Q: Is it a sunnah to take forty steps after meals or this a innovated matter?
A: I haven’t come across a hadith that mentions the practice of walking forty steps after meals. However Imam Ghazali (rahmatullahi alayh) quoted this in his famous book Ihyaa-ul-Uloomid Deen as part of health advice given by former physicians.
It cannot be termed an innovation because such a practice is done purely for improvement to health and not as an act of worship or as a sunnah. Yes, if anyone claims it to be sunnah without any Shar’ee evidence, then such a claim and such a belief will be regarded as a bid’ah. We adopt many practices and habits for health reasons; all these are permissible.
In short, to take a walk after meals is a good practice and assists in the digestion of food, but it is not a sunnah.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Mufti Siraj Desai