When Innovation Is Forbidden
By Dr. Ghulam M. Haniff
St. Cloud , MN
Innovation in Islam is forbidden, or so we are told by many of our beloved mullahs preaching around the Muslim world. In its contextual meaning the concept of innovation is translated as “bid’a,” that is, the introduction of newness in matters of faith, or the development of novel practices in the religion of the Qur’an as taught by the Holy Prophet.
Unfortunately, many mullahs conveniently fail to mention that innovation or (bid’a) applies only in the practice of faith as in worship, rituals or beliefs. It does not apply in affairs which are purely secular, like plowing the land for farming, building houses, curing sickness or using some means of transportation and many other activities that make daily life possible.
The fear of innovation has left many parts of the Muslim world bereft of new ideas and, consequently, new practices for the improvement of human condition have not taken place. For the past several centuries the Muslim World has stagnated and has contributed virtually nothing either to its own betterment or to the betterment of larger human community.
Recently some followers of Islam were asked to name two things that Muslims have contributed to the world during the past two centuries for the common good. No one was able to come up with a single one!
Alternatively, Muslims have done a lot to impact the global community in negative ways. They are given the credit, arguably, for the current relentless practice of terrorism, definitely for suicide bombings as well as for throwing bombs inside houses of worship of one another. They have also become clearly identified with high-jacking planes and ramming such planes against buildings to inflict large scale civilian casualties.
It is hard to swallow that Muslims have committed some of the worst forms of sacrilege that one can imagine. All these have been done in the name of Islam.
Obviously, there has been no widespread condemnation of these activities until recently when a Muslim country, Pakistan, became their victim. Very few condemnatory khutbas (sermons) were delivered on this topic previously. However, some mullahs still persist on denouncing the use of knives and forks for eating condemning it as an innovation for Muslims who use them.
Innovation has been and continues to be essential for the persistence of human civilization. It is through the application of innovative ideas that humans have moved forward, become civilized, improved their tools and reached the present stage of development.
At one point Muslims were at the pinnacle of human achievement and were the envy of the world. In Islamic history this period is known as “the Golden Age.” However, about five hundred years ago that initiative was seized by the Europeans and Muslims turned inwardly. Since then they have not done much of anything making hardly any contribution for the improvement of the human life.
Ultimately, the biggest indignity inflicted on them was that even their homelands were conquered and pernicious aliens imposed their own cultures on the Muslims. The measure of all things became European, or “white,” and that is the yardstick which Muslims have today.
The Muslim Qur’an which many people wanted to read, both Muslims and non-Muslims, was forbidden to be printed by the newly invented machines that came into existence in 1456. That was condemned as an innovation of the devil. Consequently, Muslims failed to propagate the message of Islam at a critical juncture in human history.
The other major failure of the Muslims was prohibition on the translation of the Qur’an into other languages. This too was seen as an innovation. The result was that translation of the Quran did not take place until the early part of the 20 th century.
These were among the major blunders that prohibition on innovation imposed on the Muslims. Today, Muslims regret these shortcomings and do not see them as innovation (or “bid’a” as defined by the clerical hierarchy).
As noted above innovation is essential to human community if it wants to survive and thrive. The main reason for the backwardness of the Muslims is due to their failure to innovate, e.g. in technology, agriculture, mechanical arts, etc.
In a recent speech President Barack Obama noted that “innovation has been essential to our prosperity in the past, and that it will be essential to our prosperity in the future.” That is equally true for the Muslims. No rational Muslim wants innovation in religion, but only in temporal matters.
Lack of innovative ability has left the Muslims barren and backward in every area of human achievement. Failure to produce things of value gives a message to the world of a failed people. Of course, this condition must be overcome for the dignity and self-respect of the followers of Islam.
The “spirit of innovation” must be infused in the culture of the Muslim societies. It is the key to the future, to the hidden treasure.
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