(Series of Answers by the Scholar Ata Bin Khalil Abu al-Rashtah, Ameer of Hizb ut-Tahrir, to the Questions of the Visitors of his Facebook Page)
Answer to a Question: Regarding Bid’ah
To: Abdulla Amer
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu,
Yesterday, as people were leaving the Friday prayer, and as you know people crowd at the mosque door, a person said, "Send blessings upon the Prophet," and another person told him, "Be quiet, it is a bid’ah (innovation)."
The question is, is it a bid’ah or not? May Allah reward you with goodness.
Answer:
Wa Alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu,
That man’s saying "Send blessings upon the Prophet" at the door of the mosque is not a bid’ah. This is because bid’ah is the violation of a command of the Legislator (Ash-Shari') for which a method of performance (kaifiyyah) has been narrated. Bid’ah linguistically, as stated in Lisan al-Arab, is: "The innovator (al-mubtadi‘) is the one who initiates an affair upon a likeness that did not exist... and I initiated (abda’tu) the thing: I invented it not based on a prior example." It is the same in its technical usage, meaning that there is a "prior example" (a method) performed by the Messenger (saw) and the Muslim does something contrary to it. This means violating a Shari' method specified by the Legislator for performing a Shari' matter. This meaning is what is indicated by the Hadith:
وَمَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهو رَدٌّ
"Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our matter, it is rejected." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Thus, whoever prostrates three times in his prayer instead of two has committed a bid’ah, because he violated the action of the Messenger (saw). Whoever throws eight pebbles instead of seven at the Jamarat in Mina has committed a bid’ah because he likewise violated the action of the Messenger (saw). Whoever adds to or subtracts from the words of the Adhan (call to prayer) has committed a bid’ah because he violated the Adhan approved by the Messenger of Allah (saw).
As for violating a command of the Legislator for which no method of performance (kaifiyyah) has been narrated, this falls under the Shari' rulings. It is described as Haram (prohibited) or Makruh (disliked) if it relates to the speech of obligation (khitab taklif), or it is described as Batil (void) or Fasid (invalid) if it relates to the declaratory speech (khitab wad’i), and that is according to the indication (qarinah) accompanying the command.
For example: Muslim narrated from Aisha (ra) as she described the prayer of the Messenger (saw), saying:
وَكَانَ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ لَمْ يَسْجُدْ، حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ قَائِمًا، وَكَانَ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ السَّجْدَةِ، لَمْ يَسْجُدْ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ جَالِسًا
"...When he raised his head from the bowing (ruku‘), he did not prostrate until he stood up straight; and when he raised his head from the prostration (sajdah), he did not prostrate again until he sat up straight..." (Muslim)
Here, the Messenger (saw) clarified that after a Muslim rises from bowing, he does not prostrate until he stands upright, and if he rises from prostration, he does not perform the next prostration until he sits upright. This is a kaifiyyah (method) clarified by the Messenger (saw). Whoever violates it has committed a bid’ah. If a worshiper rises from ruku‘ and then prostrates before standing upright, he has committed a bid’ah because he violated a method clarified by the Messenger (saw). This bid’ah is a misguidance, and the one who does it commits a great sin.
However, for example, Muslim narrated from Ubadah bin as-Samit who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying:
يَنْهَى عَنْ بَيْعِ الذَّهَبِ بِالذَّهَبِ، وَالْفِضَّةِ بِالْفِضَّةِ، وَالْبُرِّ بِالْبُرِّ، وَالشَّعِيرِ بِالشَّعِيرِ، وَالتَّمْرِ بِالتَّمْرِ، وَالْمِلْحِ بِالْمِلْحِ، إِلَّا سَوَاءً بِسَوَاءٍ، عَيْنًا بِعَيْنٍ، فَمَنْ زَادَ، أَوِ ازْدَادَ، فَقَدْ أَرْبَى
"He prohibited the sale of gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt, except in equal amounts, like for like. Whoever increases or asks for an increase, he has dealt in Riba (usury)." (Muslim)
If a Muslim violates this Hadith and sells gold for gold with an increase, and not weight for weight, it is not said that he has committed a bid’ah. Rather, it is said that he has committed a Haram (prohibited) act, which is Riba.
Summary: Violating the method (kaifiyyah) clarified by the Messenger of Allah (saw) is bid’ah. Violating an absolute command of the Messenger (saw) without a specified method of performance falls under the Shari' rulings: Haram, Makruh, Batil, Fasid, etc., according to the evidence.
Regarding your question, the Messenger (saw) did not specify a method for the speech accompanying the exit from the mosque after the Friday prayer. Therefore, that Muslim’s saying "Send blessings upon the Prophet" while leaving the mosque does not fall into the category of bid’ah. Instead, it is studied within the Shari' rulings; it is permissible, there is nothing wrong with it, and rather he will have a reward according to his intention, Allah willing.
Your brother, Ata Bin Khalil Abu al-Rashtah
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