Hamoudeh
17-09-05, 01:07 PM
Assalamu Alaikum
In modern times we often hear the assertions from certain groups that this or that practice is an inovation in religion, sometimes even accompanied by accusations of it amounting to Kufr or Shirk. Indeed there exist innovations in our religion, unfortunately however many of such assertions are based on the notion that no good can exist in them. They disagree with the notion of "Bid'a Hassanah" or "good innovation" which our `Ulema have agreed upon. The following article is an example of the arguments offered for such a disagreeing stand:
This article aims at addressing two main points: Is there what is referred to as Bida'a Hasana "بدعة حسنة " or "Good Innovation"? How do we categorize the actions of Umar about collecting the Quran and other actions that he and the companions did that appear to follow the Maslaha (interest)? What is Maslaha stand on that? In Hadith of Ibn Maja and Abu Dawoud, with a correct Sanad that the Prophet PBUH said: "and be aware of [and avoid] the newly introduced matters [innovations], as EVERY newly introduced matter is Bida'a and EVERY Bida'a is astray (Dhalalah)" " وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة" رواية أبي داود وزاد الترمذي "وكل ضلالة في النار"
Bida'a, Can It Be Good? - Dr. Tariq Abdelhaleem (http://www.alarqam.com/alarqam/en/articles/bidaa_can_it_be_good.php)
Shaykh Rabbani however, mentions the following: The understanding of the Hanafi imams, such as Ibn Abidin, al-Tahtawi, al-Lakhnawi, and others, is very close to that outlined by Sheikh Nuh Keller in the following article:
Innovation: What is Bid'a? (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=491&CATE=2)
The article being referred to is Shaykh Keller's The Concept of Bid'a in the Islamic Shari'a (http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/nuh/bida.htm):
There are few topics that generate as much controversy today in Islam as what is sunna and what is bida or reprehensible innovation, perhaps because of the times Muslims live in today and the challenges they face. Without a doubt, one of the greatest events in impact upon Muslims in the last thousand years is the end of the Islamic caliphate at the first of this century, an event that marked not only the passing of temporal, political authority, but in many respects the passing of the consensus of orthodox Sunni Islam as well. No one familiar with the classical literature in any of the Islamic legal sciences, whether Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), hadith, or jurisprudence (fiqh), can fail to be struck by the fact that questions are asked today about basic fundamentals of Islamic Sacred Law (Sharia) and its ancillary disciplines that would not have been asked in the Islamic period not because Islamic scholars were not brilliant enough to produce the questions, but because they already knew the answers. My talk tonight will aim to clarify some possible misunderstandings of the concept of innovation (bida) in Islam, in light of the prophetic hadith,
"Beware of matters newly begun, for every matter newly begun is innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in hell."
The sources I use are traditional Islamic sources, and my discussion will centre on three points: The first point is that scholars say that the above hadith does not refer to all new things without restriction, but only to those which nothing in Sacred Law attests to the validity of. The use of the word "every" in the hadith does not indicate an absolute generalization, for there are many examples of similar generalizations in the Qur'an and sunna that are not applicable without restriction, but rather are qualified by restrictions found in other primary textual evidence. The second point is that the sunna and way of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was to accept new acts initiated in Islam that were of the good and did not conflict with established principles of Sacred Law, and to reject things that were otherwise. And our third and last point is that new matters in Islam may not be rejected merely because they did not exist in the first century, but must be evaluated and judged according to the comprehensive methodology of Sacred Law, by virtue of which it is and remains the final and universal moral code for all peoples until the end of time.
As a matter of fact, the `Ulema have agreed upon classifying Bid'a into 5 different categories of which at least two can be considered Hasanah. Shaykh Keller elaborates upon this categorization:
It has been stated (by Izz ibn Abd al-Salam) that innovations (bida) fall under the five headings of the Sacred Law (n: i.e. the obligatory, unlawful, recommended, offensive, and permissible):
(1) The first category comprises innovations that are obligatory , such as recording the Qur'an and the laws of Islam in writing when it was feared that something might be lost from them; the study of the disciplines of Arabic that are necessary to understand the Qur'an and sunna such as grammar, word declension, and lexicography; hadith classification to distinguish between genuine and spurious prophetic traditions; and the philosophical refutations of arguments advanced by the Mu'tazilites and the like.
