By Asma bint Shameem
Some of us celebrate it with great devotion and diligence, while some of us are against it with an equally great vengeance.
Some say it is our religious duty while others say it is nothing but bid'ah.
People argue about it.
Families split up, friends forsake each other.
And sometimes people literally fight over it and hurt one another.
So what is it that I am talking about?
I am talking about celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, the Mawlid or Milad, as some of us say.
Yes, the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal is what I'm talking about.
But, ever wondered..... what is the reality regarding the celebration of the birth of our beloved Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam anyway?
Let's examine the facts.
1. First of all, it is not even sure if the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam was even born on the 12th of Rabi'ul Awwal!
Yes, the date of his birth is NOT CONFIRMED, although it IS confirmed that he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam passed away on the 12th of this month.
2. Whenever a Muslim is faced with a problem or confusing situation, what is he/she supposed to do?
Allaah tells us:
"O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves,refer it to Allaah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination" [Nisaa':59]
Referring it to Allaah and His Messenger means to turn to Allaah's Book and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam.
So, according to Allaah's Command, let's see that the Qur'aan and AUTHENTIC Sunnah say about this matter.
ANY EVIDENCE FROM THE QUR'AAN
What does Allaah tell us in the Qur'aan about celebrating the Mawlid?
*Nothing*.
Yes that's right.....*NOTHING*.
There is absolutely nothing in the Qur'aan that tells us to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam.
Not one single ayah.
You see, all acts of worship are 'tawqeefi', which means that all acts of worship have to have PROOF from the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah. They are not subject to personal opinion and it is not permissible to do any acts of worship except those which are approved by Sharee'ah.
So, for example, I cannot pick a special day or time, say the 22nd of every month, and start celebrating that day as a form of worship.
Why?
Because there is nothing in the Sharee'ah that permits me to do that.
By the same token, I cannot start praying three raka'ah for Fajr from tomorrow, even if I want to worship Allaah more, because Fajr Salah is only two rakaat as commanded upon us by the Shari'ah.
And similarly, if there is no order for us to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam , then we don't.
In fact, the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
"Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (i.e., Islaam), that is not part of it, will have it rejected." (Bukhaari).
QUESTION
*Did the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam celebrate his birthday?*
Again, there is nothing in the Sunnah of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam that shows us that he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam EVER celebrated his own birthday. EVER.
Nor did he celebrate the birthday of his wives, children, or his Sahaabah.
And there is not one single hadeeth that tells us that he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam thought this day was significant enough to celebrate it.
Nor did he encourage the Sahaabah to venerate this day for him or celebrate in in any way, shape or form.
Just think about it...
If there was any good in doing so, wouldn't he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam have done so himself and wouldn't he have ordered the Sahaabah to do so?
And obviously, it is not possible that he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam forgot to tell us about it, Aoodhu billaah!
QUESTION
*Did the Sahaabah celebrate the Mawlid/Milad?*
The Sahaabah were witnesses to the revelation of the Qur'aan.
They had the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam right in front of their eyes.
They saw the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam actually and practically LIVE Islaam.
They ate, drank, sat, slept, talked, walked, lived with him.
Whatever they saw him do, they did it.
Whatever they saw him avoid, they avoided it.
If they had questions about something, they asked him and he explained.
If they misunderstood anything or were mistaken, the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam
immediately corrected them.
And thus, their understanding and practice of Islaam was
THE BEST.
Yet, when we look at the lives and practice of the Sahaabah, we find that NONE of them EVER celebrated the birth of their beloved Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, whether during his life or even after he passed away.
Not Abubakr, not Umar, not Uthman, not Ali, nor Aaishah, Abu Hurairah, Ibn Umar, Ibn Masud, Talha, Az-Zubair, Bilal, Radhi Allaahu Anhum Ajma'een.
NOT. ONE. SINGLE. SAHAABI.
Doesn't that prove anything?
