CELEBRATING THE PROPHET’S BIRTHDAY IS A DESPICABLE BID’AH (INNOVATION IN THE RELIGION)
All praises and thanks are due to Alláh, Who granted His Favor to the believers by sending to them a Messenger from among them, reciting to them His Ayat, purifying them and teaching them the Book and Al Hikmah (his Sunnahs, even though they were in manifest error beforehand. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Alláh Alone, without partners in the worship, just as He has no partners in His creation and Kingship. Alláh is Free from all that they ascribe to Him of partners and Shirk. I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is Allah’s slave and Messenger, who was entrusted to deliver His revelation, and he is the best of Allah’s creation. He was sent with the right religion as a mercy to all mankind, as a leader for the righteous and as a proof against mankind and the jinn. May Allah’s peace and blessings be on Muhammad, his progeny, his Companions and all those who followed them with excellence until the Day of Resurrection.
Dear Muslims! Fear Alláh and know that the best of His bounties on you and the people of the earth is that He sent to them Muhammad (pbuh) as the Last and Final Prophet and Messenger, after a prolonged time in which He did not send a Prophet. Alláh guided mankind by His sending Muhammad(pbuh) with the straight path and the clearest way and required them to follow and obey him. The Prophet(pbuh) was the fruit of the supplication that Prophet Ibrahim invoked Alláh with, when he said:
“Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’án) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islámic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood), and purify them. Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (2: 129)
Muhammad(pbuh) was also the glad tidings that Jesus, son of Mary, delivered:
“O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Alláh unto you, confirming the Taurát [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” (61:6)
And when the Prophet’s mother was pregnant with him, she saw a vision in which a light started out of her and lit the palaces of Syria.(Editors Note: Differing statements have been issued by Hadith scholars concerning the authenticity of this narration. It is recorded in Ibn Sa’d’s Tabaqat, Ahmad’s Musnad and the Sunan of Ad-Darmi, Yet its veracity is questionable.)
These three qualities came true in the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh), for he was the fruit of Prophet Ibrahim’ s supplication, the glad tidings that Jesus foretold and delivered and the true explanation of his mother’s vision Alláh has made Muhammad(pbuh) the light that enlightened the entire earth, after it had been engulfed with darkness, and a guide for mankind, after they fell prey to utter confusion. He is the great bounty and the tremendous gift that Alláh has granted to His creation. He was born in the sacred city of Makkah on the Year of the Elephant -570 CE- in the lunar month of Rabi’ Al-Awwal. It was the year that the king of Abyssinia (Abrahah) attacked Makkah with his army (and several elephants) seeking to demolish the Ka’bah. Alláh repelled this attack and sent down a great punishment on Abrahah and his army, just as He mentioned in His Glorious Book (chapter 105). Alláh protected the Sacred House in Makkah in preparation for sending Muhammad(pbuh).
The Prophet(pbuh) was reared to have the best types of conduct and behavior. Later on, when he reached forty years of age, Alláh sent him His Messages. The Prophet(pbuh) indeed conveyed the Message, fulfilled the trust, gave sincere advice to the Ummah and performed true Jihád in Alláh’s Cause, until Alláh sent down this Áyah to him:
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3)
AIso, the Prophet(pbuh) said:
“I have left you on the clear path … “
The Prophet(pbuh) brought back the purity and magnificence of the easy Hanifiyyah (to worship none except Alláh), the religion of Prophet Ibrahim. He cleansed Al-Hanifiyyah from all practices of Jahiliyyah, and its deviant practices, that were added to it. Alláh gathered this Ummah around him after it was utterly divided, and when he finished his mission, Alláh joined him with the utmost company (in heaven).
O Alláh ‘ s slaves! We are required to appreciate Alláh for this tremendous bounty by striving hard to protect and preserve it. This can only be performed by obeying the Messenger of Alláh and imitating His Sunnah, while adhering to what he has commanded and refraining from what he has forbidden. We are required to love Muhammad(pbuh) more than we love our own selves, children, fathers and mothers.
Indeed, all that is good and righteous is earned through obeying the Prophet(pbuh) and imitating him. Alláh said:
“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad(pbuh)), has indeed obeyed Allah.”
“Say (O Muhammad(pbuh) to mankind): “If you (really) love Alláh, then follow me (i.e., accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’án and the Sunnah), Alláh will love you and forgive you your sins.” (3:31)
And:
“But if they answer you not, then know that they only follow their own lusts. And who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Alláh?” (28:50)
Loving the Prophet (pbuh) requires obeying him, following in his footsteps and avoiding what he has forbidden. Therefore, every act of worship must and should conform to the guidance that his Messenger(pbuh) has legislated. Moreover, every act of worship that does not conform to the Prophet’s legislation is a rejected Bid’ah, just as the Prophet(pbuh) said:
“Whoever performs an act that does not conform to our matter (religion) then it is rejected.”
