As we promised in the INTRODUCTION to the false manhaj of the man called Muhammad Awwal Jabata, here we want to look at the very basis of his manhaj and Da’wah upon which he had declared many scholars of the Deen, past or present, such as Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee, al-Imaam As-Suyootee, Al-Imaam an-Nawawee (he allegedly recanted this last one after his ‘ijtihaad’ made him come across a purported repentance of the Imaam from Ash’ariyyah), as Kuffaar. The commoners too are not spared.

The issue is the question of whether every act of Bid’ah is tantamount to unbelief that takes one out of the Deen. According to Muhammad Alee Jabata, the Philosopher, in what has come from him in more than one tapes, rather what he is known for in South West Nigeria, is that every act of Bid’ah, no matter its nature, size and manner, will take whomever is guilty of it out of the pale of the Deen, no excuse!

This article will delve into the issue of whether every act of Bid’ah really takes one out of the Deen. It is written with the aim of clarifying the truth; one to save whomever might fall in the man’s trap, and perhaps it will bring out those who are already in his net the bulk of whom are ignoramuses who cannot even spell their names correctly in Arabic but go about declaring people as kuffaar due to one Bid’ah or the other. By the mercy of Allâh, the work is based upon the works of past and present scholars. The writer, in no way, claims any scholarship for he is still a Taalib.

What is Bid’ah?

Linguistically, Bid’ah is an innovation the like of which had not been. Allâh says in the Qur’aan:
The Originator of the heavens and the earth. when He decrees a matter, He Only says to it : "Be!" - and it is. [Al-Baqarah:117], so badeeus-samawaat wal-ard, means Allâh is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. Before these heavens and the earths there were none.

Also in the Word of Allâh the Mighty,

Say (O Muhammad):"I am not a new thing among the Messengers (of Allâh)… [Al-Ahqaaf: 9], Thus the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) was not the first person to come with a message from Allâh to His slaves; many Messengers had come and gone before him. In other words, he was never a Bid’ah (an innovation).

In its applicability to the Deen, Bid’ah is ‘an innovated path in the Deen corresponding with the Sharee’ah which is intended to exaggerate an act of worship for Allâh the Most Blessed.’ That is the definition given of Bid’ah by al-Imaam al-Allaamah Abu Ishaaq Ash-Shaatibee (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) in al-‘Itisaam.

Innovation can be generally grouped into two: innovation in mundane affairs such as the system of transportation, communication, farming, production etc. innovations in this arena are generally permissible, because, as said by Ash-Shaykh Fauzaan (may Allaah preserve his life), in al-Bid’ah: Ta’reefu-ha, An’waa’u-ha Wa Ahkaamu-ha p.5, [You can also see the same article in Kitaab Tauheed of the Shaykh pp. 100-104] ‘The basis in ‘Aadaat (norms, customs, mundane systems) is permissibility.’

The point above therefore will quickly quash the claim of those who say all innovations are innovations whether mundane or otherwise, therefore they are all blameworthy. That also slightly deals a blow on the view of Jabata who says the use of spoon and fork, despite being glaring that it is norm that calls for them when eating meals like rice and beans, is Bid’ah upon which whoever uses them is thrown out of the Deen. Some of those who sheepishly follow him are bringing all sorts of things to say he has now ‘modified’ the view.
The other type of innovation is the type that takes place in the Deen. There is no dispute among the people of knowledge that innovations in that area is prohibited, because, ‘the basis in the matters of the Deen is refraining from carrying out actions,’ as said by Ash-Shaykh Fauzaan (may Allaah preserve his life) in al-Bid’ah: Ta’reefu-ha, An’waa’u-ha wa Ahkaamu-ha p.5.

The Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam), while outlawing introducing acts that have not been commanded in the Deen, said:
‘Whoever introduces in this matter of ours what is not part of it will have it rejected.’ The hadith was variously recorded in the books of hadith such as Saheeh Al-Bukhari (2697), Muslim (4589), etc. He (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) also categorically stated in the version of Muslim and Ahmad, that

‘whoever carries out an action which we have not sanctioned will have it rejected.’

So Islam is a no-go area for whoever thinks he can carry out any deed or concoct any thought. The innovations that have come in the Deen are in various ways, as outlined by Ash-Shaykh Fauzaan (may Allaah preserve his life) in al-Bid’ah: Ta’reefu-ha, An’waa’u-ha wa Ahkaamu-ha p.6.
Innovated statements that go back to the creed such as the statements that have been known with the sects like Jahmiyyah, Mu’tazillah, Rawaafid, Qadariyyah and other misguided sects in Islam.