(2) The second category is that of unlawful innovations such as non- Islamic taxes and levies, giving positions of authority in Sacred Law to those unfit for them, and devoting ones time to learning the beliefs of heretical sects that contravene the tenets of faith of Ahl al-Sunna.
(3) The third category consists of recommended innovations such as building hostels and schools of Sacred Law, recording the research of Islamic schools of legal thought, writing books on beneficial subjects, extensive research into fundamentals and particular applications of Sacred Law, in-depth studies of Arabic linguistics, the reciting of wirds (def: Reliance of the Traveller w20) by those with a Sufi path, and commemorating the birth (mawlid), of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) and wearing ones best and rejoicing at it.
(4) The fourth category includes innovations that are offensive, such as embellishing mosques, decorating the Qur'an and having a backup man (muballigh) loudly repeat the spoken Allahu Akbar of the imam when the latter's voice is already clearly audible to those who are praying behind him.
(5) the fifth category is that of innovations that are permissible, such as sifting flour, using spoons and having more enjoyable food, drink and housing. (al Jawahir al-luluiyya fi sharh al-Arbain al-nawawiyya, 220-21).
I will conclude my remarks tonight with a translation of Sheikh Abdullah al-Ghimari, who said: In his al-Qawaid al-kubra, "Izz ibn Abd al-Salam classifies innovations (bida), according to their benefit, harm, or indifference, into the five categories of rulings: the obligatory, recommended, unlawful, offensive, and permissible; giving examples of each and mentioning the principles of Sacred Law that verify his classification.
In another Fatwa, Shaykh Rabbani confirms this classification and refers to several prominent Hanafi scholars that have written standard works attesting to it:
The same classification of innovation into 5 categories (obligatory, praiseworthy, permissible, blameworthy, and impermissible) is made by the Hanafi imams.
This is mentioned, for example, by:
* Imam al-Barkawiin his al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya,
* al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya’s two main commentators, Allama Abu Said al-Khadidimi and
* Sayyidi Abdal-Ghani al-Nabulsi
* Imam al-Tahtawi in his Hashiya on the Durr
* Ibn Abidin in his Hashiya on the Durr
* Imam Abdal-Hayyal-Lakhnawi in his Iqamat al-Hujja
* Allama Khalil al-Nahlawi in his Durar al-Mubaha fi’l Hadhr wa’l Ibaha
* Many other standard Hanafi references.
The Classification of Bid'a (Innovation) (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=477&CATE=2)
Unfortunately translations are rare, and even moreso if we seek them on the internet. However I did find three books that discuss the subject, one which includes a translation of a passage from Abdal-Ghani al-Nabulusi's al-Hadiqat al-Nadiyya:
Bidat is an Arabic word. It means something which did not exist formerly and which has been brought forth later. In this respect, the changes, reformations done both in customs and in worshiping are bidat. 'Adat (custom) is an action which is done for its worldly use alone without expecting any reward as a recompense in the next world. In contrast, 'ibada (worship) is the action as a recompense of which reward is expected in the next world. Since everything which had not existed in the times of the Sahabat al-kiram and the Tabiin and appeared later is a bidat, scholars have divided bidat' into such groups as mubah, wajib, mustahab and haram. They have called that which is mustahab or wajib a bidat hasana.
Islam's Reformers - 61 - Hakikat Kitabevi (http://www.hizmetbooks.org/Religion_Reformers_in_Islam/ref-61.htm)
Another book that has dedicated a chapter to this subject is Shaykh Abu Amar's Understanding the Ahl al-Sunnah, Traditional Scholarship & Modern Misunderstandings which is a work recommended by the Hanbali Text Society (http://212.67.202.62/~security/htspub/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=27):
Bid'a is a word that has been misused so often today, that its definition needs to be explained clearly.
