All praise is due to Allah and may the peace and blessings be upon his messenger Muhammad.
I would like to begin by reminding myself and all the Muslims to fear Allah! Fear Allah with regards to your religion, with regards to the worldly affairs; that which is halal and that which is haraam, and fear Allah with regards to that which islam has no need of (ie. the innovations). And from amongst the most reprehensible of the innovations is the celebration of Mawlid an nabawi. Now once again the time has come where instead of drawing closer to Allah, the masses of Muslims are moving away from Allah and his religion.
WHAT IS THE MAWLID
During the time of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم "mawlid an nabawi" was used to refer to the time or place of the birth of Muhammad ibn Abdullahصلى الله عليه وسلم . It was not until the 4th century AH that the term took on another meaning- the gathering of people to listen to specific recitations culminating in the story of the Prophet'sصلى الله عليه وسلم birth. Nowadays in some countries it is a national holiday.
The mawlid ceremony was first celebrated by the shi'ah fatimids of Egypt during 4AH however, it was brought to a halt when the Ayyubis came to power in the 5th century AH. It was not until the 7th century AH that the mawlid was revived by Muzaffar al kawkaburi, the king of Irbil. He is reported (by Suyuti in al-hawi) to have prepared a feast of 5,000 roasted sheep, 10,000 chickens, 10,000 bowls of cream and 30,000 dishes of sweets. He gave 1000 gold dinars for a composition prepared for the mawlid called at-tanwir fii mawlid il bashiir in nadhiir. He pesonally joined the sufis in their whirling dervish dances.
The mawlid spread amongst people who had fell to misguidance and blind following. During this period, prevailing ignorance and alien influences led to the acceptance of new philosophies and practices to be valid within Islam and thus the Mawlid became part of the "religion" of many Muslims.
The Mawlid today, with certain cultural variations, follows a similar pattern. People will gather in a Masjid or other suitable place. Portions of the seerah, the Prophet'sصلى الله عليه وسلم characteristics and physical appearance are all sung and chanted often with a chorus or the beating of a duff drum. This is followed by a traditional story about the birth of the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم. When the awaited birth is announced, everyone in attendance stands up in reverance. The recital is concluded with words of praise and thanks and then the food is served. Often processions (juluus) are held in the streets in which banners are raised, flags are waved and litanies are chanted.
THE ISLAMIC RULING UPON THE MAWLID
There is nothing that will bring one closer to paradise except that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم has told us about it and there is nothing that will bring us closer to the hellfire except that he warned us about it.
"Adhere to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs. Clench it with your molar teeth." (sahih, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)
So did the Allah or his prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم tell us to celebrate the mawlid?
The mawlid was not observed by the prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم nor the first three generations of Muslims. If the Mawlid was permissable then surely the Sahaabah would have been the first to celebrate it because they were the best of Muslims. It is therefore a Bid'ah, which is defined as a: "A newly invented way (in beliefs and actions) in the religion, in imitation of the Shari'ah, by which nearness to Allah is sought, not being supported by any authentic proof neither in its foundation nor in its practice." ( I'tisam ash-Shaatibi 1/37)
Every Bid'ah is forbidden and to be avoided. There is no such thing as a "good Bid'ah" because it goes against the statement of Allah: "This day I have perfected your religion..."(Al Maa'idah 5:3) Since Allah has perfected the religion, it cannot be claimed by anyone that further additions are beneficial or even allowable as this would be a statement of disbelief.
