Reading Time

• Summary Transcript: ~4 minutes
• Full Transcript: ~28 minutes

Learning Objectives

• Understand the Importance of Purification in Knowledge
  • Learners will be able to explain why purifying the heart is a crucial step before seeking knowledge and how a pure heart is essential for retaining and practicing what is learned.
• Identify Common Distractions in the Learning Process
  • Learners will recognize the impact of distractions like social media and unnecessary worldly concerns, and understand how to avoid them to maintain focus on seeking knowledge.
• Describe the Proper Etiquette Between a Student and a Teacher
  • Learners will be able to describe the relationship between a student and teacher, highlighting the importance of humility, trust, and respect in this dynamic.
• Recognize the Barriers to Knowledge
  • Learners will identify the two primary barriers to gaining knowledge: arrogance and bashfulness, and understand how these attitudes prevent effective learning.
• Explain the Concept of Bid’ah (Religious Innovation)
  • Learners will understand what bid’ah is and why it is dangerous in religious practices, explaining how it deviates from the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
• State the Conditions for Accepted Worship
  • Learners will be able to articulate the two key conditions for worship to be accepted: sincerity for the sake of Allah and adherence to the sunnah.
• Provide Examples of Bid’ah in Different Aspects of Worship
  • Learners will give examples of bid’ah in the context of cause, type, amount, manner, time, and place, demonstrating how innovations can occur in different aspects of religious practice.
• Understand the Dangers of Controversial Knowledge Early in the Learning Journey
  • Learners will recognize the importance of focusing on foundational knowledge before engaging in controversial issues, understanding that this prevents confusion and strengthens their base.
• Emphasize the Importance of Sticking to the Sunnah
  • Learners will explain how adhering to the sunnah prevents bid’ah and ensures that religious practices remain pure and in line with the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.

Class Summary

The Importance of Proper Etiquette in Seeking Knowledge and Avoiding Innovation (Bid’ah)

Seeking knowledge is one of the most important aspects of personal and spiritual growth, but it comes with essential etiquettes and responsibilities. Whether you’re a student or a teacher, understanding how to approach learning is critical to gaining true benefit. This post summarizes the core principles and manners that should guide us in our pursuit of knowledge and outlines the dangers of introducing innovations (bid’ah) into religious practices.

Purifying the Heart for Knowledge

Before we can truly acquire knowledge, it’s essential to purify our hearts. The heart is like a vessel for knowledge, and if it’s filled with bad intentions or impure traits, it won’t be able to hold the light of knowledge. Much like how acts of worship require physical purity (like making wudu for salah), acquiring knowledge demands a clean heart. You must work on clearing your heart of negative traits to truly benefit from what you learn.

Avoiding Distractions in Learning

In today’s world, distractions like social media can easily take us away from our studies. After purifying the heart, the next step is staying focused. A heart that is divided between worldly pleasures and learning will never fully grasp the reality of things. Dedication requires sacrificing unnecessary distractions, even if they are halal, in order to stay focused and steadfast in your path of learning.

Respecting and Serving Your Teacher

The relationship between a student and teacher is similar to that of a patient and doctor; trust and humility are key. You must trust your teacher’s judgment and guidance, especially early in your learning journey. Just as you wouldn’t question a doctor during treatment, you shouldn’t question your teacher’s wisdom in the early stages. Show respect and serve your teacher as a way of honoring the knowledge you’re receiving.

The Dangers of Arrogance and Bashfulness

Two things can prevent you from seeking knowledge: arrogance and bashfulness. Arrogance makes you think you’re too good to learn from someone you consider beneath you, while bashfulness prevents you from asking questions out of fear of looking foolish. Both attitudes will prevent you from gaining valuable knowledge. It’s important to remain humble and inquisitive in order to learn effectively.

What is Bid’ah and Why Is It Dangerous?

Bid’ah refers to any newly introduced practice in religion that wasn’t part of the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. This is dangerous because every act of worship must be based on two pillars: sincerity and alignment with the sunnah. No matter how well-intentioned an act is, if it wasn’t practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or his companions, it is considered an innovation and is therefore rejected. Innovations can occur in several ways, such as altering the time, place, amount, or reason for worship.

