Today, a new Muslim wrote to me and asked me about whether a certain practice was innovation or sunnah. Up front, I informed him that I am not a scholar and not in a position to give him an answer. I offered my opinion and then shared with him some notes that I had taken from a class with Sidi Yahya Rhodus.

Here are the 5 levels of bidah (innovation) in 5 minutes or less:

• necessary (wajib)
• acceptable (mandub)
• neutral (mubah)
• disliked (makruh)
• forbidden (haram)

Wajib: Understanding theology
Mandub: building schools, writing books of knowledge
Mubah: Wearing different styles of clothes, taking airplanes
Makruh: Overly decorating mosques
Haram: Changing integrals of prayer

Before we decide to label an action or deed as an innovation, consider the 5 levels.

innovation, bidah, bida, yahya rhodus, theology, clothes, mosques, prayer