"The worst of all affairs are the novelties, and every Bid'ah is a deviation and every deviation is in the hellfire". (Muslim)
The ceremony has been described in its general framework above. In reality, however, it is often not exempt from specific forms of Shirk in varying dgrees, such as the recitation of litanies accompanied by drum beats excessively praising the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم in which certain divine characteristics are attributed to him; or seeking favours from Allah through his position or similar expressions which infringe upon the exclusive rights of Allah. This is despite the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم saying:
"Do not excessively praise me as the Christians praised the son of Mary. I am only a human so call me the slave of Allah and his messenger." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Among such objectional things is the act of rising from ones seat upon the mention of the Prophet'sصلى الله عليه وسلم birth, for he said:
"Whoever likes that people should stand in respect for him then let him take his seat in the hellfire." (Hasan, Timidhi)
An important point to mention is that,although most people celebrate the Mawlid on 12th Rabi' al-Awwal, historians dispute the exact date of the Prophet'sصلى الله عليه وسلم birth. Some hold it to be on the 8th Rabi al-Awwal, others on the 9th, 10th and 12th. Some scholars even put forward different months. The Mawlid, in reality, arose as an imitation of the Christians in their celebration of Christmas and the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم warned us against this:
"You will follow the practices of those that came before you inch by inch, yard by yard, so much so that if one of them was to enter the hole of a lizard you would run after." When asked if he was talking about the Jews and the Christians, he replied: " Who else?" (Bukhari and Muslim)
However, it must be noted that the early Christians rejected the celebration of birthdays, even till this day some Christian groups refuse to do so.
THE EVILS OF CELEBRATING THE MAWLID
1. It is not legislated by Allah nor nor his messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم , nor was it the practice of the sahaabah or the rightly guided Caliphs.
2. It is an imitation of the Christian Christmas. It is forbidden to imitate them in religious affairs and we have been commanded to differ from them. In fact, the origins of birthday celebration is before Christianity and is rooted in pagan astrology! (which is HARAAM!). They believed that evil spirits visited a person on the anniversary of their birth and to drive away such evil they used to gather around the person and make merry and they engaged in astrology to determine ones fate. This is how birthday parties started.
Question: Did not the messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم oppose the pagans in every affair and did he not forbid us from imitating them?
3. Celebrating the Mawlid is a means towards exaggerating the praise of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم despite him saying:
"Do not praise me as the Chistians praised the son of Mary, I am just a slave, so call me the slave of allah and his messenger" (Bukhari)
4. A small bid'ah leads to a big bid'ah, a small sin leads to a big sin, then the sinner becomes pleased with his sin until he considers it permissable and he beomes destroyed!
"I have left you upon a CLEAR path, no one deviates from it except that he is destroyed" (Ibn Maajah)
Hence, you will find the innovators, when it comes to the sunnah they are lax but when it comes to their bid'ah they are the first in the que!
REFUTING THE ARGUMENTS OF THE INNOVATORS
Q. Is not celebrating the Prophet'sصلى الله عليه وسلم birthday an expression of faith and love, a means of keeping his memory alive? Does it not bring joy and happiness? Does it not conatin valid acts of worship such as zikr and duat?
A. Our love for the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم is naturally on a different plane than that of others because our debt to him is greater and exceptoional in kind. However, any act performed with the sincere intention of drawing closer to Allah must first be prescribed by Him either through His book or through His Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم , then it must be done correctly, precisely as demenstrated or instructed by the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم . If ones pleasure is derived from the coming of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم into the world, then it must be a continual pleasure manifested in thankfulfulness to Allah and obedience to Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم at all times. This however, is not the case, as we see many of those who celebrate the mawlid they are lax concerning the duties which Allah and his messengerصلى الله عليه وسلمhave made obligatory such as the 5 salah, growing the beard, keeping the clothing above the ankles... If, however, one considers the day itself as an occasion of happiness, it should be remembered that this day was also the day of the Prophet'sصلى الله عليه وسلم death, an event besides which the Sahaabah found all other disasters light in comparison and could not possibly have celebrated.
Q. Did not the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays citing the reason "as for Monday it was the day I was born." (Sahih, al Hakim)
A. Monday is a weekly occurence but the Mawlid is celebrated yearly. He did not follow up his fast by any celebration nor did he encourage it. This was not the only reason why he used to fast on this day. Other narrations mention that he also fasted on these days because Monday was the day when he started receiving the revelation, and Mondays and Thursdays are the days when the record of our deeds are raised up to allah. Also, it is forbidden to fast on an 'Id day; if the Mawlid was a legitimate 'Id then why did the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم fast on it?
