Bid'ah in Islamic and Ottoman Law

Bid'ah in Islamic and Ottoman Law

Bid'ah, in its simplest definition, means something that does not actually exist in religion, but emerges later. The winds of change and development sweeping the world affect everyone. Whether they like it or not, everyone shares in this wind. After a certain point, we observe that the barriers we individually put in place also crumble, and that we, as a society, adapt to change over time. As a result of this change and development that has lasted for centuries and will continue to do so, we all today engage in behaviors not practiced during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and use things that did not exist during the Age of Bliss. So, are all of these innovations innovations? Can something be considered innovation simply because it did not exist during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? Does innovation only apply to acts of worship? Doesn't labeling everything new as innovation only serve to benefit those who claim that Islam hinders progress?

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