Sticking to the Sunnah

Following the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ is crucial to maintaining the purity of our faith. Introducing new practices—even with good intentions—leads to misguidance. The Prophet ﷺ warned us about the dangers of innovation, stating that every innovation in religion is a misguidance. To stay on the right path, we must adhere strictly to the sunnah and avoid adding anything new to our religious practices.

In conclusion, seeking knowledge requires both inward and outward purification, focus, and respect for the teacher-student relationship. At the same time, we must be vigilant against introducing innovations into our religious practices, as this can lead us away from the true teachings of Islam. By adhering to these principles, we ensure that our knowledge transforms not only our minds but also our character and actions. 

Full Transcript

Purification of the Inner Self in Seeking Knowledge

The student should purify his inner self. The title we’re discussing is “The Etiquette of the Teacher and the Student, and the Adversity of Knowledge,” and the scholars of evil and the scholars of the afterlife. He says that this chapter is on the etiquette of the student and the teacher and the pitfalls of knowledge. What does that mean? Sometimes, people deceive themselves with knowledge, and there are side effects in how you use and perceive knowledge when your intentions are bad, for example. That’s why he says that there are scholars, teachers, and ulema who, unfortunately, have evil intentions. On the other hand, there are the ulema of the afterlife, who seek to teach and learn knowledge for the sake of the akhirah. So, who are they? Let’s talk about this.

The student should purify his inner self from lowly characteristics and impure and blameworthy traits before anything else because knowledge is the worship of the heart. When he says that the student should first start by purifying the inner self, what does he mean? The inner self is like the pot or the envelope in which knowledge is contained. Knowledge itself is ibadah, an act of worship, and it cannot be placed in something that is impure. So, if your inner self is not pure and you try to fill it with knowledge, it’s going to repel it. It’s not going to stay there because ibadah requires purity. All acts of worship involve purity.

Connection Between Purity and Worship

For example, when you make your salah, what do you do first? You make wudu, you ensure tahara, and you make sure your clothes and your place of prayer are clean. When you fast, you purify your actions and your deeds. You refrain from looking at what you’re not supposed to look at, from touching what you’re not supposed to touch, and in that way, you sanctify the act of ibadah. It’s all part of tahara.

Similarly, knowledge is an act of worship and is like light. As Imam Al-Shafi’i says: “I complained to my teacher Waqi’ that I started forgetting. He told me, ‘You need to quit committing sins,’ because ilm is nur, it is light, and the light of Allah will not be given to someone who is a sinner.” Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, if you truly want to seek and retain knowledge, you need to work on that pot, on that inner self, where you will keep that knowledge.

Purifying the Heart from Evil Intentions

Your heart needs to be pure, pure from evil intentions. Because what is the essence of seeking knowledge? It’s about improving your character, and that improvement comes through your actions. If you’re not willing to change your ways, then knowledge may become hujjah against you—it may be evidence against you—and it will not be beneficial. We’ve mentioned many times already that the knowledge that is truly beneficial is the kind that affects you and that you practice. If you don’t practice it, it will disappear.

He made this as a disclaimer. He says, “Listen, the most important thing you need to learn as a student of knowledge is that you must prioritize the purification of your nafs, of your heart.” That’s why the ulema call it “al-tahliyah wa al-tahliyah.” What does that mean? There’s tahliyah, which is the emptying or vacating of the heart from anything unworthy, and then there’s tahliyah, which is sweetening the heart by adding that which makes it beautiful.

Creating Space for Knowledge in the Heart

Before you start adding anything to your heart, you need to empty it first. You need to make space. Because if your heart is already filled with blameworthy traits—bad intentions, bad behavior, bad character—and now you try to put something pure in it, there isn’t enough room for it. No matter how much you try, what’s already filling that space will eventually prevail and show in your character.

He’s telling us that you need to vacate your heart of everything bad so you can receive what is pure in the form of knowledge. Keep in mind, it’s not about how many books you read or how many pages you memorize. It’s about how much you retain in your heart and how it shows in your character, your behavior, and your actions.

Avoiding Distractions in the Pursuit of Knowledge

One should disassociate himself from all distractions, for when the mind is focused on more than one thing, it falls short in grasping the realities of things. The second point he makes here is that after you purify your heart and it’s ready to receive the pure light of knowledge, you must ensure that your heart isn’t distracted by vain things. He’s not necessarily talking about haram things, but about distractions, things that are unworthy of your attention.

