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
Tawhid (God's Oneness)
Islamic monotheism — belief in Allah's absolute oneness, the core of prayer.
Tawassul (Intercession/Mediation)
Seeking nearness to Allah through holy persons such as the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt.
Akhirah (The Hereafter)
Life after death — the eternal life that prayer prepares the believer for.
Madhhab (School of Law)
An Islamic school of law with its own methodology for legal derivation from the sacred sources.
Salat al-Hajat (Prayer of Need)
A voluntary prayer performed when one has a specific need or wish.
Kaaba (Allah's Sacred House)
The holiest building in Islam, in Mecca, toward which all Muslims face in prayer.