Important Notice: The misguided sects in Islam are not upon the same dalaalah (misguidance); some are very serious while some are just serious. This is even why we say the misguided sects in Islam – al-Firaq Ad-Daalah Al-Islaamiyyah. There are some sects who attribute themselves to Islam while Islam is totally free from them. The point however is that not all the sects are to be thrown out of the Deen like that but all of them are evil that must be warned against. Please refer to al-Farq Bayna al-Firaq of Al-Imaam Aboo Mansoor Abdul-Qaadir bn Taahir bn Muhammad al-Baghdaadee (d.429AH/1038CE) (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) . We once prepared a small book on the evils of the sects and groupings of our time; you can download it HERE free.

There are other innovated practices in the Deen that go back to the acts of worship such as carrying out acts of worship not sanctioned by Allâh and His Messenger (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam). Examples of such are a prayer instituted without any Sharee’ah proof, or fasting or festivals which people attribute to Islam. The clearest example of the latter is what is popularly known as Maulid Nabee today. This kind of innovation is called Al-Bid’ah al-Haqeeqiyyah – Fundamental Innovation.

Innovations in acts of worship can also be in the form of making additions to the established acts of worship. Examples of that are if a person were to add to the number of a specific prayer. Such a Bid’ah is called Al-Bid’ah al-Idaafeeyyah – Attributive Innovation.
Similar to the above, is a form of an innovated practice in the Deen that comes in the form of carrying out an act of worship but not the way it has been established in the Sharee’ah. Ash-Shaykh Fauzaan (may Allaah preserve his life) cited an example of congregational saying of words of remembrance in a loud voice otherwise known as adh-Dhikrul-Jamaa’ee.

Yet another form of innovated practice in the Deen is specifying a time for an act of worship that has not been specified in the Deen such as specifying the middle of the day and night of Sha’baan for fasting and prayer. ‘There is basis for fasting and prayer in the Sharee’ah but to specify them to a particular period of time requires proofs,’ said Ash-Shaykh Fauzaan (may Allaah preserve his life) in al-Bid’ah: Ta’reefu-ha, An’waa’u-ha wa Ahkaamu-ha p.6.

Having the proper knowledge of what constitutes innovation in the Deen and what does not, is among the religious requirements a slave must possess. Said Ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah bestow mercy on him): ‘Among what a slave must have an adequate knowledge about is acts of innovations that have been introduced into the Deen; this is very important. This is because a slave cannot attain closeness to Allâh except by shunning acts of innovations in the Deen, that itself is not possible except by knowing the specifics of what constitutes Bid’ah as well as the principles and foundations guiding that. If a slave does not know all these, he will fall into Bid’ah while he is unaware…’ [Al-Ajwibah An-Naafi’ah (109-110) as cited in Qaamoos Al-Bid’ahp.27].

Ruling of Bid’ah in the Deen

Every innovated practice, act, statement in the Deen is prohibited, not only that it is dalaalah (misguidance)! The Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) said:

‘…be wary of newly-introduced matters because every newly-introduced matter is Bid’ah and every Bid’ah is misguidance.’ [Sunan Abee Daawud (4609), Sunan Tirmidhi (2676), Sunan Ibn Maajah (46)].

In the authentic addition in Sunan An-Nasaa’ee, the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) said:

‘…and every misguidance leads to the Hell.’

Scholars of the Deen however have not said that since every Bid’ah is misguidance that leads to the Hell therefore every Bid’ah is a Major Kufr that takes one out of the Deen. But that is the solid view of Muhammad Jabata unless if he has recanted this yesterday. Unfortunately though, Jabata is not a scholar we can give his word any consideration. But some people in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria think Jabata is a mujtahid who follows nothing but ‘hujjah and daleel.’How erroneous are these people. May Allâh take them out of their slumber.

Ash-Sahykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) said while reproaching those who think that every time a scholar of the Deen said an act of Bid’ah is misguidance (as stated in the hadith) therefore whoever’s act is referred to as misguided is himself a misguided person (let alone a Kaafir), ‘…no, such thought is an illusion and falsehood rather it is ignorance of the highest order because the act of Bid’ah which whoever does it is blameworthy and which the (strong) Ahadith on Bid’ah will be applicable is the act of Bid’ah which whoever does it does it as ‘an innovated path in the Deen corresponding with the Sharee’ah which is intended to exaggerate an act of worship for Allâh the Most Blessed;’ whoever therefore innovates a Bid’ah seeking to exaggerate worship for Allâh while he knows that the act is not part of the Deen, those are the people we will apply those Ahadith to, as for whoever falls into n act of Bid’ah while he does not know and does not intend to exaggerate any worship for Allâh, those Ahadith do not absolutely apply to them; they do not refer to them at all, rather they apply to those figureheads of Bid’ah who stand against the spread of Sunnah and legislate every act of innovation without any recourse to knowledge, guidance or an illuminating book, even not blind-following any person of knowledge, rather follow their whims to satisfy the masses…’ [See Salaatu-Taraaweeh p.35-38 as cited in Qaamoos al-Bid’ah p.35].