For example, today, we live in a time where the greatest manifestation of these distractions is social media and constant phone usage. How many people are addicted to their phones? You can’t look at them without seeing them glued to their screens. What are they doing there anyway? Watching someone else’s life, someone else’s business. They keep browsing and scrolling indefinitely, and before they know it, hours have passed.

Subhanallah, this is the greatest manifestation of unnecessary distractions in our time. He says, “After purifying your heart, you must avoid these distractions, these vain things that neither benefit you in the dunya nor in the akhira. Stay focused.” He says that when the heart is divided, it cannot fully grasp the truth. If your heart is divided between money, pleasure, recreation, and other matters of the dunya, how can you expect it to fully focus on something like knowledge?

Focus and Commitment to Learning

How many people come to attend knowledge sessions, and after five or ten minutes, they start fidgeting? Why? Because they’re not used to sitting still. Their minds are thinking about checking their phones or doing something else. They’re distracted by things they don’t even need to do. They simply cannot focus.

How many times have you decided to stay after Fajr until sunrise, but then after five or ten minutes, you start thinking about other things? You tell yourself you have something more important to do, when in reality, your heart is just distracted.

Ibn Qudamah says that after purifying your heart, make sure that your heart is not distracted by unnecessary things, even if they are halal. To stay focused, you’ll have to give up many things, even things that are halal. Subhanallah, I remember once when I was a teenager, I was swimming in a public pool with my sister, her husband, and the kids. It was hot, and my sister, who was wearing her full hijab, was sitting on the side watching us.

I said, “Why don’t you jump in with us?” She replied, “I wish.” Then she taught me a lesson I’ve never forgotten. She said, “Thamalul istiqama al-hirman,” meaning, “The price of steadfastness is deprivation.”

What does that mean? In order to remain steadfast, you’ll have to give up things for the sake of Allah, and you do it with pleasure, not with grief or sorrow. I was struck by that statement, and I’ve remembered it for over 40 years. If you want to remain steadfast, to stay on the path, you’ll have to give up many things for the sake of Allah, and you must give them up with pleasure.

Learning from the Predecessors

Imam Ibn Qudamah reminds us that if you want your heart to remain focused, you’ll have to give up many things, even things that are halal, in order to stay steadfast. The predecessors preferred knowledge over everything else. It has been reported that Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, only married at the age of 40. Why did he wait until 40 to get married? For some ulama, their reason was to focus on seeking knowledge. For others, it was to serve their mothers.

Is that something you have to do? Not necessarily, because the Prophet ﷺ was better than everyone else, and he married long before that. But some ulama made the choice to wait, like Shaykh Hisham Qaiti, who said, “I don’t want to be distracted; I want to serve my mother.” Imam Ahmad, on the other hand, chose to focus on seeking knowledge. For him, getting married and having kids would have been a distraction. He wanted to focus on ilm, and once he felt satisfied with his level of knowledge, he fulfilled the obligation of getting married.

Abu Bakr Al-Anbari was gifted a slave girl, but when she came to him, he was thinking about the derivation of a religious matter. She withdrew, and when she asked if she had done something wrong, he replied, “No, but my heart became distracted by you, and you are not worthy enough to distract me from my knowledge.”

That was a time when this was practiced in society. His point was that he wanted to focus on knowledge, and her presence distracted him. So, he chose to let her go. Imam Ibn Qudamah is bringing an example from one end of the spectrum, showing the extreme dedication some people had to their knowledge. Some people can afford that level of sacrifice, but not everyone can. These examples should be seen as inspiration, not necessarily as a model for everyone to follow.

Etiquette of the Student Towards the Teacher

The student must surrender to the teacher like a patient surrenders to the doctor. He must humble himself before the teacher and be at his service excessively. When he says that the student should throw themselves in front of the teacher like a patient in front of a doctor, what does that mean? The relationship between a doctor and a patient is built on trust. You won’t go to a doctor if you don’t trust them, right? You listen to what the doctor tells you and do what they say without question. If the doctor says, “Open your mouth,” you won’t argue or ask for evidence. You trust them.

