Mawlid al-Nabi (The Prophets birthday)


There is nothing in the Qur`an to say that we should celebrate the Mawlid or birthday of the Prophet (s). The Prophet himself (s) did not do this or command anyone to do it, either during his lifetime or after his death. Indeed, he told them not to exaggerate about him as the Christians had exaggerated about Jesus (upon whom be peace). 

He said: “Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam. I am only a slave, so say, ‘The slave of Allah and His Messenger.’”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari). 

What has been reported is that the Prophet (s) made the day of his birth a day of worship, which is different to celebration. 

He was asked about fasting on Mondays, and he said: “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was entrusted with the Mission or when I was first given Revelation.”
(Reported by Muslim, al-Nisaa’i and Abu Dawood). 

Moreover, we know that the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the people who loved the Prophet most. Was it reported that Abu Bakr, who was the closest of people to him and the one who loved him the most, celebrated the birthday of the Prophet?  Was it reported that Umar, who ruled for twelve years, or Uthmaan, did this? Was it reported that Ali, his relative and foster son, did this? Was it reported that any of the Sahaabah did this? No, by Allah! Is it because they were not aware of its importance, or did they not truly love the Prophet?
No one would say such a thing except one who has gone astray and is leading others astray.

Did any of the imaams –
Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafi, Ahmad, al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Seereen – do this or command others to do it or say that it was good? By Allah, no! It was not even mentioned during the first and best three centuries. 

The Prophet (s) said in a saheeh hadeeth: “The best of mankind are my generation (or my century), then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then there will come a people who will not care if their testimony comes before their oath or vice versa
(i.e., they will not take such matter seriously).”
 (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Muslim and al-Tirmidhi). 

The celebration of the Prophet birthday appeared many centuries later, when many of the features of true religion had vanished and bid’ah had become widespread. 

Thus this celebration became a sign of one’s love for the Prophet (s)? But can it be possible that the Sahaabah, the imaams and the people of the best three centuries were unaware of it, and it was only those who came later who were aware of its importance?! What the Qur`an tells us is that love of the Prophet (s) is demonstrated by following the guidance he brought.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 

Say: ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away, then Allaah does not like the disbelievers.”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:31-32] 

The first aayah explains that love is just a claim, but the proof of sincerity is following what the Prophet (s) brought. 

The second aayah reaffirms the importance and necessity of obeying Allah and His Messenger.

Hence Allah ended the aayah with a very stern warning in which those who refuse to obey are described as kaafirs, and Allah does not love the disbelievers. We ask Allah to keep us safe from that. The Prophet (s) told us of the danger of not obeying him, and the danger of adding to what he brought. 

The celebration of Mawlid or his birthday is indeed an addition to what someone newly brought – as all the scholars agree. He said: “The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The most evil of things are those which are newly-invented (in religion), and every innovation is a going astray.”
(Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa’i).

Celebrating Prophet’s Birthday is Sunna or Bidah



Acts of worship in Islam are based on an important principle, which is that no one is permitted to worship Allah in any way except that which Allah has prescribed in his Book or which was taught by His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Whoever worships Allah by doing something that Allaah and His Messenger have not enjoined, Allah will not accept that from him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us of that, as it was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not part of it will have it rejected.’” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Sulh, 2499). 

 Allaah has prescribed two festivals or Eids for us to celebrate
Prophet.s.a said: Allah has given us two festival Id-Ul-Adha & Id-Ul-Fitr
[Abu Davud]

With regard to celebrating the day on which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was born, it should be noted that he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not tell us to celebrate this day, and he himself (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not celebrate it, nor did his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). They loved the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) far more than we do, yet despite that they did not celebrate this day. Hence we do not celebrate this day, in obedience to the command of Allaah Who has commanded us to follow the commands of His Prophet. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)” 
[al-Hashr 59:7] 

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah [way] and the way of the Rightly-Guided khaleefahs. Adhere to it and cling tightly to it. And beware of newly-invented matters [in religion], for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going-astray.” 
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Sunnah, 3991; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, no. 3851). 

The extent to which a person loves the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is to be seen in how he follows him with regard to all that he commanded or forbade. That includes following him in not celebrating the day on which he was born. 

Whoever wants to venerate the day on which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was born should follow the alternative that is based on Islamic evidence, which is that one should fast on Mondays, not just the day that he was born but every Monday. 

It was narrated from Abu Qutaadah al-Ansaari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said, “On that day I was born and on that day the Revelation came to me.”
 (Narrated by Muslim, 1978). 
On Thursdays deeds are taken up and shown to Allah. 

Conclusion: celebrating the Prophet’s birthday was not prescribed by Allah or by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so it is not permissible for the Muslims to celebrate his birthday, in obedience to the command of Allah and the command of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 

May Allah guide us Straight Path.
Aameen 


And Allah knows best.

