Scholarly consensus
The Scholarly Tradition
on Innovation
Across fourteen centuries and all four schools of Islamic law, the scholars who preserved and transmitted the hadith tradition held a consistent position: bid'a admits of good and blameworthy categories. This is not a fringe view — it is the classical mainstream, documented in the foundational reference works of each school.
See the full argument on the Bid'a topic page.
Click any card to read the scholar’s position, cited to source.
On the dissenting scholars
Imam al-Shatibi and Ibn Taymiyya are included because intellectual honesty requires acknowledging the strongest contrary voices. Their positions are represented accurately — including Ibn Taymiyya's own acknowledgment that practitioners of the mawlid receive reward for their intention and veneration. The existence of 2 dissenters within a tradition of 21 affirming scholars across all four schools confirms rather than undermines the mainstream position.
How these scholars were selected
Inclusion criteria: each scholar must be a recognized major authority within their school of law, and their position on bid'a classification must be traceable to a named primary source (book title and section). Where a founder's direct statement does not survive, this is stated explicitly — their inclusion reflects their school's established methodology as codified by later authorities. 12 of 23 entries link to a SeekersGuidance article that references the scholar or their position; the remainder are verified against well-known classical texts that are independently checkable. This page does not claim to be exhaustive — scholars are included where a verifiable position statement exists. Absence from a particular century reflects gaps in our current sourcing, not absence of scholarly opinion.
Geographic span: Cairo, Nishapur, Tus, Damascus, Mecca, Kufa, Delhi, Medina, and 2 more.
Explore further on SeekersGuidance
The Concept of Bid'a in the Islamic Shari'a
Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller
Comprehensive treatment of bid'a with primary textual evidence from hadith and the Companions' practice.
What Is Praiseworthy Innovation (Bid'a Hasana)?
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Definition of bid'a hasana as applying a general sunna in a manner not contrary to Prophetic guidance.
How Can I Distinguish between Good and Bad Innovation?
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Practical criteria for evaluating new practices, with al-Badr al-Ayni's formulation.
'Tis the Season... For Mawlid Wars?
Ustadh Salman Younas
List of classical scholars who permitted or prohibited the mawlid, with methodological context.