Similarly, in the beginning of your journey seeking knowledge, you must trust your teacher’s judgment. At some point, you may become independent or semi-independent, but at the beginning, just trust your teacher and keep moving forward. Learn from your teacher, and trust that they know what’s best for you, just like you trust a doctor. Sometimes doctors give you things you don’t like, like bitter medication or a ten-day antibiotic course. Even if you don’t like it, you take it because it’s for your benefit. Similarly, a teacher may give you difficult tasks or tell you to wake up for Fajr, and it might seem hard, but it’s for your own good.

Respect for Scholars

Ibn Abbas once took hold of the rein of Zayd ibn Thabit’s horse and said, “This is how we were ordered to treat the scholars.” Subhanallah, this is a beautiful story. Both Ibn Abbas and Zayd ibn Thabit were Sahaba, but Ibn Abbas was younger. Still, when it came to seeking knowledge, Ibn Abbas would walk beside Zayd’s horse, holding the rein, helping him mount and dismount. Zayd became embarrassed and told him, “You’re the cousin of the Prophet ﷺ; you either ride with me, or I’ll walk with you.” But Ibn Abbas replied, “No, this is how we were ordered to treat the scholars.”

In some cultures, people exaggerate this level of respect, like kissing the scholar’s shoes or feet, which is too much. However, there should be a level of respect and care for the scholars, such as preparing the class and making sure their needs are met. When we were students with Shaykh al-Amin, we saw how students cared for the Shaykh’s needs, making sure everything was ready for him to simply focus on teaching. Respect is essential to appreciate the knowledge we receive from our teachers.

Arrogance and Bashfulness: Obstacles to Seeking Knowledge

If a student is too proud to learn from someone who isn’t famous for his knowledge, he is ignorant. For the believer, wisdom is the object of persistent quest, and he takes it wherever he finds it. Furthermore, a student should leave his personal opinions for the opinions of his teacher. A teacher’s mistake benefits the student more than the student’s own correctness.

What does this mean? Sometimes, students refuse to learn from someone just because that person isn’t well-known for their knowledge. Today, people gauge knowledge by the number of followers or views. Unfortunately, we follow the crowds. But hidden gems exist in local communities, and you may gain more value from learning with someone lesser-known than from someone famous. Many people want to learn from big-name scholars just to add it to their resume. Yet, there may be someone nearby who knows a little more than you and can help you advance faster than a large class with a famous scholar where you have little access to the teacher.

If you’re too proud to learn from someone because you think you’re better than them, you’ve missed an opportunity. Our scholars say two things will deprive you of knowledge: arrogance and bashfulness. Arrogance is when you think you’re too good to learn from someone, whether because they’re younger, less well-known, or don’t look like a scholar. Sheikh al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him, told us about his experience with Sheikh al-Sa’di. When he first saw Sheikh al-Sa’di, he thought, “Really? I came all this way to learn from this Bedouin?” But the moment Sheikh al-Sa’di started speaking, he was amazed.

Similarly, Sheikh al-Shanqiti, the author of Adwa’ al-Bayan, was an encyclopedia of knowledge. If you look at him, he might seem like a simple man, but when he spoke, it was as if he was reading from a book. Such scholars may not look impressive at first, but their knowledge is profound.

Bashfulness, on the other hand, prevents you from asking questions. You might be in a class, unsure about something, but feel too shy to ask because you’re worried the question sounds stupid. This is a lost opportunity. Sheikh al-Uthaymeen said the only dumb question is the one you don’t ask. So always ask, because that’s how you learn.

Etiquette of Questioning and Respecting the Teacher’s Time

One of the rights that a scholar has upon you is that after greeting the people, you must greet him individually. Ali ibn Abi Talib gives general etiquette for dealing with elders and teachers. After greeting everyone, give a specific salam to your teacher. When you sit, sit in front of him, not behind him. Sheikh al-Uthaymeen didn’t like people sitting behind him, and he wouldn’t take questions from those who did.

You must not present frequent questions or be stubborn in asking for an answer if the teacher is tired. If he refuses to answer, don’t ask again. Also, don’t make gestures with your friends during the session, and don’t waste the teacher’s time with questions just to fill space. If you already know the answer, let someone else ask.

