Is it considered an innovation (bid‘ah) to recite supplications (adhkar) that were not reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or to add specific supplications to legitimate ones, such as saying "A‘udhu Billahi minash-Shaytanir-Rajim" (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan) when pronouncing the Basmalah over food, or adding "SubhanAllah" (Glory be to Allah) once with it, provided that one does not believe in its superiority or habitually repeat it?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The most complete and best approach is to limit oneself to the specific ذكر (remembrance/invocation) mentioned in the Sacred Law. Adding to it is not an innovation (bid'ah) if its superiority or status is not believed in, and if it is not a continuous habit, but rather done occasionally. For the invocations transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him) are complete. The general rule regarding innovations differentiates between what is done occasionally and what is taken as a permanent habit. That which is permissible in its genus, but is taken as a permanent habit, becomes an innovation.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/162021
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 162021
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy