As Salamoulikum,

I am from North Africa and we have a lot tradition.

There is one that says that its good to put a Quran under the pillow of a new born baby to protect him.

I wanted to know if it was bidd`a. For me bid`a means something that human beings have invented where there is no saying to of the Prophet Muhammed (pbhh) that can proof it, and that also leads to sin and shaytan.

For me putting a quran under the pillow of a child doesn`t make it bidd`a or to something wrong. I also want to know the exact definition of Bidd`a.

Can you please clarify the situation.

Jazakallah khair

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Answer:

What is bida

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.

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.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best example for you to follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

Dear and Beloved brother in Islam, it is the solemn belief of every true believer who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, that there was, is, or never will be anyone in the annuls of creation who worshipped Allah Subhanah more or better than the Noble Last and Final Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws)!

Thus if anyone dares to comes up with any act of worship like celebration, commemoration, or prescribes importance to any prayer, or fast, or night or day, or invents, innovates, or adds anything in the deen of Islam which is not endorsed by the Noble Prophet (saws), then it implies one of three things:

1. that the person who claims that worship is due on this specific night in this specific way loves and worships Allah more than the Noble Prophet (saws)!!!
2. or, that the person knows more than the Noble Prophet (saws)!!!
3. or, that the person has received revelations from Allah Subhanah after the death of the Prophet Mohamed (saws)!!!

Allah is our witness brother, if anyone in the annuls of creation ever claims to have any of the above three qualities is nothing more than a confirmed and manifest liar!; for Allah is our witness, no man in the annuls of creation loved or worshipped their Lord more than Prophet Mohamed (saws), no man in the annuls of creation had more knowledge of the Truth than the Noble Prophet Mohamed (saws), and Allah is our witness, the Last and Final Revelations of The Lord Most Majestic were revealed on Prophet Mohamed (saws), and there is none who will or can receive revelations after him (saws)!

If one brings, invents, adds or innovates any act or deed in religion which has not been specifically endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws), then it has to be a ‘bida’ (innovation in the religion after the deen was completed on Prophet Mohamed (saws)), and Allah is our witness, every innovation in the deen of Islam is an error in the Sight of Allah Subhanah!

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!”

Your Statements: There is one that says that its good to put a Quran under the pillow of a new born baby to protect him.

I wanted to know if it was bidd`a. For me putting a quran under the pillow of a child doesn`t make it bidd`a or to something wrong.

The absolute first thing a believer should determine before doing anything which concerns any aspect of religion, or concerns any rite or ritual of religion, or concerns anything to do with the ‘unseen’, etc……is to determine whether the act is endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

If the act is endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws); then it obviously is part of the deen and one should wholeheartedly indulge himself into it; but if the act is not endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws), then it is obvious that such a thing can only be a manifestation of the abomination of ‘bida’ or innovation.

Ref: to place a copy of the Glorious Quran under the pillow of a new born baby believing it will protect him!

1. Is such an act endorsed by Allah Subhanah in the Quran? NO
2. Did the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever do such a thing to protect his children or loved ones? NO

When Allah and His Messenger (saws) have not endorsed such an act, then it is absolutely clear that such an act is nothing more than a self- invented rite or belief which one has imagined and made-up himself without any right or authority!

What the Messenger of Allah (saws) did do when seeking protection for his loved one is:

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4563 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

Allah's Messenger (saws used to seek refuge in Allah from jinn and the evil eye in men till the Mu'awwidhatan (Surah 113 Al-Falaq and Surah 114 An-Naas) were revealed, after which he (saws) recited them and abandoned everything else.

It should be the ardent belief of each and every believer that no one and no thing in creation can protect one against any harm from any quarter of the ‘unseen’ except Allah Subhanah Alone…..no stone, no amulet, no star, no book, no nothing in creation can protect one against any harm, or bring about any good except Allah, for indeed All Power and All Strength is vested in none save our Lord, Allah Subhanah. Thus one seeking refuge or protection should do so with Allah Subhanah Alone.

Allah Says in His Holy Quran Chapter 35 Surah Fatir verse 2:

2 What Allah out of His Mercy doth bestow on mankind there is none can withhold: what He doth withhold there is none can grant apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power Full of Wisdom.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 17:

17 If Allah touch thee with affliction none can remove it but He; if He touch thee with happiness He hath power over all things.

Placing a copy of the Glorious Quran under the pillow of a new-born believing that this will protect the child, or wearing a particular stone, or wearing an amulet, or wearing a string, or wearing a pendant or bracelet (even if they were to have verses of the Quran in them)….etc….believing that doing such things will bring good or protect against harm would at the least be a ‘bida’ (innovations), and at worst even the absolute abomination and heinous crime of ‘shirk’!

All one ever needs to do if one seeks protection from any harm ever approaching them from any quarter of the ‘unseen’ is to keep their full trust and belief in their Lord Creator Allah Subhanah Alone, and beseech Him and Him Alone to safeguard and protect them; for Allah is our witness brother, the protection and refuge of Allah alone is more than sufficient for the believers.

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