Definition of Bid'a
Bid'a, literally means innovation. In special terms it means carrying out actions which displease Allah Most High and his Messenger [at-Tirmidhi, chapter 2]
Qadi Shawkani writes: "In Islam there are two kinds of bid'a: bid'a sayyia and bid'a hasana. If a new thing opposes the Qur'an and Sunna then it is sayyia, but if it is not against the Shari'a then it is hasana" [Qadi Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar, chapter on 'Salat at-Tarawih']
Imam an-Nawawi writes that there are certain types of bid'a. Two of them are bid'a sayyia and bid'a hasana. Bid'a sayyia is a bid'a that opposes the Qur'an and Sunna, whereas bid'a hasana is a bid'a that is not against the Qur'an or Sunna. For example: to invent the usul (principles) of Hadith, usul of Fiqh, usul of Tafsir etc. [an-Nawawi, Tahzib al-Asma wa'l-Lughat, word 'bid'a']
Hafiz Ibn Rajab defines bid'a to mean new things that have no basis in the Qur'an or Sunna. If a new practice has evidence from the Qur'an or Sunna it will not be bid'a shari'a, but it will be bid'a logawiyya (linguistic) [Ibn Rajab, Jami' al-'Ulum al-Hukkam, page 252 ]
Hafiz al-'Asqalani says that if a new thing is against Islam, it will be bad. If it is not against Islam, it will be hasana (good) [al-'Asqalani, Ibn Hajar., Fath al-Bari, chapter on 'Tarawih' ]
Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes that bid'a is always bad, but some scholars say that there are two kinds of bid'a, that one is good and one is bad. If a new thing has origin in the Qur'an and Sunnait will be called bid'a logawiyya (linguistically) but not bid'a in Shari'a. The word bid'a will only apply to bid'a in Shari'a. For instance, the Qur'an was collected in one book after the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the congregational tarawih prayer was started in Sayyidna 'Umar's time but these two things have an origin in the Sunna. Therefore, it will be called bid'a linguistically [Ibn Taymiyya, Iqtida as-Sirat al-Mustaqim, chapter on 'Bid'a' ]
From the above, the conclusion is that if a new thing has been started, and it neither goes against the Qur'an or Sunna, then it can be declared a 'good' innovation.However, if a new act is initiated against the Qur'an and Sunna, that will be called bad bid'a, or a reprehensible innovation.
10) The Concept of Bid'ah in Islam - Abu Ammar (http://www.islamicinformationcentre.co.uk/alsunna3.htm#10)
The third book that I found is fully dedicated to the concept of Bida', it is written by Maulana Ahmed Yar Khan and is called What is Bid'at (http://www.nooremadinah.net/Library/EnglishBooks/WhatisBiddat/Biddat.html).
Following is an article by Shaykh `Isa al-Mani` al-Humayri of the Department of Awqaaf, Dubai:
The Prophet said, "He who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not of it will have it rejected." He also said, "Beware of innovations, for every innovation (kul bida`) is misguidance."
Those opposed to Mawlid (http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/index.php?mforum=ahadunahad&showtopic=756) cite this saying and hold that the word every (kul) is a term of generalization, including all types of innovations, with no exception, and that therefore, celebrating Mawlid is misguidance. By daring to say that, they accuse the scholars of Islam of innovation. At the top of the list of those they have accused, then, is our Master `Umar ®. Those in opposition to Mawlid quickly reply to this, "But we did not mean the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad."
It follows, then, that the meaning of every (kul) cannot be taken in its general sense. Therefore, although the Prophet may not have said to celebrate his blessed birthday, it is nonetheless not innovation to do so. For, as the following examples show, there were many actions and practices instituted by his close followers after his time that are not deemed innovation:
* Compiling the Qu'ran.
* The Maqam of Ibrahim (as) in relation to the Ka'ba.
* Adding the first call to prayer on Friday.
* Salutations on the Prophet composed and taught by our Master `Ali ®.
* The addition to the tashahhud by Ibn Mas'ud.
* The addition to the tashahhud by Abdullah Ibn `Umar.
These are some of the developments instituted by the Prophet's Companions, the scholars, and the honorable members of his nation, which did not exist during the time of the Prophet, and which they deemed good. Are they, then, misguided and guilty of bad innovation?
As for the claim that there is no such thing in religion as good innovation, here are some sayings of the brilliant scholars of Islam belying this claim:
Imam Nawawi said in Sahih Muslim (6-21): "The Prophet's saying every innovation is a general-particular and it is a reference to most innovations. linguists say, "Innovation is any act done without a previous pattern, and it is of five different kinds.'" Imam Nawawi also said in Tahzeeb al Asma' wal Sifaat, "Innovation in religious law is to originate anything which did not exist during the time of the Prophet, and it is divided into good and bad." He also said, "Al-muhdathat (pl. for muhdatha) is to originate something that has no roots in religious law. In the tradition of religious law it is called innovation, and if it has an origin within the religious law, then it is not innovation. Innovation in religious law is disagreeable, unlike in the language where everything that has been originated without a previous pattern is called innovation regardless of whether it is good or bad."