Q. Is there not a narration that states that a person saw Abu Lahab in a dream and asked him about his punishment and Abu lahab replied that his punishment in hell is reduced every Monday because he rejoiced at the birth of muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم and freed a slave girl?
A. This is a weak narration and cannot be used as a basis for any argument let alone an act of worship. Suppose for arguments sake this narration was authentic it would still be rejected for the following reasons: Acts of worship cannot be established upon dreams today and they are certainly not taken from the kuffaar as this would contradict the qur'an "And we will make all their good deeds into scattered particles of dust." (al furqan : 23). It is permissable to celebrate births but not the annual birthday. History proves this narration to be incorrect beacause Ibn Abdul Barr and Ibn al Jawzi mention that Abu Lahab did not free any slave at that time but the slave in question was in actual fact freed after the hijrah.
Q. Did not Allah command us to rejoice in his mercy: "Say: In the bounty of Allah and in his mercy let them rejoice, that is better than what they accumulate." (yunus: 58) and was not Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم the greatest of his mercies?
A. It must be remembered that our interpretations of the scriptures do not count rather we have to follow the interpretation of the sahaabah because they best understood the qur'an. The "mercy" referred to here is not the "mercy" claimed by the innovators. Abu Said al Khudri said :"The "bounty" refers to the qur'an and the "mercy" is if that the people follow the qur'an." Hilaal ibn Yasaaf said: "The "bounty" means islam and the "mercy" means the qur'an." No way does this verse prove the celebration of the mawlid.
Q. If jumuah is speacial because Aadam was born on it then is not the birthday of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم worthier?
A. "The best of your days is jumuah, and (not because) Aadam was born on it". It is a lie to claim that jumuah is honoured because Aadam was born on it. The same ruling should not be given for both events because Islam legislated for one but not the other.
The innovators despair because there is no proof for their mawlid so they resort to ambiguous text and re-interpret it in a way which was not done by the sahaabah. To Allah we complain of their ignorance!
"whoever contradicts the messenger after the guidance has reached him and follows a way other than the believers (the sahaabah), then he will be left to that path and will be landed in hell fire- what an evil destination!" (An-Nisaa 4:115)
ISLAMIC ALTERNATIVES TO UNLAWFUL CELEBRATIONS
The celebration of the two 'Ids should be more emphasised and established as a family tradition. These should be festivals that one looks forward to and occasions to remember throughout the year. Other occasions such as weddings and births become opportunities for Halal enjoyment. Also, the month of Ramadan provides a unique atmosphere for spiritual growth and closeness within families, when properly nourished, will enable young Muslims to associate happiness with worship and to perceive the emptiness of Materialistic culture.
CONCLUSION
Due to the falsehood of the Mawlid it should be deplored vehemently and those who persist in such transgressions after advice has reached them then they are the ones who are most deserving of outrage.
"Whoever of you sees something wrong, let him change it with his hand, and if he is unable then by his tongue, and if he is unable then by his tongue and that is the least of faith."(Muslim)
They are reminded not to accuse those who disapprove of the Mawlid of not loving the prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم as this is an implication of disbelief as well as a false statement.
O Muslims return back to the Qur'an and Sunnah! Avoid these repugnant celebrations, for they do not bring you any closer to Allah nor do they increase you in good regardless of how beautiful they may seem.
"Every Bid'ah is misguidance even if the people see it as something good."
(Ibn Umar)
When you return back to the qur'an and sunnah then Allah will give your honour back to you and will establish you upon the earth:
“Allâh has promised to those amongst you who believe and do righteous actions that He will certainly grant them khilâfah (succession) on the earth, as He granted it to those before them; and that He will grant them authority to practice their religion, the one that He has chosen for them; and He will change their state from one of fear in which they lived to one of peace and security. providing they will worship Me alone, not associating any partner with Me. But whosoever disbelieves after this, then they are the rebellious ones." (An-Nuur 24:55)
(The above essay has been taken from an Islamic forum. And the author is unknown.)
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