Ibn Bazz: Is Bid'ah classified five categories?

A question from Sudan: Imam Al­Nawawy (may Allah be merciful with him) in his commentary on the subject of Bid`ah (innovation in religion) classified it into five categories: 

First: Wajib (obligatory) innovation, such as the proofs devised by Mutakallims' (searches for answers to creedal issues using logic) to refute atheistic arguments. 

Second: Mandub (commendable) innovation, such as composing books.
Third: Mubah (permissible) innovation, such as enjoying certain varieties of food. 

Fourth: Haram (forbidden) innovation.Fifth: Makruh (reprehensible) innovation. These last two categories are clear. 

How is this classification to be understood in light of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement, Every Bid`ah leads to misguidance ? Please, clarify the meaning of Shaykh Al­Nawawy's words. May Allah bless you! 

A 1: This classification that you quoted from Al­Nawawy's classification of Bid`ah into five categories has been approved of by a group of scholars, who said that Bid`ah can be classified as; Wajib, Mandub, Mubah, Haram, and Makruh. Other scholars are of the view that all forms of Bid`ah are misguidance. They do not approve of any classification of Bid`ah and quote the Prophet's statement in this regard: Every Bid`ah leads to misguidance. This is what the authentic Hadiths of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) convey andwhat Muslim narratedon the authority of Jabir Ibn `Abdullah Al­Ansary (may Allah be pleased with them) who said, "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say in the Friday sermon, And then, the best of speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil of matters are their innovations and every Bid`ah is a misguidance. This meaning has been reiterated in several Hadiths related from `Aishah, Al­`Irbad ibn Sariyah, and others. 

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This is the sound opinion, which disregard such classifications of Bid`ah set by Al­Nawawy and other scholars. Thus, all kinds of Bid`ah are forms of misguidance. Moreover, Bid`ah is confined to matters of faith, not to worldly permissible things. For example, types of food that were unknown at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are not regarded as Bid`ah according to Shari`ah (Islamic law) even if it is linguistically included in the meaning of Bid`ah. Linguistically speaking, Bid`ah signifies an unprecedented thing. Allah (may he be Glorified) describes Himself, The Originator of the heavens and the earth. i.e. He created heaven and earth without any previous example. The term 'Bid`ah' applies to any invented matter in Islam that has no basis in the Qur'an and Sunnah. This is the correct view accepted and affirmed by a group of scholars, who refuted the arguments of the advocates of the above classification. 

As for the act of composing books and producing evidence to refute the atheists and enemies of Islam, this is not Bid`ah. It is ordained by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). The Glorious Qur'an and the Sunnah provide profound statements that refute the enemies of Islam. From the time of the Sahabah (Companions) until now, Muslims have answered their enemies using what has been explained in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and presented various proofs. According to Shari`ah, this act is not seen as Bid`ah, but it is a duty and a form of struggle in the Cause of Allah. This also applies to building schools, bridges, and other useful facilities for Muslims. Indeed, Shari`ah enjoins upon us to seek knowledge and such institutions help achieve this goal. This also applies to endowments dedicated to the poor as Shari`ah orders us to be kind to the needy. Building homes and bridges for people is a form of doing good and obedience to Allah. These are lawful acts, not Bid`ah. Although they are innovations in a linguistic sense, they are not so in the legal sense of the word. In this context `Umar (ibn Al­Khattab may Allah be merciful with him) gathered people to perform Salat­ul­Tarawih (special supererogatory night Prayer in Ramadan) every night behind one Imam (after they had been praying it in small groups led by different Imams) and then commented, "How good is this innovation!" He meant Bid`ah in its linguistic sense, not its legal meaning. Tarawih is a confirmed Sunnah that was performed and encouraged by the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is not a Bid`ah but an act of confirmed Sunnah. 

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However, `Umar called it an innovation in the sense that it was performed in an unprecedented manner. At the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), people in the Masjid (mosque) would spread out in groups. Two men would pray behind an Imam, while others would pray in small groups. Additionally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) led them for three nights then abandoned this practice saying, "I fear that the optional night prayer might be made compulsory upon you." So he abandoned it, lest it would become obligatory upon Muslims. Thus, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) died, `Umar commanded them to observe it. 