Shaykh Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani, the commentator on Al Bukhari, said, "Anything that did not exist during the Prophet's time is called innovation, but some are good while others are not."
Abu Na'eem, narrated from Ibrahim Al Junaid, said, "I heard Ash-Shafi'i saying, "Innovation is of two types; praiseworthy innovation and blameworthy innovation, and anything that disagrees with the Sunnah is blameworthy.'"
[b]Imam Albayhaqi narrated in Manaqib Ash-Shafi'i that Ash-Shafi'i said, "Innovations are of two types: that which contradicts the Qu'ran, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement of the Muslims is a innovation of deception, while a good innovation does not contradict any of these things."
Al `Izz bin Abdussalam said, at the end of his book, Al Qawa'id, "Innovation is divided into obligatory, forbidden, recommended, disagreeable and permissible, and the way to know which is which is to match it against the religious law."
Clearly we see from the opinions of these righteous scholars, that to define innovations in worship as wholly negative without exception is ignorant. For these pious knowers, among them Imam Nawawi and Ash-Shafi'i, declared that innovations could be divided into good and bad, based on their compliance or deviance with religious law. Moreover, the following Prophetic saying is known even to common Muslims, let alone scholars: "He who inaugurates a good practice (sunnatun hasana) in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least." Therefore it is permissible for a Muslim to originate a good practice, even if the Prophet didn't do it, for the sake of doing good and cultivating the reward. The meaning of inaugurate a good practice (sanna sunnatun hasana) is to establish a practice through personal reasoning (ijtihad) and derivation (istinbat) from the rules of religious law or its general texts. The actions of the Prophet's Companions and the generation following them which we have stated above is the strongest evidence.
Should we celebrate Mawlid - Shaykh `Isa al-Mani` al-Humayri - Department of Awqaaf, Dubai (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=508&CATE=2)
Hopefully the mentioned articles and books have helped to offer more insight into this topic, of which exists much controversy about in modern times.
Ma`salam
In modern times we often hear the assertions from certain groups that this or that practice is an inovation in religion, sometimes even accompanied by accusations of it amounting to Kufr or Shirk. Indeed there exist innovations in our religion, unfortunately however many of such assertions are based on the notion that no good can exist in them. They disagree with the notion of "Bid'a Hassanah" or "good innovation" which our `Ulema have agreed upon. The following article is an example of the arguments offered for such a disagreeing stand:
This article aims at addressing two main points: Is there what is referred to as Bida'a Hasana "بدعة حسنة " or "Good Innovation"? How do we categorize the actions of Umar about collecting the Quran and other actions that he and the companions did that appear to follow the Maslaha (interest)? What is Maslaha stand on that? In Hadith of Ibn Maja and Abu Dawoud, with a correct Sanad that the Prophet PBUH said: "and be aware of [and avoid] the newly introduced matters [innovations], as EVERY newly introduced matter is Bida'a and EVERY Bida'a is astray (Dhalalah)" " وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة" رواية أبي داود وزاد الترمذي "وكل ضلالة في النار"
Bida'a, Can It Be Good? - Dr. Tariq Abdelhaleem (http://www.alarqam.com/alarqam/en/articles/bidaa_can_it_be_good.php)
Shaykh Rabbani however, mentions the following: The understanding of the Hanafi imams, such as Ibn Abidin, al-Tahtawi, al-Lakhnawi, and others, is very close to that outlined by Sheikh Nuh Keller in the following article:
Innovation: What is Bid'a? (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=491&CATE=2)
The article being referred to is Shaykh Keller's The Concept of Bid'a in the Islamic Shari'a (http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/nuh/bida.htm):
There are few topics that generate as much controversy today in Islam as what is sunna and what is bida or reprehensible innovation, perhaps because of the times Muslims live in today and the challenges they face. Without a doubt, one of the greatest events in impact upon Muslims in the last thousand years is the end of the Islamic caliphate at the first of this century, an event that marked not only the passing of temporal, political authority, but in many respects the passing of the consensus of orthodox Sunni Islam as well. No one familiar with the classical literature in any of the Islamic legal sciences, whether Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), hadith, or jurisprudence (fiqh), can fail to be struck by the fact that questions are asked today about basic fundamentals of Islamic Sacred Law (Sharia) and its ancillary disciplines that would not have been asked in the Islamic period not because Islamic scholars were not brilliant enough to produce the questions, but because they already knew the answers. My talk tonight will aim to clarify some possible misunderstandings of the concept of innovation (bida) in Islam, in light of the prophetic hadith,
"Beware of matters newly begun, for every matter newly begun is innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in hell."