And:
“Beware of matters of innovation, for every Bid’ah is a heresy.”
O Alláh’s slaves! There are numerous Bid’ah that the ignorant and deviant persons have invented. One of these Bid’ah is repeated every year, in the lunar month of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, when the Prophet’s birthday is celebrated. We should assert that celebrating Al-Maulid, or the Prophet’s birthday, is an evil Bid’ah that Alláh neither allowed nor legislated; those who invented it did so following their whims and desires. It is a Bid’ah because the Prophet(pbuh) did not practice it in his Sunnah, nor did the Companions celebrate it, even though they are the best generation of this Muslim Ummah who sought all that is good and beneficial. To the contrary, the Bid ‘ah of Al-Maulid was started in the sixth century after the Hijrah to imitate the Christians who used to celebrate Jesus’ claimed birthday. The Prophet sternly prohibited us from imitating the Christians in specific, when he said:
“Do not unduly praise me like the Christians unduly praised Jesus.”
In addition to the Maulid being a Bid ‘ah, there are many evil practices that occur during these celebrations, such as invoking the Prophet for help, for various needs and to relieve hardships and calamities. Many poems that contain Shirk are being recited during AI-Maulid, as well as objectionable mingling between men and women, which lures them into committing illegal sexual activities.
Another aspect of celebrating Al-Maulid is the extravagance in spending on its activities, paid by some people who might not pay the due Zakát on their wealth, even though paying the Zakát is a pillar of Islam. It is amazing that those who celebrate the Maulid do not practice the Sunnah of the Prophet(pbuh), nor refer to his law for judgment. They might not even pray, even though praying is the biggest practical pillar of Islam.
O Alláh’s slaves! Alláh did not mention the Prophet’s birthday in the Qurán, but mentioned sending him as a Prophet(pbuh), when He said:
“Indeed, Alláh conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad(pbuh)) from among themselves.” (3:164)
And:
“He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad(pbuh)) from among themselves.” (62:2)
This is because through Muhammad’s Prophethood, Alláh’s favor became apparent and complete. Ever since then, from the time Muhammad(pbuh) was sent until he died, every minute of his life was a blessing for mankind. After his Prophethood started, the Prophet’s entire life was spent in Jihád, worshipping Alláh and benefiting Muslims. These blessings encompassed all his time as a Prophet(pbuh) not on any particular day or stance. Muslims should therefore imitate the Prophet(pbuh) and implement his law on all days, hours and minutes of their life, not just in one day that falls in a certain month!
If the reason behind celebrating the Maulid was to resurrect the Prophet’s guidance, commemorate his honor and qualities and recite his life story, as some people claim, then let them know that this is legislated all year long, but according to what Alláh has allowed. For instance, Alláh has legislated mentioning His Prophet(pbuh) during certain acts of worship that are repeated every night and day, such as the Adhan (call to prayer), the Iqamah and during Friday speeches. Whenever one mentions Alláh during these acts of worship, he also mentions His Prophet afterwards. These acts are practiced throughout one’s lifetime, not only one day a year. We should also assert that the prayer does not become complete and accepted, except by invoking Alláh for His blessing and Mercy for the Prophet(pbuh) during the Tashahud. These are but a few of the instance during which Alláh has legislated mentioning the Prophet(pbuh), and this is the Sunnah that we should resurrect and implement, while shunning whatever Bid’ah people invent.
O Alláh’s slaves! We have exposed the Bid’ah of celebrating the Maulid, in particular, so that we emphasize its evilness and invalidity. Also, it is a fact that the Maulid is celebrated in many countries and is usually mentioned in newspapers and other mass media outlets. This fact lures some ignorant Muslims towards liking and preferring this Bid’ah and encourages them to try to participate in it.
Let all Muslims know that celebrating the Maulid is an evil Bid’ah, even though many people practice and propagate it, so do not be deceived by their large numbers. We ask Alláh to guide us to adhere to Alláh’s Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet(pbuh) even if most people abandon this better path:
“Say (O Muhammad(pbuh) to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Alláh, then follow me (i.e. accept Islámic Monotheism, follow the Qur’án and the Sunnah), Alláh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Alláh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’ Say (O Muhammad(pbuh)): ‘Obey Alláh and the Messenger (Muhammad(pbuh). But if they turn away, then Alláh does not like the disbelievers.” (3:31,32)
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John Doe
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John Doe
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