Bidʻah and Innovation in Muslim Life: Between Authenticity and Adaptation; Refuting Salafism
By New Age Islam Correspondent
2 October 2025
Islam spread across the globe precisely because it was both faithful to revelation and adaptable to culture and time. To deny this adaptability is to deny centuries of Islamic creativity: in law, science, art, and worship. The challenge of our time is not to ban every innovation, nor to accept every novelty blindly, but to apply discernment, distinguishing between what contradicts Islam and what helps it flourish. A balanced view preserves the purity of worship, promotes community harmony, and enables Muslims to address modern challenges without compromising their faith. This was the wisdom of the Companions, the legacy of classical jurists, and it remains the path forward today.
Major Points:
1. Bidʻah means innovation, but not all innovation is harmful. The Qur’an uses bidʻah in a neutral sense, and the Companions like ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb called some innovations “good.” Classical scholars, such as Imam al-Shāfiʿī, recognised two types: praiseworthy (aligning with the Qur’an and Sunnah) and blameworthy (contradicting them).
2. Salafism equates all innovation with misguidance, but this is too rigid. Salafis cite hadith like “Every innovation is misguidance” to reject practices such as Mawlid, Sufi dhikr, or grave visitation. But this view ignores how early Muslims and jurists allowed beneficial changes through principles like qiyās, maslaha, and ʻurf.
3. History shows flexibility, not absolutism. Examples like Tarāwīḥ prayers in congregation, compilation of the Qur’an, and the use of modern tools for worship prove that Muslims adopted new practices when they served Islam’s higher purposes without altering its core.
4. A balanced approach is the way forward. Innovations should be judged by whether they contradict revelation or serve Islam’s objectives. A flexible yet faithful stance preserves purity of worship, prevents harmful excesses, and allows Muslims to adapt to new contexts without losing their identity.
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In contemporary Muslim discourse, few words are as polarising as bidʻah — the Arabic term for innovation. In some mosques, the charge of bidʻah is hurled like an accusation, branding whole communities or practices as illegitimate. In other spaces, Muslims speak of “good innovations” that bring people closer to faith, foster unity, and help the religion flourish in modern circumstances.
The tension is not academic. It plays out in real life: Should Muslims celebrate the Prophet’s birthday (Mawlid)? Can they recite collective dhikr in Sufi circles? Is it permissible to use modern technology in worship, like Qur’an apps and loudspeakers for the call to prayer? Are communal Iftar gatherings during Ramadan a cherished custom or a religious distortion?
Much of this debate has been sharpened by the rise of Salafism in the modern period, which argues that all innovations in religion are misguidance. Yet the picture is more complex. The Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and the practices of the Companions show that Muslims did not adopt an absolutist stance. Instead, they distinguished between harmful and beneficial changes, guided by principles of the Shari‘ah.
This long-form essay explores the meaning of Bid’ah, the Salafi critique, and the broader scholarly responses that advocate balance between authenticity and adaptation. Along the way, we will examine Qur’anic verses, Prophetic traditions, sayings of classical scholars, and historical examples that illuminate this enduring question.
The Meaning of Bidʻah: Language and Religion
Linguistic Roots The word Bid’ah comes from the root ب د ع, which conveys the sense of creating something without precedent. The Qur’an uses the term to describe Allah Himself as the Originator:
«بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ» (al-Baqarah 2:117) “The Originator of the heavens and the earth.”
Thus, in its most basic sense, Bid’ah simply means something new, unprecedented, or original.
In Islamic discourse, however, bidʻah narrowed into a technical meaning: introducing a belief or practice into religion that has no basis in the Qur’an, Sunnah, or the consensus of the early Muslim community. Because Islam emphasises strict fidelity to revelation, labelling something as bidʻah often implies that it is illegitimate, misguided, or even sinful.
But as we shall see, the story is far from simple.
Scriptural Anchors of the Debate
The Hadith on Rejected Innovations One of the most famous Prophetic sayings on the subject is narrated by ʿĀ’isha (may Allah be pleased with her):
«مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ» “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours something that is not from it, it will be rejected.”
For Salafis, this hadith is categorical: any religious novelty is automatically invalid.
The Qur’anic Injunction A verse from Sūrat al-Ḥashr is often paired with the above hadith:
«وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا» (59:7) “And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it.”
On the surface, these texts seem to provide no wiggle room. Yet Muslim history, from the Companions onward, shows that interpretation was always more nuanced.
The First Great Example: Tarāwīḥ Under ʿUmar
After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, the community faced decisions about how to organise worship. One famous case is the Ramadan night prayer (Tarāwīḥ).
The Prophet prayed voluntary night prayers during Ramadan but did not consistently lead them in congregation, fearing they might be mistaken for an obligatory act. After his death, Muslims prayed for them individually. Then ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, the second caliph, organised the people to pray Tarāwīḥ in congregation under one imam.
He declared:
“What a good innovation (Ni‘Mat Al-Bidʻah Hādhihi) this is!”
Here, the word Bid’ah is used approvingly. For many jurists, this shows that not all innovations are blameworthy. Instead, the question is whether they align with the spirit of the religion.
