How does one respond to those who claim the permissibility of "good innovation" (bid'ah hasanah), citing the hadith "Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam will have its reward," and applying the principle "The lesson lies in the generality of the wording, not the specificity of the reason"?

Introducing something into the religion that is not based on a Sharia-compliant دليل (proof/evidence) is condemned, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever introduces into this matter of ours that which is not from it, it is rejected," and "Every innovation is misguidance."

Performing something for which there is Sharia-compliant دليل (proof/evidence) is not called an innovation (bid'ah) in Sharia; rather, it is a good sunnah, as Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said concerning congregational Tarawih prayer: "What a good innovation this is," because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, encouraged Qiyam during Ramadan and prayed it congregationally, then left it for fear that it would become obligatory.

There is no دليل (proof/evidence) for dividing innovation into good and bad, for all innovations are bad, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Every innovation is misguidance."

The Prophet's saying, peace and blessings be upon him: "Whoever introduces a good sunnah in Islam" means reviving an existing sunnah, not inventing an innovation, and the دليل (proof/evidence) for this is that the hadith was said on the occasion of the charity given by one of the Companions, which people then followed.

Umar's saying, may Allah be pleased with him: "What a good innovation this is," indicates a linguistic innovation, not a Sharia-compliant one, because he gathered the people behind one imam for Tarawih, and this was a revival of what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did by praying Tarawih in congregation before he left it for fear that it would become obligatory.

It is not permissible to use the general wording "Whoever introduces a good sunnah" as دليل (proof/evidence) for a good innovation, because this generality is specified by the hadiths that condemn innovations, and because innovation is not good but rather reprehensible.