12 Stops With Those Celebrating The Prophet's Birthday

12 Stops With Those Celebrating The Prophet's Birthday

Braise is to Allah, and blessing is to his messenger Muhammed Sala Allahu Allyahi Wassalam[2] , who is the noblest of  all humanity…

I wish  to put before the sights of the reader, the following stops (points) about the celebrators of  Prophet's Birthday, namely is their action of doing that, according to Islam Shariah; a legitimate rightful (Halal) act  or against Shariah (Haram) . In other words does it deserve rewarding or punishment !!. I further pray to the Lord, that this article will be advantageous to all.

First Stop:

"Allah" Tabarak Wa Taa'lla  instructed his messenger Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam  to follow what, the lord Allah has revealed to him and not to invent 'fabricate ' instructions, though he says in his words of the Quraan , what the translation there of would be :

"And so that we have set you on (a clear, straight) way of the matter (that's everything contained in the Quraan and Sunnah[3]), so that you must follow and follow not the desires of those who know not." Surat Al Jathiah-verse: (18)

The worshipping actions of Islam are invariable, immune and everlasting as they were revealed to the prophet Sala Allahu  Alyhi wasalam . No way for the brain to interfere in them. Allah, therefore, instructed his prophet Sala Allahu  Alyhi wasalam  to follow the revealing (only)  in many positions. For instance Allah's verse which its translation would be:

"And if you have not brought a verse, they say why don’t you "invent" it (from your own), so say: I but follow what is revealed to me from my Lord …) Surat Al Aa’raf. Verse: 203.

Further, the true scholars of Islam have resolved that:  worshipping is subject only to succeeding of the Quraan and Sunnah, and not inventing.

Second Stop:

Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers by sending to them his messenger Muhammad Sala Allahu  Alyhi wasalam  and not his birthday at all.  That what the Lord Tabarak Wa Taa'ala  says in his revealed book "the Quraa'n" . The translation of one of the verses speaking this fundamental would be like:

" Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent in  them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them his Verses , and purifying them , and teaching them the Book[4]  and  wisdom[5] ,  while before that they had been in a manifest corruption." Surat Al Imran-Verse 164.

Third Stop:

The first ancestors of believers who were the prophet's companions (also we are instructed  to follow and to take of their understanding of  what was meant by the Quraan's verses  and Hadieth a scale for our understanding of Islam)[6] didn’t  use to add anything to their usual worshipping acts at the prophet's birthday. If they had done any such addition, it would certainly have been transferred to us. Because they were very desirous and enthusiastic to have the exact knowledge in order to do worshipping actions for satisfying the Lord and so was the succeeding generation and the generation came after. The knowledgeable scholar ; Abie Abdullah Moh'md  Al-Haffar  (of the Maliky school), said that; : (Don’t you realize that "Friday" is  best of all days, and the best of worshipping acts in the best day is to fast it, but the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam prohibited to fast it in spite of  it's  great virtue. This indicates that we are prohibited to invent a worshipping act as for time or place aspects. That the last of this nation will never be better guided than it's first generation.  Faithfully (I say) All benefits are in following the virtuous first ancestors).

Fourth Stop:

Look to sublime understanding of Al Farouq; Omer Ben Al Khatab[7] as he started the Moslem Calender with prophet's  hegira to Al Madinah, which stands as a  symbol for the victory of  Islam over infidelity rather than starting the Moslem date with his birthday or  the day of his death. Do you know why: it's giving essences and facts priority over rituals and formalities.

Fifth Stop:

The first to invent this heresy in Islam was the Fatimi State[8] in Cairo at the fourth Hijri century. They had invented six birthdays celebrations; for; The prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam, Ali, Fatima, Al Hassan and Al Hussein, (May Allah be pleased with them all) and a birthday for their present monarch as well. These celebrations lasted until were invalidated by Al Afadal Ben Amier  Al Jiyosh , before they were restored again  at the reign of  Al- Hakim Bi Amr Allah in 524 in such a time people had nearly forgotten them .

The nation, therefore didn’t witness these celebrations before that state. The question is that: Is this state competent for us to succeed??  which stands on the contrary of Islam's fundamentals and pillars ??.

 Moreover, the strangest of the matter that some people prefer the prophet's birthday anniversary to the night of Al Qadr!!

Sixth Stop:

Historians weren’t on agreement of the month in which He Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam was born in. Some said it was Ramadan, but the most of scholars said it was Rabi' Al Awal. They further, differed about his day of birth, as many saying were presented: 

It was given by Ibn Abdul Bar as the second day of Rabi’ Al Awal. Ibn Hazm said it was the eighth day which most of Hadieth's scholars presented. While others said it was the ninth day which was considered as most likely by Abu Al Hassan Al Nadawi and Zahid Al Kawthary.

While Al Baqer said the day was the tenth of that month.

Ibn Ishaq stated that it was the twelfth day. The day also was indicated as the seventeenth and eighteenth of that month.

The diversity in stating the prophet's birthday is an evidence that the companions were not keen to bring to other generations that day, and that for their knowledge that it didn’t include a particular worship in itself. So if there was a special worshipping in the day itself it would have been accurately transferred to us. We all faithful that nothing of Islam has been lost whatsoever. 

(Sheikh Yousef Al Qardawi said that : When we go through this subject as from a historical point of view, we find that the companions   May Allah be pleased with them  didn’t use to celebrate with the anniversary of  birthday of  the prophet  Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam or the anniversaries of  his ascension or hegira . Moreover, the fact that they were not searching in these dates. They differed about the date of his birthday, they had given different dates for that because the knew that no certain worshipping act in them. It's well known  that the generation of the companions and the first generations, who are the most virtuous of the nation didn’t celebrate with these anniversaries ,it was invented after many years).

Among the strangest in this case, the ruler of Irbel used to celebrate the Prophet's birthday, a year in the eighth Rabi Al Wal and a year in the twelfth of that month as had taken into consideration the difference in the scholar's sayings regarding the birthday!! (Ibn Khallikan Volume 1 Page 437).

Seventh Stop:

The date of the prophet  Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam  is the same date of his death (Monday 12^th  of  Rabi' Al Awal ) therefore,  joy in this anniversary is not more appropriate than sadness . (As stated by several scholars, like  Ibn Al Haj Al Maliky and  the Fakhany ).

(For example ) Ibn Al Haj Al Maliky said that: " The most surprising of their celebrations is that,  they give parties of songs and  gladness for his birth in that day, while he  moved into  dignity in heavens (his death) , which stands as the worse distress with which the nation has ever been afflicted, so that, and according to the criteria they are following, they should weep and show sorrowful aspects, in stead of  singing and demonstrating joyful times- Al Mudkhal 2/16.

Eighth stop:

It's remarkable that celebrations  with  the prophet birthday are prevailing in the  Muslim territories adjacent to Nassara[9]  nations like Egypt and  Sham states[10] whereas  those Nassara  celebrate with Christmas as the birthday of Jesus Peace be upon him and the anniversaries of his family members as well. The Muslims imitated  them in that, which was the reason beyond the widespread  of this heresy among  Muslims. So it was another confirmation to the prophet's promise included in his Hadieth :( You will follow  the ways of those came before you, a span by span and an arm by an arm, even if they had entered into a lizard's hole you will follow them )  We said " Oh Allah messenger : (You mean) Jews and Nassara  ?  He said : "Who (else) ?" A true Hadieth included in Al Bukhari and Muslim True Hadieth books

The imitation of  them reached a degree that the scholar Al Sakhawi said ( As where those who worship the Cross have taken the birthday of their prophet as their greatest feast day, so the Muslims are much eligible for taking their prophet's birthday a feast) but his reckoning was opposed by Mulla Ali Al Qarri,  saying :"The fact that : Muslims are instructed to disagree with them[11] not to follow them…." AlMawred Al Rawi:29.

Ninth stop:

The loving of Allah Messenger would not be  embodied by celebrating with his birthday but only with following his Sunnah, and putting it as superior to anything else. We must realize that the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam and his companions May Allah Be  Pleased with Them  were the best worshippers of Allah Tabarak Wa Taa'la  and the most vitreous of this nation, without celebrating with the birthday, so they were like that , our religion compels us to follow them ……!!

The fact that we must be pleased with the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam not just in one day , but in everyday. We should be pleased with doing what did he order to do and refrain what did he order to be refrained... That's it, with empowering our faith we obtain the goodness and prosperity of this worldly life and the hereafter.

Tenth Stop:

The prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam said that: ( Don’t flatter me as Nassara are flattering the son of Marriam (Maria)[12] ,that I am  his (the Lord's) Worshipper slave.  Therefore You should say : The worshipper slave of Allah and his  messenger ).

The most of those celebrations exaggerate flattering the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam (as disagreeing with his orders).

 Moreover, it's  strange that, even  the scholars who defend birthdays admit that there is a dispraised exaggeration in flattering the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam which would reach infidelity !! Particularly when some people overstepped all bounds and composed books including in them what they fabricated of false Hadeiths after ascribing them to the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam. For instance, Abdullah Al Ghamari, one of the prominent contemporary Sufi figures said that:

" The books about the prophet's birthday are full of 'fabricated  Hadieths' which have become a stable creed in the brains of  some  public !.I am looking forward for composing  a book about the prophet's birthday but it will be free from two things: The fabricated  Hadieths and the ugly rhymed  texts".

