In the Name of Allāh, the Ever Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy
Question:
What is the ruling on celebrating the birthday of the Messenger (ﷺ)?
Answer:
We will begin by citing the speech of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymīyah (رحمه الله), who said:
“The Salaf (pious predecessors) did not observe the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday (ﷺ), even though there were no hindrances and it was feasible for them to do so. If they had considered it as being important or as a source of goodness, they would have been the first to do so, for they had immense and respect for the Prophet (ﷺ). Their love and reverence for him were complete, and they followed his Sunnah both internally and externally, spreading what he was sent with, and engaging in jihād with their hearts, hands, and tongues. This is the way of the early predecessors, the Muhājirūn (emigrants), the Anṣār (supporters of Medina), and those who followed them with excellence.”
Reference: Iqtiḍāʿ al-Ṣirāt al-Mustaqim li-Mukhālafat Aṣḥāb al-Jahīm, p. 295.
This statement decisively establishes the ruling, but we will also present Shaykh Rabīʿ’s explanation for further confirmation.
Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī Al-Madkhalī (رحمه الله), was asked the following question:
Many people, especially in some North African countries, use the Prophet’s (ﷺ) saying: “Whoever introduces a good practice (sunnah ḥasanah) in Islām will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it…” as evidence for the innovation of the Mawlid. How can one respond to them?
He answered by saying:
“The response to them is to say:
Firstly: They must know the reason behind the revelation of this ḥadīth. It is that a group of people from Muḍar came to the Prophet (ﷺ) wearing nimar (meaning they had coarse garments, which are the woolen wraps you know, which they had woven and then worn) due to their poverty and extreme destitution. When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw them in this state, he felt compassion for their situation. He ordered Bilāl to call the adhān, the iqāmah was called, and he prayed. Then he stood up to deliver a sermon, urging the people to give charity, saying: “Let a man give charity from his dīnār, let a man give charity from his dirham, let a man give charity from his ṣāʿ of wheat…” etc. The people hesitated slightly. Then a man from the Anṣār came with a large bag of money. The people then rushed and competed (in giving charity) until a large pile of charity was collected. It was then that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرُهَا وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُنْتَقَصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَوِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُنْتَقَصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْءٌ
“Whoever introduces a good practice (sunnah ḥasanah) will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it, without that diminishing their rewards in the slightest. And whoever introduces an evil practice (sunnah sayyiʾah) will bear its sin and the sin of those who act upon it, without that diminishing their burdens in the slightest.”
So, the Prophet (ﷺ) urged them to give charity, and charity is legislated (in Islām). This man initiated setting a precedent for them at that critical moment. So, if you precede others in doing a good deed that people have been neglectful of, then you have introduced a good practice for them. However, to invent something in the religion of Allāh that does not exist, that is misguidance. These are the innovations (bidʿah) about which the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours that which is not from it will have it rejected.” And Allāh (جل وعلا) said concerning this: “Or have they partners who have legislated for them from the religion that which Allāh has not authorized?”
If this (Mawlid) were good, the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) and the Companions would have preceded us in doing it. By Allāh, they would not have missed it. They knew the Messenger (ﷺ), and they loved him more than we do. Unfortunately, many of us do not know him except on this (Mawlid) – except for those whom Allāh wills. As for the Companions, may Allāh be pleased with them, they knew him at every moment, and they sacrificed their souls and their wealth to support the religion of Allāh (جل وعلا), to elevate the word of Allāh, and they demonstrated their love for the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) through their faith in him, their love for him, their following of him, and their sacrificing their souls and wealth in support of his religion.
As for now, these people exploit the religion for livelihood. They say, “We love the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ),” and they hold these Mawlid celebrations because they involve consuming people’s wealth unjustly, and they commit shirk, superstitions, and misguidance within them. Is this from the religion of Allāh?! And should the one who introduced it be praised?! Knowing full well that those who introduced it were the Bāṭiniyyah (esoteric heretics), the enemies of Allāh and His Messenger, and the enemies of the religion of Islām. Indeed, their enmity is more severe than the enmity of the Jews and Christians towards Islām.
They brought this evil innovation which is defended by people who claim to be from Ahlus-Sunnah (the People of the Sunnah)!! But they are from the people of misguidance and, with great regret, are among the followers of these Bāṭiniyyah.”
Reference: Fatāwā fī al-ʿAqīdah, volume 2.
Prepared by Abū Dilāra Naief al-ʿAydarūs.
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