Refraining from Assisting or Correcting the Teacher Without Permission

Do not assist your teacher in answering a question unless he asks. Some students interrupt the teacher to add footnotes or answer questions themselves, which is disrespectful. I’ve seen this happen to our teachers, and it can be frustrating. Once, a student kept adding comments after the Shaykh’s answers, and finally, the Shaykh had to tell him, “Excuse me, please be quiet.”

If the teacher is tired or refuses to answer, don’t insist. And never grab him by the hand and beg for more time when he’s trying to leave. Once, I saw Sheikh al-Uthaymeen walking, and someone tried to help by adjusting his head covering. The Sheikh became upset, saying, “Don’t touch me.” Everyone around him immediately backed away out of respect.

Maintaining Trust and Privacy with the Teacher

Do not spread the teacher’s secrets, backbite in his presence, or look for his mistakes. If you see the Shaykh acting differently in private or hear something he says in private, don’t spread it. And don’t dig into his past to find mistakes, even from years ago.

If the Shaykh apologizes or explains a mistake, accept it. Never bring up what others say about him or mention differing opinions just to stir trouble. Instead, ask about the opinion itself without bringing in names, unless the teacher asks where you heard it.

Being Humble in Service to the Teacher

Don’t raise yourself above serving the teacher. Long companionship with a teacher is essential, and you should never feel too proud to serve them. In our time, with knowledge so easily available online, we lose the opportunity to develop good adab through companionship. Knowledge online may give you information, but it won’t teach you the proper etiquette of learning.

If the teacher is in need of something and others fulfill his need before you, know that he is like a palm tree, which benefits those who seek it. It’s a good etiquette to rush to serve and assist your teachers. I remember seeing this with Shaykh al-Uthaymeen and Shaykh al-Shanqeeti. Students would compete to bring the chairs, the water, and the books, making sure everything was prepared for the class. When Shaykh al-Uthaymeen used to teach on the roof of the Haram in Mecca, we would arrive after Asr to reserve our spots, staying in the sun until Taraweeh to make sure we were in the front row. Why? Because if we moved, someone would take our spot, and we wanted to sit in front of the Shaykh. One night, we heard the class was going to be moved downstairs, so we rushed down. Then, when we heard it was going back upstairs, we rushed back up, only to hear again that it would be downstairs. We ended up running up and down multiple times, all for the chance to sit close to the Shaykh.

Avoiding Unnecessary Differences in Knowledge

If you wish to learn, do not lend your ear to the differences between people, for this will only confuse you and tire your mind. Today, many people, when they start learning, immediately jump into controversial issues. That’s not how you start your path of knowledge. You begin with the basics, with what is clear and foundational. Don’t start with the debates between scholars on complex issues. You don’t need to focus on who said what about a particular issue before you even understand the essentials. For instance, when people start asking about whether the meat and chicken they buy is halal, I ask them, “Do you know how to properly perform wudu first?” Let’s start with what is basic and foundational before moving on to controversial matters.

Prioritizing the Knowledge That Benefits in the Afterlife

You should take the best of everything because life is too short, and you must put most of your energy into learning the noblest of all sciences, namely the knowledge that pertains to the afterlife. This knowledge is your pathway to certainty, the certainty gained by Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, for whom Allah’s Messenger ﷺ testified, saying, “Abu Bakr has not preceded you by constant fasting or prayer. He has preceded you with something that has settled in his breast.”

While the hadith about Abu Bakr al-Siddiq being superior due to what was settled in his heart is weak and generally disputed, it’s undisputed that his iman was stronger than anyone else’s. The Prophet ﷺ entrusted him with leadership over the Ummah because of his strong faith. We learn from this that knowledge should lead us to stronger faith and certainty, which ultimately prepares us for the hereafter.

Next, we’ll start learning about the etiquette of the teacher towards the student. Today, we covered the etiquette of the student towards the teacher. Next time, we’ll discuss the responsibilities of the teacher in relation to the student, insha’Allah. Let’s move on to the next book.

The Importance of Following the Sunnah and Avoiding Innovation (Bid’ah)

This is book number five from the Forty Hadith of Imam al-Nawawi, from Ibn Rajab’s explanation of the hadith. The hadith from Aisha states: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours something that is not part of it, it is rejected.” This is reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim. In another narration from Muslim, it says, “Whoever does an action that is not based on our affair, it is rejected.” Both versions are reported in the two Sahihs, and while the wording differs slightly, the meanings are very close to each other.