What I intend to say is that exaggeration in worshipping is generally prohibited in Islam as for the verse (which it's meaning would be):

(O people of the book (Jews and Nassara)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth.) Surat Al Nissa. FromVerse 171. And we are instructed with the same.

Further, anyone praises the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam with something not confirmed in our religion, thus falls under the meaning of  the prophet's Hadieth :( …. and any who  intends to lie in attributing  to  me , let him occupy his place of fire hell) ( A true Hadieth contained in Al Bukhari And Muslim Hadieth books).

Moreover, the prophet's  virtues are not deemed as from the matters which would be taken by tolerance. These virtues are belonging to Allah Messenger Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam and therefore this context is dangerous for may be used to  alter the whole Shariah[13] (In the minds of some people, otherwise Shariah of Islam is conserved by the Lord Allah Tabarak Wa Taa'ala.). The matter is sensitive so that Abu Mo'h Al Juwainy, who was the father of Al Harramain[14] Imam considered the person who lies in telling  Hadieths as 'disbeliever' …. and added " Therefore  all exaggerations and things exceeding the limits must be burned in fire, otherwise , their holders will be burned in fire hell !!"…  Oh Lord, forgive us  … (From his criticism of Al Busiery Burdah –A Prophet praising poem ).

They are habitually in their manners  to finalize their parties prophetical  birthday with heresy phrases and prayers containing disbelieving )

And No power nor strength unless by Allah….

Eleventh Stop:

What goes on in the prophetical birthdays of corruption can be apparently noticed by  everybody, these corruptions are like :

They accuse others who don’t support birthdays of hating the prophet  Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam forgetting that highly respecting and loving are embodied  in  compliance with Sunnah and throwing away every  heresy strange from our highly esteemed religion .

Also dancing and using of fabricated expressions or ways (instead of the revealed ones!!), made stories specially about imagined charisma and other illusions ……

In this context, Sheikh  Ali Mahfoud Al Azhari Says : " There is  excessive spending and wasting of properties and time…" AlIbdaa'  324. I add, that  Such wasting of time and money, according to the fundamentals of Islam ,  is prohibited and considered as utter sins even if having taken place in acting legitimate permissible worshipping works  if leading to prohibited actions. As prescribed  Islamic rule of "Excluding allegations". Now the question is that how it will be if money and time are spent on illegitimate unauthorized things (Haram)?? .

Twelfth Stop:

There is a consensus of Moslems that the prophetic Birthday is a heresy added to the religion of Islam, but the scholars differed about it's nature whether it is  a good   or  a bad   thing . A few of scholars preferred to say it's a good fabrication as for the interests – as they thought, are involved in it!!  .

While the most of true fundamental scholars , Preceding and succeeding , resolved that conducting a birthday celebration is something prohibited in Islam. It is  a sin (Haram), in accordance with the Islamic Shariah evidences which prohibited any invention in worshipping acts . (in the religious work which are known only from the religion of Islam).

Of course holidays and celebration  are emerging from religion only which doesn’t include birthdays at all. Thus most of scholars have prevented opening a wide door for a certain evil , which is considered by a few as fabulous good !! It is something hadn’t been done by the prophet  Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam  or his companions nor those honestly succeeded them, a generation after another !!.

Taking into consideration that the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam didn’t discriminate between a good heresy (religious invention) or another; He said that: Each heresy is a deviation.

Imam Malik said that: “Each one has invented a heresy which he considered as a good one, thus he pretended that Muhammed Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam  had  betrayed the message  he had been sent with !! because Allah says what it's  translation would be :

"Today I have completed your religion and have  perfected my grace on you " Surat Al Maidah. From verse: 3.

Thus what it wasn’t apart of  Islam religion at that day, it will never be a part of the  religion at any other day. ) From Al Ia'tissam – Al Shatibi.

Some of the scholars who judged that the prophetic birthday is a heresy (fabricated act) 

·                     Imam Al Shatibi in his book "Al Ia'tissam -1/34" where  he mentioned  in  it's first pages  some types of heresies , considering prophetic birthday as one of them, so he condemned them.

·                     Imam Al Fakhany .

·                     Ibn Al Haj Al Maliky .

·                     The scholar of India , Abu Al Taiyb Shams Al Haq. And  his sheikh ; Bashier Al Deen Qannoji , who had compesed  a book for the purpose. See his comment of Al Dar Qutni  Hadieth book, on the true Hadieth: "Anyone who invent in our religion what is (originally) not from it , is rejected."[15].

