Good People Among Innovators

Ibn Taymiyah says there are Awliyaa of Allah, even among some ‘ahl al-bid’ah’:

ومن أهل البدع من يكون فيه إيمانا باطنا وظاهرا لكن فيه جهل وظلم حتى أخطا ما أخطأ من السنة، فهذا ليس بكافر ولا منافق، ثم قد يكون منه عدوان وظلم يكون فيه فاسقا أو عاصيا، وقد يكون مخطئا متأولا مغفورا له خطؤه مغفورا له خطؤه، وقد يكون مع ذلك معه من الإيمان والتقوى ما يكون معه من ولاية الله بقدر إيمانه وتقواه

“There are people among the people of innovations who have both internal and external faith while also being somewhat ignorant and foolish, which is why they missed the mark on some of the Prophetic guidance.
This type of person is neither a disbeliever nor a hypocrite.
Then, they may also have enmity and be guilty of wrongdoing, which would make them sinful.
Or they may have erred due to an interpretation and will be forgiven for their error.
Along with this, they may also have a level of faith and piety/God-consciousness by virtue of which they have a close friendship with God according to the level of their faith and taqwa!”

[“Majmu al-Fatawa”, 3/220].