Praise to Allâh that the Ummah of Islam is a Ummah of scholars, had we been left in the hands of people like Jabata – a claimant to knowledge, we would have suffered ourselves and others greatly.

Al-Imaam al-Albaanee (may Allaah bestwo on him) continued while saying it is possible for any scholar of the Deen to fall into one form of the Bid’ah or the other, that not everyone of them will be declared as a Mub’tadi let alone a Kaafir as a result, ‘Yes any of them (that is, the people of knowledge) could fall into one error in the Sharee’ah while he will not be held liable due to that, he would rather be forgiven or sometimes be rewarded…because it was as a result of his personal effort, thus there is no doubt as regard a situation whereby a scholar falls into an act of Bid’ah thinking it is Sunnah (as it occurred to Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee and others like him) and another situation is whereby he falls into a prohibition thinking it is permissible; all these are forgivable errors…’ [See Salaatu-Taraaweeh p.35-38 as cited in Qaamoos al-Bid’ah p.35].
But Jabata said they are not forgivable because Laa Udhra bil-jahl [‘there is no excuse in matters done out of ignorance.’] That is one of the slogans the Jabtawis are known with.

But Jabata said they are not forgivable because Laa Udhra bil-jahl [‘there is no excuse in matters done out of ignorance.’] That is one of the slogans the Jabtawis are known with.

What Ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) was trying to point out in the foregoing is the principle Laysa Kull Man Waqa’a Fil-Bid’ah Waqa’atil-Bid’atu ‘Alayhi, ‘not everybody that falls into Bid’ah becomes an innovator’.’ The people of Sunnah accept the principle as being correct.

Said Ash-Shaykh Fauzaan (may Allaah preserve his life), ‘The hadith indicates that every innovated matter in the Deen is Bid’ah and that every Bid’ah is misguidance that is consequently rejected.’

He also said in his commentary on Shar’hus-Sunnah of Al-Bar’bahaaree p.36:‘[The hadith] is an indicator that the people of Bid’ah will be in the hell but according to the degrees (of the Bid’ah); some will be in the hell because of their Bid’ah that made them to be Kuffaar, some according to their Bid’ah that made them sinners; some will remain forever in the hell while some others will be removed thus they will come under the same ruling as that of a person guilty of the major sins.’

This is an important question, and of course, the nitty-gritty of this work. Does every act of Bid’ah which is misguidance take one out of the Deen? We are not aware of any reputable scholar of the Deen past and present who has said every act of Bid’ah, no matter what level it is, will take whoever is guilty of it out of the Deen.

Said the Rabbaanee Scholar Ash-Shaykh Fauzaan (may Allaah preserve his life) , ‘…but the sin of Bid’ah is of varying levels; according to the type of the Bid’ah itself. There are some innovated practices that are clear-cut acts of unbelief such as making circumambulations around the graves with the intention of seeking closeness to their inmates, so also making slaughters and vows for them, and seeking succor from them… (and there are) some acts of Bid’ah that are means to Shirk such as erecting buildings over the graves as well as making prayers and supplications around them. And there are some acts of Bid’ah that are corruption of the creed such as the innovations of the Khawaarij, Qadariyyah and Murji’ah… and there are some that are just sins such as the idea of celibacy, fasting while standing in the sun, castrating oneself with the intention of removing all sexual drives.’ Seeal-Bid’ah: Ta’reefu-ha, An’waa’u-ha wa Ahkaamu-ha p.7.

Ash-Shaykh Al-Uthaymen (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) was asked: ‘How can a lover of Sunnah relate with a person of Bid’ah? Is it permissible to forsake him?’ The Shaykh answered: ‘Innovations (in the Deen) can be divided into two: The innovation that makes a person Kaafir, and the one that is less than that; we must however call those who attribute themselves to Islam and that have these forms of Bid’ah whether they are guilty of innovations that take people out of the Deen or the ones that are less than that, to the truth. We should not attack them except when we see that they are arrogant to the truth…so whenever we see obstinacy and arrogance in them we should explain their falsehood (to the people)… ’ [See: Al-Ibdaa Fee Bayaan Kamaal Ash-Shar’ Wa Khatar Al-Ibtidaa, p.37].

