Description
Bid’ah (Innovations in the religion) pose serious threats to the purity and authenticity of Islam. The true teachings of the previous Prophets were destroyed due to the innovations their followers turned to, away from their Prophet’s guidance. Hence, the great scholars of Hadith in their various books made sure to include chapters regarding the dangers of Bid’ah, which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, had warned sternly against.
In this treatise, the Author focussed on the Bid’ah Hasanah (Innovations that is “good”) in order to explain the misunderstandings around it among the public and to establish the truth based on concrete and verifiable evidence. This is because many people often employ the concept of Bid’ah Hasanah as a pretext to justify their innovations in Islam. Of course, this issue cannot be appropriately discussed with emotions and without guidance from revealed knowledge. On the contrary, this topic must be evaluated in the light of Al-Wahyu (Divine Revelation) and with a mind ready to admit and accept the truth regardless of whom it has come from.
Al-Imam as-Shafi’e (d. 204H) affirmed: “Every issue about which I have given a view (later known to be) contradicting the Sunnah; I hereby retract it, whether during my life or after my death.”
About the author
Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin is a national Malaysian descent Malays. His first term of Perlis Mufti had been from 2006 until 11 November 2008. His second term as Mufti of Perlis began on 2 February 2015. He got his doctorate from University of Wales, Lampeter, United Kingdom. In the meantime he is also a columnist for ‘Minda Dr. Maza or “Pena Mufti” in the newspaper Mingguan Malaysia since March 11, 2007. All his writings are recorded in a book called “Mengemudi Bahtera Perubahan Minda – Edisi Baharu” published by Utusan Publications & Distributors Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of The Star Group which was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on 21 April 2010.
