Islam's Reformers .pdf

sin committed. There are three conditions for the repentance tobe correct: to put an end to sinning, to repent what one hasdone and to resolve upon never to do it again. If one has anydebt or duty to other people, one has to pay it back and haveoneself forgiven. By ‘man of bid’a’ is meant one who brings fortha bid’a or who commits a bid’a that has already been broughtforth. ‘Bid’a’ means ‘inventing a belief, a deed, a word or amoral habit that does not exist in the religion, or spreading suchan innovation, and expecting reward for it in the next world’. If aperson who commits a sin continuously repents for another kindof sin, his repentance will be accepted. A man of bid’a expectsthawâb from his bid’a and thinks that he is doing somethinggood. Therefore, he does not think of repenting.“4) It is declared in a hadîth recorded by Ibn Mâja, ‘Unlessthe man of bid’a gives up his bid’a, Allâhu ta’âlâ does notaccept any of his acts of worship.’ Even the correct worshipof an innovator in the religion, who changes a belief, worship,word or a habit in the religion, will not be accepted. That is, hewill be deprived of reward for worship in the next world. He hasto give up his bid’a.“5) It is declared in a hadîth reported by Ibn Mâja, ‘Even if abid’a does not cause unbelief, its inventor’s fast, hajj,’umra, jihâd, repentance or any goodness will not beaccepted. It is as easy for this person to go out of thereligion as pulling out hairs from the butter.’ [1] Though thekinds of fard and supererogatory worship which he doessuitably with the rules will be valid (sahîh) and he will beabsolved from the debt of worship, his worshipping will not beaccepted (maqbûl), that is, he will not be rewarded in the nextworld. If his bid’a gives way to unbelief, that is, if he utters aword, uses something or does something which causesunbelief, his îmân will disappear and his warshipping will not bevalid. A mand of bid’a considers his bid’a good and thawâbdeserving.Therefore, he gets out of the religion easily. Theperson who commits a bid’a supposes that it is an act ofworship and expects reward for it in the next world. As for theperson who commits a sin, he knows that his sin is a guilt, and[1] For the originals and explanations of these five hadîths, see an-Nablûsî’s Arabic book al-Hadîqat an-nadiyya published by HakîkatKitabevi.- 282 -