The Proof for “Bid‘ah Ḥasanah”? The Ḥadīth on Introducing a Good Sunnah
Compiled by: Tohed.com
The Completeness of Islam
Allah ﷻ declares in the Qur’an:
{ٱلۡیوۡم أكۡملۡت لكمۡ دینكمۡ وأتۡممۡت علیۡكمۡ نعۡمتی ورضیت لكم ٱلۡإسۡلـٰم دینࣰا}
[al-Mā’idah: 3]
"This day I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen Islam as your religion."
When the religion is complete, there is no room for any newly invented practices. Yet some invoke the concept of “bid‘ah ḥasanah” (a so-called “good innovation”) to justify new rituals or acts of worship, often citing the ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
The Ḥadīth Quoted by Innovators
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
((مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَلَهُ أَجْرُهَا وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً فَعَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَوِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ)).
(Muslim: 1017, Kitāb al-‘Ilm, Bāb man sanna sunnatan ḥasanatan aw sayyi’atan)
Translation:
“Whoever introduces a good Sunnah in Islam, he will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it until the Day of Judgment. And whoever introduces a bad Sunnah in Islam, he will bear its sin and the sin of those who act upon it until the Day of Judgment.”
The Context of the Ḥadīth
This narration was reported by Jarīr ibn ʿAbdillāh al-Bajalī رضي الله عنه:
Some poor people from the tribe of Muḍar came to the Prophet ﷺ in a state of hardship. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged the people to give charity, but they hesitated, and displeasure was seen on his face. Then a man from the Anṣār brought a bag of silver, followed by another, until people began giving one after another. The Prophet ﷺ’s face brightened with joy, and he said:
"Whoever establishes in Islam a good Sunnah, and it is acted upon after him, its reward will be written for him and for those who act upon it, without diminishing their reward. And whoever establishes in Islam a bad Sunnah, and it is acted upon after him, its sin will be written upon him and upon those who act upon it, without diminishing their sin."
(Muslim: 1017)
Explanation
❀ ① The Real Meaning of the Ḥadīth
The incident concerned reviving an existing, legislated act — charity (ṣadaqah) — which people were neglecting. When one Anṣārī companion gave first, others followed, and the Prophet ﷺ described this as introducing a good Sunnah.
Thus, the meaning is reviving or initiating the practice of a legislated deed, not inventing a new act of worship.
❀ ② “Sunnah” vs. “Bid‘ah”
- Sunnah: That which conforms to Qur’an and Sunnah.
- Bid‘ah: That which contradicts Qur’an and Sunnah, having no Shar‘i basis.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “كل بدعة ضلالة” (Every innovation is misguidance — Muslim). This is decisive and leaves no exception.
❀ ③ Misuse by Innovators
Those who argue for “bid‘ah ḥasanah” detach the ḥadīth from its context, much like stopping at:
{فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ} — “Woe to those who pray” [al-Mā‘ūn: 4]
without continuing:
{ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ} — “those who are heedless of their prayers” [al-Mā‘ūn: 5].
❀ ④ Following the Sunnah Alone
The Prophet ﷺ said:
((فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي))
(Al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
"Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me."
Thus, the purpose of the ḥadīth is to encourage reviving the Sunnah, not creating new practices.
Conclusion
- The ḥadīth “man sanna sunnatan ḥasanatan” refers to reviving neglected Sunnah, not inventing new rituals.
- Sunnah ḥasanah = a righteous act proven by Sharī‘ah.
- Bid‘ah = a newly invented act with no Shar‘i proof.
- Islam is complete; adding to it contradicts Qur’an and Sunnah.
Therefore, the claim of “bid‘ah ḥasanah” collapses before the clear prophetic principle:
((كل بدعة ضلالة)) — “Every innovation is misguidance.”
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