The sources I use are traditional Islamic sources, and my discussion will centre on three points: The first point is that scholars say that the above hadith does not refer to all new things without restriction, but only to those which nothing in Sacred Law attests to the validity of. The use of the word "every" in the hadith does not indicate an absolute generalization, for there are many examples of similar generalizations in the Qur'an and sunna that are not applicable without restriction, but rather are qualified by restrictions found in other primary textual evidence. The second point is that the sunna and way of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was to accept new acts initiated in Islam that were of the good and did not conflict with established principles of Sacred Law, and to reject things that were otherwise. And our third and last point is that new matters in Islam may not be rejected merely because they did not exist in the first century, but must be evaluated and judged according to the comprehensive methodology of Sacred Law, by virtue of which it is and remains the final and universal moral code for all peoples until the end of time.
As a matter of fact, the `Ulema have agreed upon classifying Bid'a into 5 different categories of which at least two can be considered Hasanah. Shaykh Keller elaborates upon this categorization:
It has been stated (by Izz ibn Abd al-Salam) that innovations (bida) fall under the five headings of the Sacred Law (n: i.e. the obligatory, unlawful, recommended, offensive, and permissible):
(1) The first category comprises innovations that are obligatory , such as recording the Qur'an and the laws of Islam in writing when it was feared that something might be lost from them; the study of the disciplines of Arabic that are necessary to understand the Qur'an and sunna such as grammar, word declension, and lexicography; hadith classification to distinguish between genuine and spurious prophetic traditions; and the philosophical refutations of arguments advanced by the Mu'tazilites and the like.
(2) The second category is that of unlawful innovations such as non- Islamic taxes and levies, giving positions of authority in Sacred Law to those unfit for them, and devoting ones time to learning the beliefs of heretical sects that contravene the tenets of faith of Ahl al-Sunna.
(3) The third category consists of recommended innovations such as building hostels and schools of Sacred Law, recording the research of Islamic schools of legal thought, writing books on beneficial subjects, extensive research into fundamentals and particular applications of Sacred Law, in-depth studies of Arabic linguistics, the reciting of wirds (def: Reliance of the Traveller w20) by those with a Sufi path, and commemorating the birth (mawlid), of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) and wearing ones best and rejoicing at it.
(4) The fourth category includes innovations that are offensive, such as embellishing mosques, decorating the Qur'an and having a backup man (muballigh) loudly repeat the spoken Allahu Akbar of the imam when the latter's voice is already clearly audible to those who are praying behind him.
(5) the fifth category is that of innovations that are permissible, such as sifting flour, using spoons and having more enjoyable food, drink and housing. (al Jawahir al-luluiyya fi sharh al-Arbain al-nawawiyya, 220-21).
I will conclude my remarks tonight with a translation of Sheikh Abdullah al-Ghimari, who said: In his al-Qawaid al-kubra, "Izz ibn Abd al-Salam classifies innovations (bida), according to their benefit, harm, or indifference, into the five categories of rulings: the obligatory, recommended, unlawful, offensive, and permissible; giving examples of each and mentioning the principles of Sacred Law that verify his classification.
In another Fatwa, Shaykh Rabbani confirms this classification and refers to several prominent Hanafi scholars that have written standard works attesting to it:
The same classification of innovation into 5 categories (obligatory, praiseworthy, permissible, blameworthy, and impermissible) is made by the Hanafi imams.
This is mentioned, for example, by:
* Imam al-Barkawiin his al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya,
* al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya’s two main commentators, Allama Abu Said al-Khadidimi and
* Sayyidi Abdal-Ghani al-Nabulsi
* Imam al-Tahtawi in his Hashiya on the Durr
* Ibn Abidin in his Hashiya on the Durr
* Imam Abdal-Hayyal-Lakhnawi in his Iqamat al-Hujja
* Allama Khalil al-Nahlawi in his Durar al-Mubaha fi’l Hadhr wa’l Ibaha
* Many other standard Hanafi references.