To conclude, the night prayer during Ramadan is a confirmed Sunnah, not a Bid`ah in the legal sense. Thus, it is known that anything innovated in Islam, not ordained by Allah is Bid`ah and a misguidance. This is totally unacceptable. 

Q 2: A question also from Sudan: Allah states in His Glorious Book: And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning). It is narrated in some Hadiths that the Prophet (peace be upon 

him) mentioned that his parents would be in Hellfire. The question is: Were they not from Ahl­ ul­Fatrah (those to whom Da`wah has not reached in an uncorrupted manner), those whom the Qur'an clearly mentioned as being saved in the Hereafter? Please answer me. May Allah guide you. 

A 2 : There is nothing in the Qur'an that explicitly stating explicitly that Ahl­ul­Fatrah will be saved or will perish. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning). Because of His Perfect Justice, Allah does not punish anyone until He sends a Messenger. So, whomever the message of Islam does not reach, they will not be punished until the proof is established against them, as narrated in the Sunnah that the proof will be established against Ahl­ul­Fatrah and they will be tested on the 

Day of Resurrection. Thus, those who respond and obey will be saved 

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and those who disobey will be consigned to Hellfire. When a man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): 

Where is my father? He replied, "In Hellfire." When he saw the man's face had changed, he (peace be upon him) said, "My father and yoursareintheFire. (RelatedbyMusliminhisSahih(compilationofauthenticHadiths)). 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) wished to console the man and let him know that this fate is not confined to his father. Perhaps the Prophet's and the man's fathers had heard Da`wah and thus the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Verily my father and your father are in the Fire. Therefore he was talking about something that he knew, as he (peace be upon him) never lied or spoke of his own desire. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) states, By the star when it goes down (or vanishes). Your companion (Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم) has neither gone astray nor has erred. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed. Perhaps `Abdullah ibn `Abdul­Muttalib, the Prophet's father, had realized the Divine Message, so the Prophet said that about him. Quraysh knew the Din of Ibrahim (Abraham), for they had been following Prophet Ibrahim's Din until `Amr ibn Luhay Al­Khuza`y ruled Makkah and the worship of idols prevailed. `Amr propagated the worship of idols and they followed him and supplicated to them instead of Allah. It may have been evident to `Abdullah that what Quraysh were doing in worshiping idols was null and void, but he still followed them. This was a proof against him. It is also narrated in the Hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, I saw `Amr ibn Luhay dragging his intestines in the Fire; he was the first one to release animals (for the idols) and change the Din of Ibrahim." Also, it is related that the prophet (peace be upon him) sought permission to ask forgiveness in favor of his mother, but he was not given the permission. Then hesoughtpermissiontovisithergrave,andHewaspermittedto. (RelatedbyMusliminhisSahih) 

She might have known that the beliefs of Quraysh were baseless, as was the case of her husband, `Abdullah. Accordingly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was prevented from asking Allah to forgive her. It might be said that the people of Jahiliyyah (pre­Islamic period of ignorance) are similar to non­Muslims of this era. So, it is not allowed to supplicate to Allah for them or to ask Him to forgive them, because they committed the acts of disbelievers. Consequently, they are regarded in this life as non­Muslims and their affair 

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in the Hereafter is left to Allah. 

If the proof is not established against someone in this life, they will not be punished until they are tested on the Day of Judgment. Allah (Glorified be He) says, And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning). This applies to the people of any era when the Da`wah of a Prophet does not reach them. In this case, they will be tested on the Day of resurrection; if they obey, they will enter Paradise, and if they disobey they will enter Hellfire. This ruling applies to the old people whom the Da`wah does reach, as well as the insane and the children of the non­Muslims. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about them, he replied, Allah knows what they would have done. The case of the children of non­Muslim is similar to Ahl­ul­ Fatrah, as both of them will be tested on the Day of Judgment. If they go through this test successfully, they will be saved; if not, they will be among the disbelievers in Hellfire. However, a group of scholars hold that the children of non­Muslims will be saved from the torture of Hell, for they die on Al­Fitrah (natural disposition) and the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw them when he entered Paradise in a garden with Ibrahim (peace be upon him) along with the children of Muslims. 

This opinion is stronger for its explicit evidence. As for the children of Muslims (if they die young), they are among the people of Paradise, according to Ijma` (consensus) of Ahl­ul­Sunnah wal­Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body). Allah knows best and He is Most Wise.