practising falsehood, and not to imitate the non-Muslims in their customs and festivals. If the children are taught to be proud of their Islamic heritage, they themselves will, insha Allah, abstain from non-Muslim celebrations, such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and there like.
