In Islam, the term “bid’ah” (Arabic: بدعة) refers to innovation in religious matters. Technically, it describes any newly invented practice or belief in Islam that has no precedent in the Quran, the Sunnah (the practices and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad), the consensus of scholars (ijma), or valid analogy (qiyas). Bid’ah specifically relates to adding something to the religion that was not practiced or endorsed by the Prophet and his companions.
Bid’ah is often categorized into two types:
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Bid’ah al-ibadat (innovations in acts of worship), which are generally considered impermissible because they conflict with core religious texts.
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Bid’ah al-mu’amalat (innovations in worldly matters or social transactions), which can be permissible if they do not contradict Islamic law.
Some scholars further divide bid’ah into good (hasanah) and bad (sayyi’ah) innovations. For example, innovations that facilitate education or social welfare without contradicting Islamic principles can be considered acceptable. However, innovations that alter the meaning of worship or introduce practices considered idolatrous are strongly condemned.
The foundational Islamic scholar Imam Shafi’i stated that innovations contradicting the Quran, Sunnah, or consensus are heretical, while those that are not evil and do not contradict these sources may be praiseworthy.
Traditional examples of bid’ah include new religious ceremonies or rituals not supported by early Islamic tradition, or practices such as shrine worship and saint veneration, which are typically rejected by reformist movements like Wahhabism. Bid’ah remains a debated and nuanced concept with differing interpretations among Muslim scholars বিদআত