Bid'ah (Innovation in Religion)
An innovation or addition to religion that has no basis in the Quran or Sunnah.
Bid'ah (plural: bida') refers to any innovation or addition to Islamic practice that has no basis in the Quran, the Prophet's Sunnah, or the practice of the rightly guided caliphs. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every innovation is bid'ah, and every bid'ah is misguidance" (Sahih Muslim).
In Sunni Islam, there are two main viewpoints on bid'ah. The stricter position, represented by Ibn Taymiyyah and the Hanbali tradition, considers all religious innovations as prohibited. The more nuanced position, represented by Imam al-Shafi'i and al-Nawawi, divides bid'ah into five categories: obligatory, recommended, permissible, discouraged, and prohibited.
Regarding prayer, bid'ah is often discussed in connection with adding acts or formulations not transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Imam Malik said: "Whoever introduces a bid'ah in Islam and considers it good, claims that Muhammad (peace be upon him) has failed in his message."
Related terms
Karbala (Imam Husayn's City)
The sacred city in Iraq where Imam Husayn was martyred, and home of the turbah.
Khushu (Humility in Prayer)
Inner humility, focus and devotion during prayer.
Hayya ala Khayr al-Amal (Come to the Best of Deeds)
The third exhortation in the Shia adhan: "Come to the best of deeds".
Akhirah (The Hereafter)
Life after death — the eternal life that prayer prepares the believer for.
Niyyah (Intention)
The conscious intention in the heart to perform a specific prayer.
Tayammum (Dry Purification)
Ritual purification with clean earth, when water is not available.