Even in the report of hadith, the scholars of hadith differentiate between people of Bid’ah who called to their innovations and those who did not call to it, as far as reporting Ahadith from them is concerned. They do not say everybody guilty of one Bid’ah or another should be thrown out of the Deen. For instance, while discussing the reasons that could make a reporter of hadith to be rejected, ash-Shaykh AbdulMuhsin al-‘Abbaad (may Allaah preserve his life) with the co-author of Min Atyab Al-Man’h Fee Il’m al-Mustalah p.43, an introductory book to the study of hadith, said: ‘Bid’ah is of two types: Mukaffirah; the one that makes his doer a Kaafir and this is in the form of when a person denies what the whole Ummah agree upon as being indisputably part of the Deen; the report of such a person will not be accepted. Mufassiqah; this makes its doer to become a sinner. His reports are acceptable so far he is not a caller to his Bid’ah, or reports what strengthens his Bid’ah. This is the view of the majority of the scholars and that is what is correct.’ That is with respect to accepting his hadith narrations, as for his Islam nobody says he becomes a Kaafir except of course, the Jabtawis of our country, Nigeria, and their ill-guided teachers outside.

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) also alluded to this fact above inIkhtisaar Uloom al-Hadith when he said: ‘A person of Bid’ah who becomes a Kaafir due to his Bid’ah, there is no doubt as to the rejection of his reports, but if he does not become a Kaafir with it but legalizes lying, his reports will be rejected. But if he does not legalize lying, is it acceptable or not? Should there be a distinction as to if he calls to his Bid’ah or not? There is a great difference of views about that, old and present.’

The difference of view, O reader, is as regard his reports not as regards his person, please pay attention, may Allâh help me and you. Al-Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) continued, ‘But the position of the majority of the scholars is as regard if he invites to his Bid’ah or not. There is a report from [Al-Imaam] Ash-Shaafi’ee about that…’ [See Baaithul-Atheeth p.82]

And that is what Ash-Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin said as earlier quoted.

Commenting on the statement of Ibn Katheer (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) , al-Imaam Ahmad Shaakir (one of the greatest scholars of the hadith of this century, may Allâh be merciful to him) said: ‘The people of innovations and desires, if their innovations are such that will make them Kuffaar, their reports will not be accepted, that is what has been agreed upon…as for those among them whose Bid’ah is not up to kufr level, some scholars do not accept their reports while others accept them. Not accepting their reports is an extremism that is devoid of daleel!’
Al-Imaam Ibn Katheer also said: ‘This is Al-Bukhaaree recording the hadith of Imraan bn Hittaan al-Khaarijee (see Taqreeb At-Tadheeb: 5152) who praised AbdurRahmaan bn Muljam, the killer of ‘Alee; he was one of the greatest caller to his Bid’ah. Allâh knows best.’ ’ [See Baaithul-Atheeth p.84]

‘Al-Haafidh Adh-Dhahabee (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) said in Al-Meezaan (vol.1p.4) while giving the biography of Abaan bn Taghlib (seeTaqreeb At-Tadheeb: 136) Al-Koofee, ‘he is a Shi’ite to the skin but he is asadooq, we shall take his sidq but upon him is his Bid’ah.’ It is also reported that al-Imaam Ahmad and others declared him as trustworthy.’

Al-Imaam Ahmad Shaakir (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) went on quoting Al-Haafidh Adh-Dhahabee: ‘Someone might ask: why is it possible to say a mubtadi is trustworthy while it is within the definition of trustworthiness that the person so declared is upright and certain (in his reports); so how can he be an upright person while he is a person of Bid’ah? Answer: Bid’ah is of two levels: minor Bid’ah such as the tashayyu’u (traits of shi’ism) coupled with some extremism, or tashayyu’u without extremism; the latter was very common in some Taabioon and those who followed them upon religion, wara’and sidq; if we were to reject their Ahadith them a great number of the Ahadith of the Prophet (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) would go, and that is clearly destructive. Then there is a major Bid’ah like the complete form of rafd (full-blown Shi’ism) and its attendant extremism… ’

Al-Imaam Ash-Shaatibee (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) had said before the scholars of our time, that innovated acts are not upon the same basis, ‘there are some of them that are sins that will not be regarded as Kufr; or some which scholars differ upon whether they are kufr or not such as the thoughts of the Khawaarij, Qadariyyah, al-Mur’ji’ah and the similar misguided sects. Yet there are some of the acts of innovations that are sins and there is an agreement among the scholars as not being Kufr such as the innovated practice of celibacy and fasting in the sun while standing…so what is known is that these innovated practices are not upon the same level thus it is not correct to say they are upon the same level such as saying ‘they are only all frown at’ or ‘they are only prohibited…’ therefore innovated acts are like sins and it is known that sins are of varying degrees so we should view acts of innovations in the same way [See: Al-I’tisaam pp.382-383].

