Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Many scholars say that singing praise of the Prophet and Allah is Bidaa`. I have heard that Hasan Ibn Sabit sang in praise of Mohammed SAW and also the people of Madina gathered to receive the holy prophet and sang songs of praise and with ecstasy. How can this practise then be a Bidaa`.

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Answer:

Bida naat Nasheeds

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

If one wishes to say phrases in the praise of the Last Messenger of Allah (saws), then the absolute best thing to do is recite the ‘durood’ or salutation upon the Noble Prophet (saws)…..and rest absolutely assured, that there is no better ‘naat’, ‘nasheed’, etc. than the ‘durood’.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 56:

Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him and salute him with all respect.

Abu Mas'ud Al-Ansari reported the following account from Bashir ibn Sa'd: "I asked Prophet (saws) 'O Messenger of Allah (saws), Allah has commanded us to invoke blessings upon you. How should we do it?' The Messenger of Allah (saws) remained silent until we wished we had not asked him. Then he told us to say,

'Allahumma salli 'ala muhammadin wa 'ala ali muhammadin kama sallayta 'ala ali ibrahima, wa barik 'ala muhammadin wa 'ala ali muhammadin kama barakta 'ala ibrahima wa 'ala ali ibrahima; fil 'alamin, innaka hammidum majeed. {Narrated by Muslim.}

(O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed the family of Ibrahim, and give baraka to Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You gave baraka to Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. In all the worlds, You are worthy of Praise and Glorious)

Man is obviously prone to ignorance and exaggeration; one whom he thinks or believes to be a pious individual, at times he raises them to the status reserved for the Prophets……And one whom he believes to be a Prophet, at times he raises them to the status and rank which is reserved for none save the One and Only Incomparable Lord and Creator!

Thus one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day must be extremely careful to remain within the limits of Islam, and not say or listen to phrases or ‘naats’, ‘nasheeds’, etc. where the ignorant have raised the status of the Noble Prophet (saws) to that of Allah Subhanah, or raise the attributes of the Prophet (saws) to the Exclusive Attributes of Allah Subhanah.

Some ‘naats’ and ‘nasheeds’ are indeed good and within the limits, but some ignorant people at times say and manufacture things about the Prophet (saws), which raise him (saws) to the Attributes which belong to Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Worlds, Alone. Such ‘naats’ and ‘nasheeds’ should be strictly avoided by the believers.

Your Question: …..Many scholars say that singing praise of the Prophet and Allah is Bidaa`.

The proclamations of the phrases of praise of the Prophet (saws) or good ‘naats’ or ‘nasheeds’ is indeed absolutely permissible in Shariah and merely an extension of a believer’s sincere and true love for their beloved Messenger of Allah (saws).

But if one from themselves dedicates a day or a night of the year (like the Prophet’s birthday, etc), or one invents from themselves a rite or a ritual whereby one gathers people at a specific time to recite the ‘naats’, etc….it is such self-invented rites and rituals which find absolutely no evidence in the Sunnah or practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) which would constitute a ‘bida’ or innovation in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

A bida or innovation is something which is invented, innovated, and added to the deen of Islam after the deen was completed on Prophet Mohamed (saws). It especially concerns the rites and rituals of worship, or any deed which was not performed or endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws), but was added as a part of the deen after his (saws’s) death. It also concerns any innovated deed which one does and believes that by doing this innovated deed, he is eligible to earn more reward from Allah Subhanah.

Thus it is not the recitation of the good and lawful ‘naats’ and ‘nasheeds’ in the praise of the Prophet (saws) which constitute a ‘bida’…..but rather it is those self-invented rites and rituals and celebrations and commemorations which are clear manifestations of ‘bida’ or innovations! The truth is brother, even if one were to recite the Glorious Quran at such self-invented rites and rituals, it would constitute a ‘bida’ in the Sight of Allah Subhanah!

Aisha narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘If somebody innovates something which is not present in our religion, then that thing will be rejected.’

Related by Bukhari.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations (bida), and every innovation (bida) is an error.”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If anyone introduces an innovation (bida in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation (bida) or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (bida), he is cursed by Allah, by His Angels, and by all the people!”

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan