It is reported from Abū Idrīs Al-Khawlānī – Allah have mercy on him – that he used to say:

I would rather hear of a fire in the masjid than hear of a bid’ah in it without there being anyone to do away with it. Never do a people innovate a bid’ah in their religion except that Allah removes a sunnah from them.

Ibn Waddāh, Al-Bida’ p92.

Abū Idrīs Al-Khawlānī was the chief judge of Damascus in his time, its main scholar, renowned for his exhortations. He was born in the year of the Conquest of Makkah and his father is regarded as a Companion. He narrated from a number of the Companions. He died in 80H, Allah have mercy on him.