"Then We sent following their footsteps Our messengers and followed [them] with Jesus the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion and mercy. But the monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but (they sought it) only to please Allâh therewith, but they did not observe it with the right observance. So We gave those among them who believed, their (due) reward, but many of them are Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh)"
Ayats before that ayat are talking about following sunnah of Messengers and this ayat came in this context .
In this Ayat Allah is criticizing monasticism which they have INNOVATED themselves... Quran is Calling it BIDAT...instead of following footsteps of messengers they start innovating things which their soul suggest them .Instead of liking the Sunnah of Prophet(s.a.w) they start following their own soul suggestions.
Definition of Bidaat from Quran is
But the monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but (they sought it) only to please Allâh therewith, but they did not observe it with the right observance.
Bidaat is anything which is innovated in religion to please ALLAH...ofcourse someone will not innovate drinking wine to please ALLAH. It wil b something good ( according to his own thinking)
So the real and prohibited Bidat is actually HAASNA which has been innovated to please ALLAH like people have innovated Eid Milad , Matam ,Waseela and long long list.
Quran 20 96
The Moses said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"
He replied: I saw what they saw not: so I took a handful (of dust) from the footprint of the Messenger, and threw it (into the calf): thus did my soul suggest to me."( yehe merey Jee ko achi lagi)
He innovates things in religion which he was feeling that is something good like today we have innovated many such things and increasing them day by day and we do what our soul suggest instead of following Quran o Sunnah.
Bidats basically proves that society has lost the spirit and purpose of religion
Reason of Innovations
If today you take out Bidats from religion nothing will left behind because today anyone who want to be more pious he needed to be bigger and bigger bidati. Reason of this is today we have forget the SOUL/SPIRIT of religion.
spirtualism have become another sect(they claim its some extra knowledge separate from quran o hadith) like Quran o Hadith is something spiritless. All Daaees of Quran o Sunah are responsible for this .They have present Quran o Sunnah in a way like it is something spiritless.
E.G
We have forget the spirit of Quran thats why you will find Quran Khwanies and many such rituals regarding Quran but u wil not find anyone who is trying to follow and understand Quran.
because majority of Ulemas is only interested in " ZAHIR". Anyone who will know the spirit and purpose of Quran he can never dare to do such rituals. Quran khwani , marrying with Quran( most pious person do this) , Holding Quran above head of bride etc etc many such innovations regarding. Thy dont know this that Quran makes muslim leader of whole world.
These Bidaats are all zahiri things because of focusing so much on Zahir we have lost the spirit and zahiri innovated things r increasing day by day. You will find millions talking abt rafa yadeen u will not find anyone talking about purpose and spirit of Salah. So its a advice to all religious minded people is to ALSO focus on spirit of islam always try to understand the Hikmat of Ahkamts and present it in that way. Like Umar(r.a) said Not a single Hukam of Islam is with out Hikmat. May Allah Swt save us all from The Bidaats.