*What about the Four Imaams and other Ulama?*
Did any of the Imaams or scholars - Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafi'i, Ahmad, al-Hasan al-Basri, Mujaahid, you name them, do this or command others to do it or say that it was good?
NO.
In fact, they didn't even acknowledge the Mawlid, let alone celebrate it!
And it was not even mentioned during the first and best three centuries.
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
"The best of mankind are my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them." (Bukhaari, Muslim).
And if the 'best of mankind' didn't celebrate his birth, then we shouldn't either.
Actually, the celebration of the Prophet's birthday appeared many centuries later. By this time, people had forgotten many of the features of the true, pure teachings of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam
and bid'ah had become widespread.
Think about it!
Can it be possible that the Sahaabah, the Imaams and the people of the best three centuries were unaware of the importance of celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam or that they were lacking in their love for him, and it was only those who came later who were aware of it or loved him more?!!!
How can that be?!!
Is that even possible??
*COMMON ARGUMENTS*
‼️Argument # 1.
But the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to FAST on Mondays to celebrate his birthday!
Yes, there is an authentic hadeeth where the Prophet was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said: "On (that day) I was born", but the reason he fasted Mondays was NOT because he was born that day.
The reason for his fasting Mondays is the following hadeeth:
He Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
"Deeds are presented (to Allaah) on Monday and Thursday and I like my deeds to be presented when I am fasting." (Tirmidhi--saheeh by al-Albaani)
So the *reason* for his fasting on Mondays was because he wanted to be in the state of fasting when his deeds are presented to Allaah and NOT because he was born on a Monday.
Besides, if his fasting was due to his birthday, then he would have only fasted on the 12th of Rabi'ul Awwal and not every single Monday of his life!
‼️Argument # 2.
I'm not doing this as an act of worship.
Dear brother/sister, we have to realize that 'worship' is ANY act or deed that is done with the intention of coming close to Allaah Sunhaanahu wa Ta'ala and earning rewards from Him.
Aren't we celebrating the Mawlid to come close to Allaah? Don't we think we are doing something good that will please Allaah and earn His rewards?
And any act of worship that’s not proven from the Sharee’ah is wrong and has to be given up, no matter how good the intention.
‼️Argument # 3.
But I LOVE the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam!
Think about the following:
Didn’t the Sahaabah absolutely LOVE the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam?
They gave up their homes, families, young babies, money, property, lives... for his sake, in the blink of an eye. History is replete with their stories of sincerest admiration, adoration and ultimate love.
They sacrificed EVERYTHING for him, yet this love did NOT promote them to celebrate his birth.
This love translated into the PRACTICAL APPLICATION of his TEACHINGS and NOT picking the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal to celebrate his birthday.
‼️Argument # 4.
What's the harm in it? I don't do anything WRONG in it. All I do is remember the Prophet and send blessings on him
First of all, why don't you remember the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam all year long, every single day?
Why pick just this day?
Isn't the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam supposed to be loved, and remembered and followed every single day of our lives?
Aren't we supposed to send peace and blessings on him every day, as many times as we can?
Then why pick this ONE day?
Secondly, even if you don't do any of the reprehensible things that people do nowadays in the name of the Mawlid, like those 'naats' (poetry praising him) full of shirk, or singing with musical instruments, or women with full make-up and no hijab on TV etc, even then the Ulama say that it is not allowed to celebrate this particular day because that was not the way of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, the Sahaabah, Taabi'een or any of the great ulama of the past.
Imam Abu Hafs Taaj ad-Deen al-Faakihaani said, discussing different types of Mawlids:
"When a man organises it at his on expense for his family, friends and children, and in that gathering they do not do any more than eat food; they do not commit any sins. THIS IS what we have described as an abhorrent and reprehensible innovation, because it was not done by any of the early righteous people, who are the fuqaha' and leading scholars of Islam." (Al-Mawrid fi 'Aml al-Mawlid, p. 5)
‼️Argument # 5.
But every one is doing it. Are they all wrong or crazy?!
Just because every one is doing something does NOT mean it's correct.
