Does Allah Forgive Innovation (Bid‘a)?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti

Question

Does Allah forgive innovation (bid‘a)?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.

Innovation (bid‘a) refers to everything that contradicts the Sunna of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and his methodology. It is a sin like other sins; a servant can repent from it if the conditions of correct repentance are met, and thereafter, he can rejoice in Allah (Most High)’s forgiveness and acceptance of his repentance, and Allah (Most High) knows best.

Detailed Answer

Before answering the question, it is essential to understand the meaning of innovation (bid‘a), what it is intended to accomplish, and its types. Then, we will discuss the innovator’s acceptance of repentance and his turning back from it and seeking forgiveness.

‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Whoever introduces into this affair of ours what is not of it, then it is rejected.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

In another narration, “Whoever performs an act which is not in accordance with our matter, then it is rejected.” [Muslim]

Definition of Innovation (Bid‘a)

The root of the word (b-d-‘a – بَدَعَ) in the language is said for inventing without a preceding example. And from it is the saying of Allah (Most High): “(He is) the Originator (بَدِيعُ) of the heavens and the earth!” [Quran, 2:117], meaning He invented them without a preceding example. It is said that someone invented (a bid‘a), meaning he started a way that no one had preceded him in. Thus, in Islamic terminology, innovation (bid‘a) is an invented way of religion that mimics legitimacy, intended to be exaggerated in the worship of Allah (Most High). [Shatibi, Kitab al-I‘tisam]

Shatibi (Allah have mercy on him) said: “The term ‘Sunna’ is used in contrast to innovation, so it is said: Someone is upon the Sunna if he acts according to what the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) established in the Book first, and it is said: Someone is upon bid‘a if he acts contrary to that.” [Shatibi, al-Muwafaqat]

In Sacred Law, innovation (bid‘a) is defined as anything that contradicts the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) Sunna—his methods, guidance in actions, abstentions, commands, and prohibitions—as well as the way of his successors who followed his practices in actions, commands, acceptances, and rejections. This is as Imam Haddad Ba‘Alawi stated in his valuable book “al-Sunna wa al-Bid‘a.”

Classification of Innovations

Generally, innovations are divided into two types: praiseworthy and blameworthy. As transmitted by Bayhaqi in his book “al-Manaqib” from Imam Shafi‘i, who said:

“Innovations are of two types: one that contradicts tthe Book, the Sunna, an Athr (Companion statement), or Consensus—this is the misguided innovation. The second type is that which is newly introduced from the good, and there is no dispute against it from any of these sources—this is not a blameworthy innovation.” [Bayhaqi, Manaqib al-Shafi‘i]

This is the criterion for distinguishing between praiseworthy and blameworthy innovations, as clarified by Imam Shafi‘i; not everything abandoned by the predecessors is rejected. Imam Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id said in his explanation of the al-‘Arba‘in al-Nawawi: “And his saying: ‘Beware of newly invented matters,’ know that the newly invented is of two types: one that has no basis in the Sacred Law, which is false and blameworthy.

And the newly invented by analogy, which is not blameworthy; because the term ‘newly invented’ and the term ‘innovation’ are not dispraised merely for the name but for the meaning of contradiction to the Sunna and leading to misguidance, and this is not universally dispraised, for Allah (Most High) said: {Whatever new reminder comes to them from their Lord…} [Quran, 21:2]. And ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) said about the Tarawih prayers: ‘What an excellent innovation this is.’” [Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id, Sharh al-‘Arba‘in al-Nawawi]

The Ruling on Innovations in Terms of Forgiveness Acceptance

There are innovations that contradict established faith, such as anthropomorphism of Allah (Most High) and likening Him to His creation—God forbid. There are also innovations that contradict the Sunna and Sacred Law rulings. The ruling on every innovator—whether they are considered disbelievers or sinners—depends on the nature of their innovation and their belief in it.

