IBÂDA WITH LOUDSPEAKERS

We should strictly avoid bid’a. We should not make friends with holders of bid’a; we should not even talk to them. [That is, we should not talk to those Muslims with heretical beliefs, the lâmadhhabî and those who commit bidâ’. For example, it is bid’a to grow a beard shorter than a handful and then to claim to carry out the sunna of growing a beard, for, ‘growing a long beard’ was commanded. It is written in al-Barîqa and in other books that this command means not to grow a beard less than a handful. A handful of beard means that which is grasped from the border of the lower lip and is trimmed at the lower border of the hand. Bid’a means to do, as an ’ibâda, something which is not a command, or a command which has been changed. It is not a bid’a not to do a command, but it is a sin (fisq). A sinner believes not that he is worshipping but that he is guilty. Shaving a beard without an excuse (’udhr) is not a bid’a but a sin. Shaving because of an excuse is not even a sin. To commit a bid’a is the worst sin. It is a graver sin than murdering a man. Also, it is bid’a to perform ’ibâda with loudspeakers, to recite the Qur’ân al-karîm, salawât and ilâhîs or to perform dhikr with musical instruments. We should not consider a person who commits bidâ’ and who causes others to commit them to be a man of religious authority; we should not request information from him or read his books.