This hadith is one of the most valuable in terms of judging actions. Why? Because it lays out a key principle: if someone introduces something into our religion that isn’t part of it, then that action is rejected. It ties directly to the earlier hadith about intentions. The first hadith we studied focused on the internal aspect of our actions—our intentions—while this one focuses on the external aspect, the actual practice of those actions. Just as sincerity is necessary for an action to be rewarded, the outward action must be in accordance with the teachings of Islam for it to be accepted.

Two Pillars for an Action to Be Accepted

The principle here is clear: whoever introduces something into our religion that is not part of it, meaning they innovate something new in religious practice, that action is rejected. There are two key conditions for any action to be accepted: first, it must be sincerely done for the sake of Allah, and second, it must be in accordance with the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. If either of these conditions is missing, the action is invalid, no matter how well-intended it might be.

For example, someone could sincerely pray every time they enter their house, believing that it’s a good act of worship. But because this act is not something the Prophet ﷺ did, even with good intentions, it is an innovation and therefore rejected. On the other hand, someone might perform all the external acts of worship but do so for show or to gain praise from others. In that case, the action is invalid because the sincerity is missing.

The Importance of Sincerity and Following the Prophet’s Example

We live in a time when many people are very sincere in their love for the religion and their acts of worship, but they may not follow the sunnah in their practices. They might argue that their actions are done out of love for the Prophet ﷺ, but if those actions are not in line with his teachings, they are innovations. It is important to note that emotions cannot override the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. Just because something feels right doesn’t mean it is right in the eyes of Allah.

Everyone who introduces something new into the religion, for which Allah and His Messenger have not given permission, has nothing to do with the deen. This principle is clear, and it is supported by many other hadith. For example, in the hadith of al-Irbad ibn Sariyah, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever among you lives after me will see many differences, so you must hold fast to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me. Bite onto it with your molar teeth. Beware of newly introduced matters, for every newly introduced matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.”

What Is Bid’ah?

Let’s talk a bit more about innovations. The word “bid’ah” comes from the root word meaning to create something without precedent. When Allah describes Himself as the creator of the heavens and the earth, He uses the word “bid’ah” because He created them without any prior example. So in its literal sense, bid’ah means an innovation or a newly introduced matter. However, when we talk about bid’ah in a religious context, it refers specifically to introducing something new into the religion, especially as an act of worship, that is not based on the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.

There are two types of bid’ah: bid’ah in matters of religion and bid’ah in worldly matters. In religious matters, bid’ah could be introducing new forms of worship, new practices, or changing the established ways of performing acts of worship.

Examples of Religious Bid’ah

For example, some people celebrate the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ, saying, “We are just praising the Prophet.” But is there anything wrong with praising the Prophet ﷺ? No, there isn’t. In fact, we are commanded to send salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ. However, doing so in a specific way, at a specific time, as part of a newly introduced celebration, makes it a bid’ah because it was not something the Prophet ﷺ or his companions practiced.

Another example is when a man sneezed in front of Ibn Umar and said, “Alhamdulillah wa salatu wa salamu ‘ala Rasulillah.” Ibn Umar corrected him, saying, “This is not what we were taught to say after sneezing.” Even though there is nothing wrong with sending salawat on the Prophet ﷺ, doing so after sneezing makes it a bid’ah because it introduces something new into the practice of sneezing, which the Prophet ﷺ did not do.

Types of Bid’ah

The scholars explain that bid’ah can occur in six different areas: the cause, the type, the amount, the manner, the time, and the place.

The cause: Doing an act of worship for a reason that was not established in the sunnah. For example, praying two rak’ahs every time you enter your house would be a bid’ah because there is no established cause for this action.

The type: Using something that is not sanctioned in worship, such as sacrificing an animal that is not allowed for sacrifice during Eid. Even if it’s a valuable animal, if it’s not one of the types allowed for sacrifice, it’s a bid’ah.

The amount: Increasing or decreasing the number of times you perform an act of worship. For example, washing your limbs five times during wudu instead of three, believing that it’s better, is a bid’ah because it goes against the established sunnah.

The manner: Changing the way an act of worship is performed, such as making wudu in reverse order, is a bid’ah because it alters the established practice.