Islam the Religion of Mercy

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) once kissed Al-Hasan bin 'Ali  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him while Al-Aqra' bin Haabis was in his presence. So Al-Aqra'  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said to him: "You kiss your children. I swear by Allaah, I have ten children and I never kissed any one of them!" So the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "He who does not show mercy (to others) will not be shown mercy (by Allaah)."
Verily, in Islam, mercy encompasses this world and the Hereafter, as well as humankind, animals, birds and the surrounding habitats. Allaah Says (what means): "And My mercy encompasses every thing." [Quran 7:156]
Allaah has ascribed Mercy to Himself and He has also described His Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, and righteous servants as being endowed with it. Allaah Says (what means): "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah and those who are with him are severe against the disbelievers and merciful to one another." [Quran 48:29]

Allaah has made his sending forth of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) as a mercy to all of creation, as He Says (what means): "And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to the worlds." [Quran 21:107] The word "worlds" ('Aalameen) is general and includes the world of the humans, the world of the Jinn, the world of the animals, the world of the birds, as well as the nations found on land and in the sea.

Allaah has commanded that mercy be applied to every thing and in every action. Thus, even when you slaughter a sacrificial animal, you show mercy to it by saying ‘Bismillaah’ (In the name of Allaah) and by sharpening your knife (so that it will be a quick and painless death). The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: 
"Verily Allaah has prescribed Ihsaan (goodness) for everything. So when you slaughter, then slaughter in a good manner, and when you kill (in war), then kill in a good manner. And let each of you sharpen his blade and let him spare the animal he slaughters from suffering."
It is reported that Allaah forgave a prostitute from the children of Israel who showed mercy to a dog that was dying from thirst. She filled her shoe with water and then taking hold of the dog's mouth, she gave it the water to drink. Allaah appreciated what she did and forgave her sins.

Once our Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) saw that one of his Companions, may Allaah  be pleased with him, grabbed the chick of a lark, and it began screeching over the heads of the Companions  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them. So he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: 
"Who bereaved this (lark) of her child? Return her children back to her!"
The more weak and poor a human being is, the more we are required to show mercy to him and be gentle with him. This is why our Lord has forbidden us from oppressing the orphan. Allaah Says (what means): "Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression. And do not repel the beggar."  [Quran 93: 9-10]

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: 
"The person that looks after and supports the widow and the needy one is like the Mujaahid (one who makes Jihaad) in the Cause of Allaah."  He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) would rub the head of the orphans and say: "I and the guardian of an orphan will be like this in Paradise - and he gestured with his index and middle finger."
Indeed the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) commanded us to take care of the children, women and the elders. Thus, in his last words to his Companions  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them and his nation he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "The prayer and what your right hands possess." "Take good care of the women (i.e. wives)."  And he said: 
"The best of you is the best to his wives. And I am the best amongst you with my wives."Mercy is something innate, which Allaah has placed into the hearts of His creatures, even the lions -- the most ferocious of beasts -- are merciful to their children. Yet Allaah is more merciful to His creation than a mother is to her child. It is reported that on the day that Allaah created mercy, He created one hundred parts to it. He left ninety-nine parts with Him, by which He will show mercy to His servants on the Day of Judgment and sent down one single part of mercy to earth, which humans and animals share amongst themselves.

The Messenger of Allaah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) has condemned the person that is void of any mercy, and he condemned the one who breaks family ties. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Kinship is connected to the Throne ('Arsh). It says: 'Whoever severs me, then Allaah will break (away from) him. And whoever maintains me, then Allaah will keep connected to him."

In another narration he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: 
"Verily, the kinship will be connected to the Throne of the Most Merciful on the Day of Judgment. It will say: 'This is the place for the one who sought refuge in You from the severing (of family ties).' So Allaah will say to it: 'Will it please you that I connect those who maintained you and that I cut off those who severed you?' And it will say: 'I will be pleased (with that), my Lord.'"
The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) condemned the oppressive leaders who do not show mercy to their people, by saying: "The worst leaders are al-Hutamah."

Allaah has named Himself Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem, so he is the Most Merciful of this world and the Hereafter (i.e. Ar-Rahmaan) and The Bestower and giver of mercy (i.e. Ar-Raheem). This is why He has commanded it in every place and in every situation. A Muslim begins his action by saying ‘Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem’  (in the name of Allaah, Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy) so that Allaah can bless him in his action. Every action that is void of mercy has no blessing in it, nor any good. If the servants of Allaah show mercy towards one another, this is a cause for Allaah sending His mercy down on them.

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: 
"The Most Merciful shows mercy to those who have mercy on others. Show mercy to those on earth, and the One above the heaven will show mercy to you." O Allaah, have mercy on us above the earth and below the earth and on the Day when our deeds will be presented to us. And cause us to be merciful to one another just as the Companions of Your Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) were. And have mercy on our dead ones and put those who have mercy from amongst Your servants in charge over us, O Most Merciful!