We hope that you can advise us. Is setting an appointed time each week for giving religious lectures or holding study circles a form of reprehensible bid’ah (innovation), on the grounds that that seeking knowledge is a form of worship? The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not set appointed times for this act of worship. Following on from that, if a group of brothers agree to meet in the mosque on a particular night each month to perform qiyaam al-layl, is that bid’ah? Please quote the evidence (daleel) (concerning that).
Praise
be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah
have mercy on him) was asked this question, and he replied as follows:
Setting aside a regular day for giving lectures or holding
a study circle is not a reprehensible bid’ah. Rather it is permissible,
as it is permissible to set aside a day in schools and institutes to
study fiqh, tafseer, etc. Undoubtedly seeking Islamic knowledge is a
form of worship but setting aside a particular day for it is something
which is dictated by our circumstances. It is in our interests to set
aside a specific day for that so that people will not be put in a difficult
position. Seeking knowledge is not an act of worship which is linked
to a specific time, rather it is to be done at times which are convenient.
But if a special day is set aside and is regarded as being solely for
seeking knowledge, then this is bid’ah.
With regard to a group agreeing to meet on a specific
night for qiyaam al-layl, this is bid’ah, because it is not prescribed
for a group to perform qiyaam al-layl together. But if this is done
occasionally and unintentionally, as happened in the case of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah
be pleased with him), this is OK.