·                     The highly esteemed scholar, Abie Abdullah Al Haffar Al Maliky from the Arab Maghreb said that: (The prophetical birthday was not done by the most virtuous generation after the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam , who are his companions . They didn’t use to distinguish it from other nights by any work. That they learnt from the  prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam ,  who didn’t use  to worship his Lord unless with what He revealed to him.) Al Mia'yar Al Muarab. 7/99.

·                     The highly esteemed scholar " Ibn Othaimeen"[16] said that " They hold prophetical birthdays because –as they say- they love the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam. We say: " Well come "if you love him, and " Well come "if you love to hold celebrations for his anniversary, but, be aware that there is a balance authorized by the Lord of this universe, the Best of judges who has said in his verse .what the translation thereof would be: (Say If you (really) love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."  Surat Al Imran –Verse 31.  So if the person is faithful in his pretending loving Muhammed Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam he must follow him (his Sunnah) otherwise he is laying and doesn’t love the Prophet  Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam  because this balance is the faith and justice balance. Now let's see is the birthday had been done by the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam  ?  By the Well Guided Caliphs  ?? By the other companions ?? By the honestly succeeding generation  ?? . The answer to all these questions is ultimatum "No" and anyone  pretend another answer, we will say : (Give us you proof if you are honest )[17]. (So, in this case is not following but fabricating)- Ibn Othaimeen Website.

·                     Sheikh  Yusef  Al Qardawi , who said that  " They said that these birthdays were invented by Fatimi State in Egypt and from there it was  transferred to other parts of the Muslim countries. Whereas, there were some political objectives   Perhaps stood beyond inventing these occasions. May be to make the public busy with these birthdays and other celebrations as not to think of  political affairs and other matters. That if we consider the birthdays as a worshipping act , it cant be like that  at all !!" - Al Jazeerah Satellite Channel.

·                     Sheikh Mohammed Al Ghazaly judged that these birthdays are not more than  a fabrications . In his book “Not Islamic" page 252 he said that: " Worshipping Allah  with holding these birthdays is not a fundamental worshipping . Therefore I prefer the judgment over  all of these celebrations as "Fabrications " must be rejected and not excused. Removing away the birthdays is a worldly and religious necessity. The same applies on celebrating with prophet  birthdays , the middle of Shaabn night, the night of the Prophet's ascension, Al Qadr night and the hijri new year .  The dates of these nights were randomly appointed , parties were held , money generously spent, held by public and leaders with more and more speech and food , and at last  they are saying we are serving Islam" ironical

Finally

I pray to my Lord Allah, to accept these few papers as a work exerted in his passage.  I wish that they will be beneficiary to others and that is a great   hope of me.  Further I to Allah seek the protection and to relief me with his blessing, He is the most generous. Oh Allah, my Lord on the right implants firmly my feet. Make our work only to seek your pleasure. Oh Lord you are the one and only guiding into the righteous passage. The last of my prayers is that all praise and thanks to Allah, the Lord of the whole being.

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[1]Of course the prophet meant here is Muhammed Salla Allahu Allyhi Wassalum.

[2]This phrase means: peace be upon the prophet, where every Moslem is instructed to say whenever the prophet Mohammed is mentioned –So this phrase will be mentioned every time the prophet is mentioned.

[3]Sunnah means everything ascribed to the prophet Sala Allahu Allyhi wassalam  of saying , action or acknowledgment .It, thus -means the way of life revealed to him.)

[4]The Quraan

[5]Sunnah

[6] Among the proofs compels  us  to take the understanding of the companions May Allah Be pleased with them, a scale for our worshipping, is the verse of the Quraan , which it's meaning would be translated as follows : ( And the first to embrace Islam of   migrants and  Ansars and those who followed them  in faith, Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow , so they dwell therein eternally, and  that is the supreme success. ) Surat Al Tawbah –Verse (100)

[7]The second of the Well Guided Caliphs.

[8]A Shiite sect state, who are considered as completely deviated off Islam.

[9]The original title designated in Islam to the so called "Christians”.

[10]Now including Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan.

[11]Referring to disbelievers in general, including Jews and Nassara.

[12]Exaggeration of flattering to Jesus made them say: The Lord or the son of the Lord!!. 

[13] The meaning is that we must follow the restrict confirmed rules of ascribing virtues to the prophet Sala Allah Alyhi wasalam . We must discriminate  what is confirmed as  genuine from else ….

[14]It means the Imam of the two Harams ; Makkeh  and Al Madina.

[15]A true Hadieth contained in Al Bukhar & Muslam  true Hadieth books .

[16]One of the greatest-nation level- Muslim scholars.   Died only  about 4 years ago.

[17] A translation of a Quranic verse