Q: What is Bid‘ah? What are its categories? Is it permissible for me to offer Salah (Prayer) behind an Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) practicing some Bid‘ahs?

A: Bid‘ah refers to every innovated act of worship which the Shar‘ (Allah’s Law) has not ordained. Every Bid‘ah is a going astray. It has no categories and all forms of it is a deviation from right, as the Prophetﷺ said: Every newly-introduced matter is a Bid‘ah and every Bid‘ah is a Dalalah (deviation from what is right). Heﷺ used to say in his sermons:
(Part No. 3; Page No. 14)


Ama Ba‘d (Now then), the best of speech is the Book of Allah, the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammadﷺ, the most evil of matters are those which are newly-introduced (in religion). And heﷺ used to say: Every Bid‘ah is a Dalalah. Heﷺ said: Anyone who introduces anything into this matter of ours (Islam) that is not part of it will have it rejected. And: Anyone who does an action which is not in accordance with this matter of ours (Islam) will have it rejected. Bid‘ah signifies all baseless acts of worship which people introduced in religion. They are called "Bid‘ahs", and all of them are condemned and forbidden.

As for the classification made by some people for Bid‘ah into Wajib (obligatory), Haram (prohibited), Makruh (reprehensible), Mustahab (desirable) and Mubah (permissible), this is wrong and the right is that all kinds of Bid‘ahs are misguidance as stated by the Prophetﷺ in the Hadith. If an Imam is committing a Bid‘ah that is tantamount to Kufr (disbelief), then Muslims must not offer Salah (Prayer) led by him. An example of suchlike is the Bid‘ah of Al-Jahmiyyah (a deviant Islamic sect denying some Attributes of Allah, claiming they are ascribed to people and cannot be ascribed to Allah), Al-Mu`tazilah (a deviant Islamic sect claiming that those who commit major sins are in a state between belief and disbelief) and their like. As for Bid‘ah that does not tantamount to Kufr such as declaring intention loudly by saying: "I intend to offer such-and-such a Salah," or suchlike, there is nothing wrong with offering Salah behind an Imam who does so, but he should be taught the right manner, as he should not say his intention loudly; rather; he should have it in his heart, which is sufficient, praise be to Allah. The same applies to the Bid‘ah of holding gatherings for commemorating Mawlids (birthdays), as long as the practice does not involve acts of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), it does not entail Kufr.

(Part No. 3; Page No. 15)

But if it involves acts of Shirk, such as supplicating to the Prophetﷺ or the person whose Mawlid is being celebrated, or calling upon them for help, whether this is the Mawlid of `Aly, or Al-Hasan or Al-Husayn or even the Prophetﷺ or Fatimah. Calling upon the one for whom the Mawlid is held, seeking their help, making a vow to them or slaughtering a sacrificial animal for their sake, all of these are acts of major Shirk. If, however, people only gather for reciting the Qur’an or eating food, this is a Bid‘ah that does not render its committer a Kafir (disbeliever).