The Salafi View: Innovation as Misguidance
Salafism, influenced by Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab, and later scholars, insists that:
Islam is complete, perfect, and needs no additions.
Any religious practice not performed by the Prophet or his Companions is illegitimate.
Innovations open the door to misguidance, superstition, and even shirk.
Salafi preachers often quote another hadith:
«كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ» “Every innovation is misguidance.”
For them, this leaves no distinction between “good” and “bad” innovation.
Concern for Tawhid (monotheism). By rejecting innovations, Salafis seek to protect worship from any hint of idolatry.
Purity of practice. A simple, clear Islam without extra rituals appeals to many.
Historical grievances. In some Muslim societies, corrupt shrine practices or exploitative leaders twisted religion. The Salafi call to purge such elements resonates.
Yet, while motivated by sincerity, the Salafi position faces serious problems.
The Limits of Absolutism: Not All New Things Are Rejected
If the hadith “whoever introduces…” were taken literally, then the compilation of the Qur’an into a single book after the Prophet’s death would itself be Bid’ah. So would building minarets, printing Qur’ans, or using microphones for Adhan. Clearly, Muslims accepted many new practices when they served legitimate purposes.
The example of ʿUmar and Tarāwīḥ shows that the earliest Muslims were pragmatic. They assessed innovations by benefit and harm, not by novelty alone.
Islamic Law Provides Tools for Adaptation Over centuries, Muslim jurists developed methods to deal with change:
Qiyās (analogy): Extending rulings to new cases by analogy.
Ijmāʿ (consensus): Agreement of scholars as a binding authority.
Maslaha (public interest): Judging actions by benefit to the community.
ʻUrf (custom): Accepting cultural practices that do not contradict revelation.
Dismissing these methods undermines the very tradition of Islamic jurisprudence.
Social Consequences Declaring every new practice haram fractures communities, delegitimises harmless cultural traditions, and turns religion into a narrow cage rather than a living guide.
Classical Scholarly Classifications
Contrary to Salafi claims, many classical scholars made nuanced distinctions.
Imam al-Shāfiʿī is famously reported to have said:
“Innovations are of two types. Whatever contradicts the Qur’an, Sunnah, or consensus is a misguided innovation. But whatever is good and does not contradict any of these is a praiseworthy innovation.”
Other scholars divided Bid’ah into the five categories of Islamic law: obligatory, recommended, permissible, disliked, and forbidden — depending on the case.
This flexibility shows that classical Islam was not rigid.
Case Studies: Contested Practices
A. Mawlid (Prophet’s Birthday) Salafi view: The Prophet never celebrated his birthday, so it is Bid’ah.
Other scholars: Mawlid, when observed with Qur’an recitation, praise of the Prophet, and charity, fosters love and knowledge. Excesses should be avoided, but the principle is permissible.
B. Visiting Graves Salafi view: It leads to shirk by asking the dead for intercession.
Counterpoint: The Prophet visited graves and encouraged it: “I used to forbid you from visiting graves, but now visit them, for they remind you of the Hereafter.” (Hadith). The problem is not visitation itself, but incorrect beliefs attached to it.
C. Sufi Dhikr Circles Salafi view: Group dhikr and chanting are innovations.
Counterpoint: Dhikr is explicitly commanded in the Qur’an. Collective forms are cultural expressions, permissible so long as they do not violate core principles.
D. Modern Technology Salafi concern: New methods may dilute tradition.
Response: Means of teaching and worship — from books to apps — are neutral. Their moral value depends on content, not form.
A Balanced Framework for Judging Innovations
Muslims can use a simple framework:
Textual Fidelity: Does it contradict the Qur’an or explicit Sunnah?
Doctrinal Safety: Does it risk shirk or distortion of belief?
Maqasid Alignment: Does it serve Islam’s higher objectives (faith, life, intellect, lineage, property)?
Historical Precedent: Did early Muslims tolerate or encourage similar acts?
This method avoids both reckless innovation and rigid rejection.
Why the Salafi Rejection Fails
It contradicts early Muslim practice (ʿUmar’s Tarāwīḥ).
It ignores the juristic tradition of Qiyas and Maslaha.
It creates unnecessary division by demonising legitimate cultural expressions.
It makes Islam appear rigid and unadaptable, which contradicts its history as a dynamic civilisation.
Conclusion: Toward Fidelity with Flexibility
The Prophet ﷺ warned:
«كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ» “Every innovation is misguidance.”
Yet the Companions themselves knew that this warning was not a literal prohibition of every new thing. They understood it as a warning against corrupt changes that undermine revelation, not against beneficial measures that serve religion.
Islam spread across the globe precisely because it was both faithful to revelation and adaptable to culture and time. To deny this adaptability is to deny centuries of Islamic creativity: in law, science, art, and worship.
The challenge of our time is not to ban every innovation, nor to accept every novelty blindly, but to apply discernment, distinguishing between what contradicts Islam and what helps it flourish.
A balanced view preserves the purity of worship, promotes community harmony, and enables Muslims to address modern challenges without compromising their faith. This was the wisdom of the Companions, the legacy of classical jurists, and it remains the path forward today
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