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Explanation Of Umar Ibn al-

Khattabs Statement 'What A Good
Innovation This Is'

By Abdul Kareem Ibn Ozzie

After the death of the Prophet, the Sahaba prayed Taraweeh in small
groups and individually, until Umar united them behind a single
imam.

It was narrated that ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Abd al-Qaari’

said: I went out with ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattaab one night in
Ramadan to the mosque, and the people were scattered,
with one man praying by himself and another with a
group of men following his prayer. ‘Umar said: “I think
that if I gather them behind one reader, it will be better.”
Then he decided to unite them behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b.
Then I went out with him on another night, and the people
were praying behind their reader. ‘Umar said: “What a
good innovation this is. But the prayer that they forget
about and sleep is better than the one they are offering.”
Narrated by Bukhari 1906

The saying of Umar, 'What a good Bidah is this?' he meant with it

'Bidah Lughwiay (innovation in the linguistic form)' and not 'Bidah
Shariah' (i.e., innovation in the religion) for, something that has an
origin in the Shariah, if it is said concerning it, 'it is a bidah' it means
Bidah in the linguistic form and not a Bidah in the Shariah because
Bidah in the Shariah is something that has no origin in the Shariah.

As far as Taraweeh is concerned, Allah's Messenger performed

Taraweeh with his sahaba. However, he later discontinued it fearing
that it might become an obligatory duty upon them. However, the
sahaba continued praying Taraweeh in separate groups during the life
of Allah's Messenger and after his death until Umar t gathered them
behind one Imam like they used to pray behind Allah's Messenger
and so, this is not a Bidah in the religion.

Imam Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr stated that Umar did not innovate qiyaam
(taraweeh) in Ramadan, he said…praying qiyaam in Ramadan is one
of the Sunnahs of the Prophet and is recommended and encouraged.
It was not introduced by Umar Ibn al-Khattaab, rather he revived
something that the Messenger of Allah loved and approved of.
Nothing stopped him from doing it regularly except the fear that it
might be made obligatory upon his ummah. He was kind and
compassionate towards his ummah. ‘Umar knew from the Messenger
of Allah that the obligatory duties would not be increased or
decreased after his death, so he revived this practice and enjoined it
upon the people. That happened in 14 AH, and ‘Umar has the honour
of being the one who revived this Sunnah. Al-Tamheed, 8/108, 109
Therefore some one to claim that Umars statement ‘what a good
innovation this is’, indicates that he himself innovated this act after
the death of the prophet has slandered Umar. From the words of Ibn
Abd al-Barr above it is clear that Umar revived a Sunnah the people
had forgot about. So this proves that Umar meant by his statement
Bidah Lughwiay (innovation in the linguistic form)' and not 'Bidah
Shariah' (i.e., innovation in the religion). He said ‘what a good
innovation this is’ because this act of worship he had revived was
something new to the people he had commanded to do it, because
they had forgotten or were unaware of this act of worship in the
shariah. He did not mean by his words that he was happy that he had
innovated, a new act of worship in the religion, because he knew if he
had it be rejected because the prophet said, “He who innovates
something in this matter of ours that is not of it, will have
it rejected.” Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim and he also
said “Whoever does an act which is not in agreement with
our matter, will have it rejected." Recorded by Muslim
Furthermore Ibn Taymiyyah said, when refuting the view of those
who quoted Umars words “What a good innovation this is” as
meaning that innovation (bidah) is permissible: With regard to
qiyaam in Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah introduced this to his
ummah, and he led them in prayer for a number of nights, because at
his time they used to pray in congregation and individually. But he
did not persist in leading them in one congregation, lest that be made
obligatory for them. When the Prophet died the shariah was
established (and would not change after that). When Umar became
caliph, he united them behind one imam, Ubayy Ibn Ka’b, who united
the people in one congregation on the orders of ‘Umar Ibn al-
Khattaab. Umar was one of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, of whom the
Prophet said: “I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the way of the
Rightly-Guided Caliphs after me; cling tightly to it.” So what he did
was Sunnah but he said, “What a good innovation this is”, because it
was an innovation in the linguistic sense, as they were doing
something that they had not done during the life of the Messenger of
Allah, i.e., gathering to do this (for the whole month, while with the
prophet it was only for a few nights because he did not want this
prayer to be made obligatory on his ummah), but it is Sunnah in the
shariah sense.” Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/234, 235

In addition al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee said “…as for what has
occurred from some of the Salaf (early generation of scholars) in their
declaring some bidahs to be good (bidah hasanah (praiseworthy
innovation)) then this is regards to bidah in it's linguistic meaning
not it's shariah meaning, and from these is the saying of 'Umar
radiallaahu 'anhu when he gathered the people for the standing of
Ramadan behind one Imam…”

So in conclusion it is clear that Umar did not innovate, the act of

praying behind one imam in taraweeh. Plus his statement “what a
good innovation this is” is not to be taken in the shariah sense it must
be taken in the linguistic sense as the scholars above have clarified.

Explanation Of Umar Ibn Al-Khattabs & The Salafs Usage Of The

Term Bidah Hasanah

The salaf used to use the word bidah hasanah in reference to one of
two circumstances
 1. When people in an area have forgotten a particular act of worship
(Sunnah) and then someone revives that Sunnah this would be
called a bidah hasanah.
2. When people in a particular area where unaware of a particular
act of worship (sunnah) and then they discover it and implement
it or someone new to that area comes and introduces them to
that particular sunnah, the salaf would class this as bidah
hasanah.

In the above instances the people of these areas where unaware of a

particular act of worship (Sunnah) so to these people this Sunnah
would have seemed like a bidah linguistically. Linguistically bidah
means something new. Also this bidah (act of worship) is something
that is based upon the Sunnah so it is hasan (good/praiseworthy).
Therefore this act of worship would be called a bidah hasanah by the
salaf. However as this act of worship has either a general or specific
bases in the shariah (so was done in the lifetime of the prophet). Thus
this act of worship is not a bidah sai’yya because a bidah sai’yya
according to the salaf is an act of worship which has no bases in the
shariah; therefore a bidah sai’yya is an act of worship done after the
death of the prophet Mohammed.