Section: A Warning Against Innovations
First: The Definition, Categories, and Rulings of Innovation
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Section: A Warning Against Innovations

Definition of Innovation
Linguistically, bidʿah (innovation) comes from al-badʿ, which means bringing something into existence without any previous model. Allah the Exalted says, “The Originator of the heavens and the earth” (1)—that is, He created them without any prior example. He also says, “Say: I am not something unprecedented among the messengers” (2), meaning: I am not the first to be sent with a message from Allah; rather, many messengers came before me. One also says, “So-and-so introduced a bidʿah,” meaning he initiated a way that no one had preceded him in.

Innovation is divided into two kinds:

1. Innovation in worldly customs, such as inventing modern technologies (3). This is permissible, for the default ruling concerning customs is permissibility.
2. Innovation in religion, and this is forbidden, for the default ruling in matters of worship is strict adherence to revelation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours anything that does not belong to it, it is rejected” (4). In another wording, “Whoever performs an act that is not in accordance with our affair, it is rejected” (5).