❖ Companions’ Ijtihād-Based Actions and the Doubt of “Bid‘ah Hasanah”
Compiled by: Tohed.com
❖ The Doubt: Did the Prophet ﷺ Approve New Acts of Worship?
Certain individuals—particularly Barelwi scholars and other proponents of Bid‘ah—argue that the Prophet ﷺ approved several ijtihād-based actions of the Companions (RA), even though those actions were not explicitly legislated in the Shari‘ah beforehand.
From this, they infer that:
There is room in Islam for “Bid‘ah Hasanah” (a good innovation).
They present the following examples as proof:
◉ ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ (RA) performed Tayammum due to cold weather while in a state of major impurity, and led the prayer—the Prophet ﷺ approved it.
◉ A Companion used to recite Surah Ikhlās in every Rak‘ah, and the Prophet ﷺ affirmed his action.
◉ A Companion performed Ruqyah using Surah al-Fātiḥah, and the Prophet ﷺ approved.
◉ Bilāl (RA) used to perform optional prayers after each Wudu, and the Prophet ﷺ praised him.
◉ A Companion said a new Dhikr after sneezing, and the Prophet ﷺ did not object.
◉ Khubayb (RA) performed two Rak‘ahs before execution, and the Prophet ﷺ acknowledged it.
They conclude from these incidents that:
Newly introduced acts of worship or adhkār are acceptable as Bid‘ah Hasanah.
❖ Refutation of This Doubt in Light of Qur’an, Sunnah, and Understanding of the Salaf
➊ Difference Between Prophetic Approval During Life and After His Death
During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, ijtihād-based actions by the Companions were weighed and judged through revelation.
- If the action was correct, revelation approved it, and the Prophet ﷺ affirmed it (explicitly or silently).
- If incorrect, correction was made through revelation and the Prophet ﷺ's guidance.
However, after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, revelation ceased, so no post-Prophetic ijtihād can be equated with the Prophet’s ﷺ approval.Therefore, to claim prophetic approval for any post-Prophetic innovation is fallacious.
➋ The Prophet ﷺ Also Corrected the Companions’ Ijtihād
If all ijtihād-based actions were considered acceptable as Bid‘ah Hasanah, then what about the following instances where the Prophet ﷺ rejected or corrected the ijtihād of his Companions?
✿ Al-Barā’ ibn ‘Āzib (RA) altered the wording of a supplication. The Prophet ﷺ corrected him:
«آمَنتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ»
Al-Barā’ said: “…and in Your Messenger whom You sent,”
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Rather, say: ‘…and in Your Prophet whom You sent.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith: 247)✿ ‘Uthmān ibn Maẓ‘ūn (RA) expressed a desire to abandon marriage and adopt celibacy. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited him.
Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith: 5063)✿ Three Companions claimed they would:
- Always pray at night
- Fast continuously
- Never marry women
The Prophet ﷺ rejected these ideas and said:
«فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي»
“Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith: 5063), Sahih Muslim (Hadith: 1401) These examples clearly show that the Prophet ﷺ only approved ijtihād that aligned with revelation, and rejected anything contrary to the Divine guidance.➌ Why Did Some Ijtihād Become Sunnah?
The ijtihād-based actions that the Prophet ﷺ approved during his lifetime became part of the Shari‘ah due to revelatory confirmation.
They are no longer considered “new” or “innovated”—they are now part of the Sunnah.
Imam Qastallani (رحمه الله), the commentator of Sahih al-Bukhari, writes:
«وإنما صار فعل خبيب سنةً، لأنه فعل ذلك في حياة الشارع واستحسنه.»
“Khubayb’s act (performing two Rak‘ahs before execution) became Sunnah because it was done during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, and he approved it.”
Irshād al-Sārī (5/165)✔ Therefore, such approved actions are not Bid‘ah Hasanah, but authenticated Sunnah.
➍ The Door of Prophetic Approval Closed After His Death
Imam Ibn Rajab (رحمه الله) writes:
«فكل من أحدث شيئاً ونسبه إلى الدين، ولم يكن له أصل من الدين يرجع إليه، فهو ضلالة والدين بريء منه.»
“Whoever introduces something and attributes it to the religion, and it has no basis in the Shari‘ah, then it is misguidance—and the religion is free from it.”
Jāmi‘ al-‘Ulūm wa al-Ḥikam (p. 252) Only those actions done during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ and approved by him through revelation became part of the religion.Any action introduced after his death, no matter how well-intentioned, cannot be considered Sunnah—it is Bid‘ah.
❖ Conclusion
✔ During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, some Companions acted based on ijtihād.
✔ These actions were judged by revelation:
- Approved ones became Sunnah
- Rejected ones were corrected
✔ After the Prophet’s ﷺ death, this process ended.
Hence, no one has the authority to introduce a new act of worship or dhikr, regardless of intentions.
To claim that such post-Prophetic innovations are allowed by citing approved ijtihād during the Prophet’s ﷺ time is a flawed argument.
The Prophet ﷺ has made the ruling very clear:
«مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ»
“Whoever performs an action that is not from our command, it is rejected.”
Sahih Muslim (Hadith: 1718)
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