Innovated practices in the Deen once again are of various degrees only that allof them whether small or big are prohibited. Said Ash-Shaykh Al-Albaanee (may Allaah bestow mercy on him) : ‘It should be known that acts of innovation in the Deen are not upon the same level; rather they are of varying degrees; some are acts of shirk and clear-cut kufr while some are less than that but we should know that a little act of Bid’ah a man comes up with in the Deen is prohibited after it might have become clear that it is Bid’ah. There is nothing as such in acts of Bid’ah that are merely reprehensible as some people think. What the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) said is that ’all acts of Bid’ah is misguidance and every misguidance is in the Hell ,’ that is, whoever comes with it…’ [See Hajjatun-Nabee p.103 as cited in Qaamoos al-Bid’ah pp. 56-57].

Therefore no act of Bid’ah should be seen as being inconsequential because it is the little Bid’ah that leads to the mighty ones. Al-Imaam Al-Bar’bahaaree [d.329AH] said: ‘Be wary of little innovated matters because these are what lead to mighty innovations...’ [Shar’hus-Sunnah with its Commentary, p.37].

Is there anything like Bid’ah Hasanah (Good Innovation in the Deen)?

It is an error to divide innovations in the Deen to Good Innovations and Bad Innovations. What the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) said was that ‘every act of Bid’ah (in the Deen) is misguidance.’ The statement of ‘Umar bn Al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) that is often cited to justify the claim to Good Bid’ah has been severally explained by the scholars of the Deen as not applicable. The scholars say what Umar intended when he said ‘What a good innovation!’ with respect to the Taraweeh Prayers that was re-introduced in his tenure, is just of a linguist effect because the act was traceable to the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam).

Also what some people used to say that establishment of Madaaris, authoring books, gathering of the Qur’aan, etc. are acts of innovations in the Deen because the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) did not do them; that claim is also erroneous because those acts came to place while essentially they had been a part of the Deen right from the time of the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam). For example, Allâh has said the Qur’aan is a Book therefore it is not far-fetched when the Companions eventually gathered it as a Book intended by Allâh and His Messenger (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam), above all, the gathering of the Qur’aan was a Consensus od the Companions, and the Consensus is one of the secondary sources of the Islamic law. As for theMadaaris (Islamic schools), right from the time of the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlaahu alahyi wa sallam) there had been teaching and learning of the Deen but in a form of school different from the subsequent forms of schools; what matters, in this case, is what is learnt and how it is learnt. Allâh knows best.

Therefore, whoever exempts any act of innovation in the Deen, or says it is good, will have to cite a proof for it from the Book, Sunnah or the Consensus of reputable scholars of the Deen. Whoever innovates anything in the Deen to seek closeness to Allâh, whether as a statement or an action such has indeed legislated in the Deen of Allâh what is not part thereof. [See Al-Ib’daa Fee Madaar al-Ibtidaa of Ash-Shaykh Alee Mahfoodh, p.43].

Thus with the foregoing, we have been able to destroy, by the mercy of Allâh the claim of the Jabtawis that all innovated practices are on equal footing such that they take one out of the Deen.

Last point: The only defence the Jabtawis will have against the above is that all what we have brought are explanations of the scholars of the Deen; they will never see the Verses of the Qur’aan neither the narrations from the Sunnah. They will say they are not obliged by the comments of the scholars; they will claim they will follow ‘daleel’ and ‘hujjah.’

We will simply reply that this Deen of Islam is a religion that has scholars, everything that is learnt in Islam is through the scholars, and that is how it has been from the very first day of Islam. There is no space here to enumerate the virtues of the people of knowledge in Islam. But the fact remains that almost all the people of base desires always seek to first destroy the authority of the scholars of the Deen so that they will be able to come up with their falsehood.

We like to ask them, who is more worthy of listening to in the matters of the Deen especially the issue we have trashed here, Al-Albaanee, Fauzaan, al-Uthaymeen, AbdulMuhsin Al-‘Abbaad etc or Muhammad Awwal Jabata?

Please let us know your answer before we say how intelligent you are.

O Allâh! Accept this work for Your Face Alone.

sources:http://www.simplysalafiyyah.com/crushing-the-claim-of-jabata-that-every-bidah-takes-one-out-of-the-deen-part-one.html

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