Ruling on describing worldly inventions as Bid'ah
Question:
There is no doubt that there is a fine distinction between what can be described as Bid’ah (innovation in religion) and what can be described as Sunnah (a commendable act), that is, between what is rejected in Din (religion) and what is accepted as a worldly affair. Your Eminence, can you clarify this matter?
Answer:
Worldly affairs cannot be described as Bid’ahs in terms of the religious connotation of the word. In fact, cars, planes, computers, phones and other forms of technology are inventions that can only be referred to as Bid’ahs in terms of being something new - as the linguistic meaning of the word denotes - and not as Bid’ahs in Din. Allah (Exalted be He) says: “The Originator of the heavens and the earth.” [Al-Baqarah: 117] This means that Allah is the Inventor of the heavens and earth.
Thus, linguistically the word ‘Bid’ah’ refers to an unprecedented discovery. Accordingly, we can describe worldly inventions, such as cars, computers, planes, etc., as Bid’ahs linguistically, and they are neither to be regarded as Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Shari’ah and Muslims of sound intellect) nor should they be rejected.
What is Munkar and should be rejected, however, is what people have innovated in Din, such as acts of ‘Ibadah (worship) that are not prescribed in Islam. Shari’ah (Islamic law) must be void of Bid’ahs. Shari’ah is what Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upon him) revealed to us. It is not the innovations that are made to Din, such as forms of Salah (Prayer), Sawm (Fast), and other acts of ‘Ibadah, and which are not prescribed by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Indeed, Islam is perfect. Allah (Glorified be He) says: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Al-Maidah: 3]