The Classification of Bid'a (Innovation) (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=477&CATE=2)
Unfortunately translations are rare, and even moreso if we seek them on the internet. However I did find three books that discuss the subject, one which includes a translation of a passage from Abdal-Ghani al-Nabulusi's al-Hadiqat al-Nadiyya:
Bidat is an Arabic word. It means something which did not exist formerly and which has been brought forth later. In this respect, the changes, reformations done both in customs and in worshiping are bidat. 'Adat (custom) is an action which is done for its worldly use alone without expecting any reward as a recompense in the next world. In contrast, 'ibada (worship) is the action as a recompense of which reward is expected in the next world. Since everything which had not existed in the times of the Sahabat al-kiram and the Tabiin and appeared later is a bidat, scholars have divided bidat' into such groups as mubah, wajib, mustahab and haram. They have called that which is mustahab or wajib a bidat hasana.
Islam's Reformers - 61 - Hakikat Kitabevi (http://www.hizmetbooks.org/Religion_Reformers_in_Islam/ref-61.htm)
Another book that has dedicated a chapter to this subject is Shaykh Abu Amar's Understanding the Ahl al-Sunnah, Traditional Scholarship & Modern Misunderstandings which is a work recommended by the Hanbali Text Society (http://212.67.202.62/~security/htspub/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=27):
Bid'a is a word that has been misused so often today, that its definition needs to be explained clearly.
Definition of Bid'a
Bid'a, literally means innovation. In special terms it means carrying out actions which displease Allah Most High and his Messenger [at-Tirmidhi, chapter 2]
Qadi Shawkani writes: "In Islam there are two kinds of bid'a: bid'a sayyia and bid'a hasana. If a new thing opposes the Qur'an and Sunna then it is sayyia, but if it is not against the Shari'a then it is hasana" [Qadi Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar, chapter on 'Salat at-Tarawih']
Imam an-Nawawi writes that there are certain types of bid'a. Two of them are bid'a sayyia and bid'a hasana. Bid'a sayyia is a bid'a that opposes the Qur'an and Sunna, whereas bid'a hasana is a bid'a that is not against the Qur'an or Sunna. For example: to invent the usul (principles) of Hadith, usul of Fiqh, usul of Tafsir etc. [an-Nawawi, Tahzib al-Asma wa'l-Lughat, word 'bid'a']
Hafiz Ibn Rajab defines bid'a to mean new things that have no basis in the Qur'an or Sunna. If a new practice has evidence from the Qur'an or Sunna it will not be bid'a shari'a, but it will be bid'a logawiyya (linguistic) [Ibn Rajab, Jami' al-'Ulum al-Hukkam, page 252 ]
Hafiz al-'Asqalani says that if a new thing is against Islam, it will be bad. If it is not against Islam, it will be hasana (good) [al-'Asqalani, Ibn Hajar., Fath al-Bari, chapter on 'Tarawih' ]
Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes that bid'a is always bad, but some scholars say that there are two kinds of bid'a, that one is good and one is bad. If a new thing has origin in the Qur'an and Sunnait will be called bid'a logawiyya (linguistically) but not bid'a in Shari'a. The word bid'a will only apply to bid'a in Shari'a. For instance, the Qur'an was collected in one book after the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the congregational tarawih prayer was started in Sayyidna 'Umar's time but these two things have an origin in the Sunna. Therefore, it will be called bid'a linguistically [Ibn Taymiyya, Iqtida as-Sirat al-Mustaqim, chapter on 'Bid'a' ]
From the above, the conclusion is that if a new thing has been started, and it neither goes against the Qur'an or Sunna, then it can be declared a 'good' innovation.However, if a new act is initiated against the Qur'an and Sunna, that will be called bad bid'a, or a reprehensible innovation.
10) The Concept of Bid'ah in Islam - Abu Ammar (http://www.islamicinformationcentre.co.uk/alsunna3.htm#10)
The third book that I found is fully dedicated to the concept of Bida', it is written by Maulana Ahmed Yar Khan and is called What is Bid'at (http://www.nooremadinah.net/Library/EnglishBooks/WhatisBiddat/Biddat.html).