Allaah says:
"And if you obey most of those in the earth, they will lead you astray from Allaah's way; they follow but conjecture and they only lie." (al-An'aam:116)
CONCLUSION:
Follow and do not Innovate
Actually, dear brother/sister in Islaam, TRUE love of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam is shown and proven by following the guidance that he brought.
So follow his Sunnah to the best of your ability and don't fall into innovated forms of worship.
It is nothing but a trap of the Shaytaan.
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
"Say (O Muhammad): 'If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Aal 'Imraan 3:31)
And remember the words of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam when he said:
"The best of speech is the Book of Allaah, 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 (bid'ah) is a going astray." (Muslim).
And Allaah knows best.
QUESTION
*Should we do something ‘SPECIAL’ on the 12th of Rabi’ al -Awwal, like congratulate each other,*
*or bake a cake*
*or distribute sweets among neighbors, etc?*
*How about making this day a “mercy day”?*
*Or “help the poor” day?*
*Is there a special ‘wazeefah’ or dhikr to be read this day?*
Note that I’m aware that celebrating the Mawlid of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam is not from the Sunnah.
*ANSWER*
There’s no need to cook anything ‘special’ or congratulate one another or do anything ‘*out of the ordinary’* on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal.
Similarly there’s NO need to designate this day as *“mercy day”* or *“help the poor”* day or *“ANY”* kind of day.
And there are no special duaas or ‘wazeefahs’ to be read on this day either.
ANY thing ‘*special*’ or ‘*different*’ that we will do on this day that is OUT OF THE ORDINARY, is included in *‘celebrating’* the day.
And baking ‘cakes’, distributing sweets, or making a specific dhikr this day would be considered as ‘celebrating’ it.
And picking out specifically this day to “help the poor” or “give sadaqah” or “show compassion” is also counted as ‘celebrating’ this day.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam himself, NOR the Sahaabah, NOR the Tabi’een, NOR the four Imaams, NOR any of the ulama EVER “picked out” the day of the birth of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam for ANY thing “special” or “out of the ordinary”.
The 12th of Rabi al-Awwal was a REGULAR, NORMAL day in the lives of the Sahaabah.
Our best role models are the Sahaabah.
And their actions are our guide.
Ask yourself this:
Did the Sahaabah make the 12th of Rabi’ al-Awwal a “compassion” day?
Or a “mercy” day?
Or a “help the poor” day after the death of the Prophet ﷺ ?
No!
They didn’t treat this day any differently than the day before or the day after.
NO ‘extra’ ibaadaat or special ‘dhikr’ was done.
NO ‘special’ foods were prepared.
No sweets were distributed.
NO specific gatherings were held.
And no one congratulated each other.
What the Sahaabah DID on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal was something they did EVERY SINGLE DAY of their lives.
And that was to OBEY the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam and IMPLEMENT his teachings, WHEREVER they went, in WHATEVER they did.
They LIVED their ENTIRE LIVES according to the Sunnah.
And NOT just ONE day.
They FOLLOWED his teachings the WHOLE YEAR AROUND.
They OBEYED him and *DID NOT INNOVATE* NEW WAYS of ibaadah.
They TRULY LOVED the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
He was their BELOVED.
And they PROVED it with their ACTIONS and not just by lip service.
Their AKHLAAQ reflected the Akhlaaq of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam in ALL their dealings, and with EVERYONE.
They helped the poor and gave sadaqah all throughout the year.
They studied his Seerah and taught their families ALL YEAR LONG, and not just one day of the year.
They praised him, honored and served him, sent peace and blessings on him ALL of their lives.
THAT is TRUE LOVE. .
THAT is TRUE HONORING.
So come on!
Let us ‘celebrate’ our beloved Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam in the REAL SENSE of the word.
Let us praise him and honor him and respect him, by FOLLOWING his teachings and STAYING AWAY from that which he did NOT practice, *“EVERY SINGLE DAY” of our lives.*
*And NOT just in the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal or on the 12th.*
Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam
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