Class 1
INNOVATION OR PERFECTION IN RELIGION?
Before we begin, let’s pause and reflect on something important:
Every Muslim wants to please Allah.
Every Muslim wants reward.
Every Muslim wants their worship accepted.
But here is a powerful question we must ask ourselves:
Is good intention alone enough for Allah to accept our worship?
This course will help you answer that question with clarity, confidence, and evidence—without confusion, emotion, or cultural pressure.
What Is Bid‘ah? (Innovation in Religion)
Linguistic Meaning
The word bid‘ah linguistically means: To invent something new that did not exist before.
This meaning can be neutral in everyday language—but Islamic terminology is different.
Shar‘i (Islamic) Definition
In Islamic law, bid‘ah means: Introducing a way of worship into the religion that has no basis—neither general nor specific—in the Qur’an or Sunnah.
In simple terms: Doing an act of worship in a way Allah never legislated.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen defined it as: “Worshipping Allah in ways that Allah has not prescribed.”
Or even more clearly: “Worshipping Allah in a way that was not practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or his rightly guided successors.”
Where Do We Get This Definition From?
From the Qur’an
Allah says: “Or have they partners with Allah who have legislated for them a religion that Allah did not permit?” (Surah Ash-Shura 42:21)
This verse establishes a powerful principle: Only Allah has the right to legislate worship.
From the Sunnah
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me. Hold onto it tightly, and beware of newly invented matters.” (Sahih Muslim)
And he ﷺ also repeatedly warned: “The worst of matters are newly invented ones, and every innovation is misguidance.” (Sahih Muslim)
So is every innovation is Bidah?
Not everything “new” is bid‘ah.
Using microphone (mics) in Masjids
Printing Qur’an copies
Building Islamic School/University to go and Learn Islam.
These are all worldly tools, not acts of worship themselves. Islam is easy and allows us to make use of the things Allah has provided us in this world. Aisha R.A. said, “Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ was given the choice of one of two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, as long as it was not sinful to do so, but if it was sinful to do so, he would not approach it…” (Sahih Bukhari)
The key concept to remember here is, speaking in the microphone in itself is not considered an Ibaadah, it is a tool. Paper was not present at the time the Quran was revealed so the Sahaba used means that were necessary to preserve it and now we use means that are present for us to use Alhamdulillah.
So the key as long as using of the tool itself is not considered a Sunnah or an act of worship then using innovation to help the cause is acceptable. Bid‘ah only applies to acts of worship and religious practices.
Allah has perfected the Religion
Allah says: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion.” (Surah al-Ma’idah 5:3)
Pause and reflect deeply:
If Allah Himself declared this religion perfect,
How could adding something make it better?
To add is to imply:
Something was missing
Something needed improvement
Someone today knows better than the Prophet ﷺ
And that is a very dangerous implication.
Why Bid‘ah Is So Serious
When someone introduces a religious innovation, they are indirectly claiming one or more of the following:
The religion was incomplete.
The Prophet ﷺ did not convey everything.
The Sahabah missed out on good deeds.
Later generations discovered “better” worship.
Ask yourself honestly:
If this act was truly good—why didn’t the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions do it first?
The Farewell Sermon: Completion Sealed Publicly
Allah perfected it and the Prophet ﷺ delivered it. This meaning was publicly sealed and testified to in the Farewell Sermon of the Prophet ﷺ—his final address to the Ummah. (Recorded by Bukhari & Muslim)
After delivering what is known as the Last Sermon (Khutbah al Wada), the Prophet ﷺ asked the people:
“Have I conveyed the message?”
He ﷺ emphasised it again by asking again, “Behold! Have I conveyed the Commandments (of Allah) to you”
The companions replied: “Yes.”
Then the Prophet ﷺ raised his finger toward the sky and then toward the people and said three times:
“O Allah, bear witness.
O Allah, bear witness.
O Allah, bear witness.”
This was not a casual statement. This was:
A public declaration of completion
A divine handover of responsibility
A clear testimony that nothing was left unsaid
So if the Prophet ﷺ completed the conveyance, then:
Nothing essential was hidden
Nothing beneficial was forgotten
Nothing needed “improving” later
So when someone introduces a new religious practice, they are—knowingly or unknowingly—implying one of two things:
Either the Prophet ﷺ failed to convey something
Or the Ummah today knows better than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
And both are impossible.
A Principle to Carry Forward
Completion means preservation.
Perfection means no additions.
Following means no inventing.
The safest path to Allah is the clearest one— the path already walked by the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.
Acceptance of Deeds: The Golden Formula
Allah tests us not by how much we do—but how correctly we do it.
A righteous deed needs two conditions:
Sincerity – done only for Allah
Correctness – done according to the Sunnah
Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad said:
“If a deed is sincere but not correct, it will not be accepted.
If it is correct but not sincere, it will not be accepted.
It must be both sincere and correct.”
Lessons from the Sahabah
1. Pebbles
Some people sat in circles in the masjid, counting dhikr with pebbles:
100 takbeers
100 tahleels
100 tasbeehs
Sounds good, right?
They said: “We only intended good.”
But Ibn Mas‘ud responded with wisdom that echoes through history: “How many people intend good but never reach it.”
He warned them: “Either you are upon guidance better than Muhammad ﷺ, or you are opening the door to misguidance.”
Lesson: Good intentions do not make an incorrect act correct.
2. Extra Rakahs
When a man prayed extra rak‘ahs after Fajr, he was told to stop.
He asked: “Will Allah punish me for praying?”
The scholar replied: “No—but He will punish you for opposing the Sunnah.”
SubhanAllah! Even extra worship can become disobedience when it crosses prophetic boundaries.
Categories of Bid‘ah
Bid‘ah falls into two broad categories:
Bid‘ah that leads to kufr (disbelief).
Bid‘ah that does not take a person out of Islam. This is where most confusion exists—and this is what this course will focus on, in shā’ Allah.
In the upcoming classes of this course we will InShaAllah study…
How to know what is Bidah and what is not.
Bidah Hasanah.
Widespread Bidahs in Ibaadaat like Salah, Dua, Quran, etc. Their refutations and actual Sunnahs.
Widespread Bidahs in life events like Marriage, Death, Funerals, celebrations, etc and what the Sunnah would be.
Dealing with the People of Bidah
Tawassul.
TIPS OF TEST
Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the msg being given.
Remember the concepts, simple questions will be asked about the concepts explained.
ASSIGNMENT
There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: -
Invite atleast 15 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 4 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)
Note:
Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
It does not matter, whether people join or not, our job is to invite.
2..Talk about any 3 topics/bidahs/Sunnahs covered in this week’s classes with atleast 3 people. 5 Marks.
3. Pray for the Ummah, pray for the ease of all the poor & oppressed Muslims and pray that Allah make us all strong in imaan and give us the hidayah to work for the aakhirah and to help each other. - 1 Mark
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