Following is an article by Shaykh `Isa al-Mani` al-Humayri of the Department of Awqaaf, Dubai:
The Prophet said, "He who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not of it will have it rejected." He also said, "Beware of innovations, for every innovation (kul bida`) is misguidance."
Those opposed to Mawlid (http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/index.php?mforum=ahadunahad&showtopic=756) cite this saying and hold that the word every (kul) is a term of generalization, including all types of innovations, with no exception, and that therefore, celebrating Mawlid is misguidance. By daring to say that, they accuse the scholars of Islam of innovation. At the top of the list of those they have accused, then, is our Master `Umar ®. Those in opposition to Mawlid quickly reply to this, "But we did not mean the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad."
It follows, then, that the meaning of every (kul) cannot be taken in its general sense. Therefore, although the Prophet may not have said to celebrate his blessed birthday, it is nonetheless not innovation to do so. For, as the following examples show, there were many actions and practices instituted by his close followers after his time that are not deemed innovation:
* Compiling the Qu'ran.
* The Maqam of Ibrahim (as) in relation to the Ka'ba.
* Adding the first call to prayer on Friday.
* Salutations on the Prophet composed and taught by our Master `Ali ®.
* The addition to the tashahhud by Ibn Mas'ud.
* The addition to the tashahhud by Abdullah Ibn `Umar.
These are some of the developments instituted by the Prophet's Companions, the scholars, and the honorable members of his nation, which did not exist during the time of the Prophet, and which they deemed good. Are they, then, misguided and guilty of bad innovation?
As for the claim that there is no such thing in religion as good innovation, here are some sayings of the brilliant scholars of Islam belying this claim:
Imam Nawawi said in Sahih Muslim (6-21): "The Prophet's saying every innovation is a general-particular and it is a reference to most innovations. linguists say, "Innovation is any act done without a previous pattern, and it is of five different kinds.'" Imam Nawawi also said in Tahzeeb al Asma' wal Sifaat, "Innovation in religious law is to originate anything which did not exist during the time of the Prophet, and it is divided into good and bad." He also said, "Al-muhdathat (pl. for muhdatha) is to originate something that has no roots in religious law. In the tradition of religious law it is called innovation, and if it has an origin within the religious law, then it is not innovation. Innovation in religious law is disagreeable, unlike in the language where everything that has been originated without a previous pattern is called innovation regardless of whether it is good or bad."
Shaykh Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani, the commentator on Al Bukhari, said, "Anything that did not exist during the Prophet's time is called innovation, but some are good while others are not."
Abu Na'eem, narrated from Ibrahim Al Junaid, said, "I heard Ash-Shafi'i saying, "Innovation is of two types; praiseworthy innovation and blameworthy innovation, and anything that disagrees with the Sunnah is blameworthy.'"
[b]Imam Albayhaqi narrated in Manaqib Ash-Shafi'i that Ash-Shafi'i said, "Innovations are of two types: that which contradicts the Qu'ran, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement of the Muslims is a innovation of deception, while a good innovation does not contradict any of these things."
Al `Izz bin Abdussalam said, at the end of his book, Al Qawa'id, "Innovation is divided into obligatory, forbidden, recommended, disagreeable and permissible, and the way to know which is which is to match it against the religious law."
Clearly we see from the opinions of these righteous scholars, that to define innovations in worship as wholly negative without exception is ignorant. For these pious knowers, among them Imam Nawawi and Ash-Shafi'i, declared that innovations could be divided into good and bad, based on their compliance or deviance with religious law. Moreover, the following Prophetic saying is known even to common Muslims, let alone scholars: "He who inaugurates a good practice (sunnatun hasana) in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least." Therefore it is permissible for a Muslim to originate a good practice, even if the Prophet didn't do it, for the sake of doing good and cultivating the reward. The meaning of inaugurate a good practice (sanna sunnatun hasana) is to establish a practice through personal reasoning (ijtihad) and derivation (istinbat) from the rules of religious law or its general texts. The actions of the Prophet's Companions and the generation following them which we have stated above is the strongest evidence.
Should we celebrate Mawlid - Shaykh `Isa al-Mani` al-Humayri - Department of Awqaaf, Dubai (http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=508&CATE=2)
Hopefully the mentioned articles and books have helped to offer more insight into this topic, of which exists much controversy about in modern times.
Ma`salam