As Imam Haddad Ba‘Alawi, while commenting on the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) hadith: “Whoever turns away from my Sunna is not from me,” stated: “Turning away from the Sunna, if it is with some interpretation, then its adherent is excused as Hafiz (Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari) said, and if one believes that his act is superior to that of the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), then this is what is disavowed; because he is misguided by this belief, not by the sanctioned act…” [Haddad, al-Sunna wa al-Bid‘a]

Following this explanation and detail, innovation (bid‘a) is a sin like other sins. Some innovations are minor sins, others are major sins, and some can even lead one out of the fold of Islam. We seek refuge with Allah (Most High); therefore, its ruling is like that of those sins in terms of repentance, seeking forgiveness, renouncing them, and correcting one’s belief in them. This is supported by the definitive Islamic texts in the Quran and the Sunna:

• Allah (Most High) says:

  “Surely Allah does not forgive associating (others) with Him (in worship), but forgives anything else of whoever He wills. Indeed, whoever associates (others) with Allah has clearly gone far astray.” [Quran, 4:116]

  This pertains to the polytheist who dies in his polytheism without repenting, as the commentators have mentioned.

• He (Most High) says:

  “As for those who repent, mend their ways, and let the truth be known, they are the ones to whom I will turn (in forgiveness), for I am the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.” [Quran, 2:160]

• He (Most High) also says:

  “Say, (O Prophet, that Allah says,) ‘O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” [Quran, 39:53]

• Narrated by Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

  “Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance.” [Muslim]

• Narrated by Abu Musa Abdallah Ibn Qays al-Ash‘ari (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

  “Allah extends His Hand at night to forgive the sinner of the day, and extends His Hand during the day to forgive the sinner of the night, until the (the time when) sun rises from the west.” [Ibid.]

  There are many authentic and explicit hadiths on this matter.

Therefore, whoever repents and turns away from his innovation and meets the conditions of sincere repentance will be accepted by Allah, as indicated by the religious texts, and this is the view of the majority of the scholars of the Umma.

Minority Opinion

Some have argued that an innovator has no opportunity for repentance, a view adopted by Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi, among others. They based their argument on hadiths that are not strong enough to contest the majority’s view, either due to their weakness or because they specifically pertain to those who did not repent and died persisting in their innovation. Shatibi states:

“It is mentioned in Allah’s saying: ‘Indeed, you (O Prophet) are not responsible whatsoever for those who have divided their faith and split into sects.’ [Quran, 6:159], it was reported from ‘Aisha and Abu Hurayra—and this is the hadith from ‘Aisha—she said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘O Aisha! Who are those who have divided their faith and split into sects?” I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: ‘They are the followers of whims, the innovators, and the misled of this Umma, O Aisha! There is repentance for every sin except for the followers of whims and innovations; they have no repentance, and I am free from them, and they are free from me.’” [Shatibi, Kitab al-I‘tisam and al-Muwafaqat]

Imam Saffarini summarizes the issue by saying: “As for innovation, repentance from it involves acknowledging it, renouncing it, and believing in the opposite of what one previously believed… Imam Ahmad said about a man who witnessed an innovation and then denied it: ‘He has no repentance, the repentance is for those who admit; as for those who deny, they have no repentance.’

In Ibn Aqil’s book (al-Irshad): ‘If a man calls to an innovation and then regrets what he had done, and many people have been misled by him and scattered across the lands and died; then his repentance is valid if the conditions are met, and it is possible for Allah to forgive him, accept his repentance, and absolve the sin of those who were misled by him, by having mercy on him and on them.’

This is the view of most scholars, contrary to some associates of Imam Ahmad such as Abu Ishaq Ibn Shaqila, and it is the doctrine of Rabi‘ Ibn Nafi’, who say that such repentance is not accepted. Then he argued with the Israeli tradition that states, ‘How about those you have led astray,’… and what was narrated by Abu Hafs al-Ukbari from Anas, ‘Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has veiled repentance from every person of innovation.’” [Saffarini, Ghidha’ al-Albab li Sharh Manzumat al-Adab]

Advice

I urge you to diligently follow the Sunna of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), to adhere to his methodology, and to abandon anything that contradicts it. If any of us falls into any such contradictions, let us return, repent, and seek forgiveness. You will find Allah to be Forgiving and Merciful. May Allah protect us and you from innovations, their proponents, and engaging in them.

And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti