Understanding the Concept of Bid'ah in Islam

Innovation. Innovation. Innovation, innovation. The question being

asked the most right now is: "Is celebrating the Prophet's Mawlid

an innovation?" The answer is yes, an innovation. But minarets

in mosques are an innovation. Compiling the Quran into one book,

an innovation. Dotting the letters of the Quran, an innovation. Tarawih

prayers, an innovation. So what does "innovation" mean?

An innovation is any newly introduced matter. That means something that didn't exist

in the era of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Innovations are of two types:

a good innovation and a bad innovation. A good innovation is

a novelty that complies with the Quran and Sunnah. And a bad

innovation is a novelty that contradicts the Quran

and Sunnah. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever introduces in

Islam a good tradition will have its reward and the reward of those who

practice it, and whoever introduces in Islam a bad tradition

will bear its burden and the burden of those who practice it." The Prophet's

Birthday is a good tradition, a good innovation.

Imagine, this is the day on which the best of God's creation

was born, our Prophet and beloved Muhammad, peace and blessings

be upon him. What do we do on the day of the Prophet's

Birthday? We rejoice in it. We send abundant blessings upon the Prophet,

peace and blessings. We read more Quran. We join

gatherings of dhikr and praise. We feed people. We visit

our relatives and families to uphold kinship ties. We fast

during it. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to fast.