The time: Performing an act of worship at a time that was not prescribed. For example, performing the sacrifice for Eid before the salah is a bid’ah because it must be done after the prayer.

The place: Performing an act of worship in a place where it wasn’t intended to be performed. For instance, performing i’tikaf in your home instead of in the mosque is a bid’ah because the sunnah specifies that i’tikaf should be done in the mosque.

Examples from the Companions

An example from the time of the companions is when Abu Musa al-Ash’ari saw a group of people sitting in circles, counting pebbles, and making dhikr together in unison. He was appalled by the sight and went to Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, who reprimanded them, saying, “Either you are following a sunnah better than the sunnah of Muhammad ﷺ, or you are upon a path of misguidance.”

Finally, it’s important to remember that the basic rule in worldly matters is that everything is permissible unless proven otherwise. However, when it comes to religious matters, the default is that everything is forbidden unless there is evidence to support it. This is why when someone introduces something new in worship and asks for evidence that it’s wrong, we must remind them that the burden of proof is on them to show that their action is part of the sunnah.

In summary, bid’ah is any newly introduced practice in religious matters that was not part of the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. It can happen in one of six ways: the cause, type, amount, manner, time, or place of an act of worship. It’s essential to stick to the sunnah and avoid innovations, no matter how well-intentioned they may be. As the Prophet ﷺ said, “Every innovation is misguidance.”

Q&A

1. Why is it important to purify your heart before seeking knowledge?

• Answer: Purifying your heart is essential because knowledge is like a form of worship, and just as worship requires physical purity, the heart needs to be free from bad intentions and negative traits to truly absorb and retain knowledge.

2. What are some examples of distractions that can hinder a student from focusing on learning?

• Answer: Common distractions today include social media, constant phone usage, and entertainment. Even permissible (halal) distractions can divert your focus from learning if they are excessive.

3. How should a student of knowledge approach their teacher, and why is this relationship compared to that of a patient and a doctor?

• Answer: A student should trust their teacher’s judgment, be humble, and serve their teacher respectfully, just as a patient trusts and follows a doctor’s guidance. This trust is crucial for effective learning, especially at the beginning.

4. What are two key attitudes that can prevent someone from gaining knowledge?

• Answer: Arrogance and bashfulness. Arrogance makes someone think they are too good to learn from others, and bashfulness makes them too shy to ask questions, both of which can impede learning.

5. What does the term “bid’ah” mean, and why is it considered dangerous in religious practices?

• Answer: Bid’ah refers to introducing new practices into religion that were not part of the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. It is dangerous because it deviates from the established sunnah, and every act of worship must align with the Prophet’s teachings to be accepted by Allah.

6. What are the two key conditions for an action of worship to be accepted?

• Answer: The action must be done sincerely for the sake of Allah, and it must be in accordance with the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

7. Can you give an example of a bid’ah related to worship?

• Answer: An example would be celebrating the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday with specific religious rituals, which was not practiced by the Prophet or his companions. Although sending salawat is good, creating new celebrations around it is a bid’ah.

8. How does the concept of bid’ah apply to the cause, type, amount, manner, time, and place of worship?

• Answers:
• Cause: Doing an act of worship for a reason not prescribed by the sunnah (e.g., praying for a specific cause not taught by the Prophet ﷺ).
• Type: Using an unapproved method or object for worship (e.g., sacrificing an animal not allowed for sacrifice).
• Amount: Changing the prescribed number of times an act is done (e.g., washing limbs five times in wudu instead of three).
• Manner: Performing an act of worship in a way that deviates from the sunnah (e.g., reversing the steps of wudu).
• Time: Performing worship at a time that’s not prescribed (e.g., making the Eid sacrifice before prayer).
• Place: Doing worship in a place not recommended (e.g., performing i’tikaf at home instead of the mosque).

9. Why is it important to avoid focusing on controversial issues early in your journey of learning?

• Answer: Focusing on controversies too early can confuse a student and divert them from mastering the foundational knowledge that is essential for deeper understanding later. It’s important to first gain a strong base in clear, undisputed matters before engaging in complex debates.

10. How does adhering to the sunnah help prevent bid’ah?

• Answer: Adhering to the sunnah ensures that our practices align with the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, leaving no room for unnecessary or unapproved innovations in worship, thus protecting the integrity of our religious practices.