Dear Hadi,
Dear Reader,
Thank you for your question. There is a genuine difference of opinion among Muslim scholars about birthday celebrations. Some scholars consider them an innovation that Muslims should avoid, while others, including Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta regard an ordinary birthday gathering as permissible, provided it is treated as a social occasion rather than a religious festival and does not involve anything Islam prohibits.
From the latter perspective, with which we agree, there is nothing inherently un-Islamic about marking the anniversary of someone’s birth. A birthday can simply be an occasion to thank God for the gift of life, appreciate one’s parents, family, and friends, give gifts, share food, strengthen relationships, and make du'a for the year ahead. None of those activities is inherently prohibited. As we have stated in earlier columns (from which we will quote directly), our approach to questions of halal and haram is guided by the general principle of Islamic jurisprudence that the basic nature of things is that they are halal (allowed) unless explicitly prohibited. We noted that this general principle was nicely summarized by Islamic scholar Yusuf Al-Qaradawi at the beginning of his book Al Halal wal Haram fil Islam (The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam). His first chapter heading is titled: “The Basic Asl’ (Principle) Refers to the Permissibility of Things.” In that chapter, he states: The first asl, or principle, established by Islam is that the things which Allah (SWT) has created and the benefits derived from them are essentially for man’s use, and hence are permissible. Nothing is haram except what is prohibited by a sound and explicit nas (either a verse of the Quran or a clear, authentic and explicit sunnah) from the Law-Giver. If the nas is not sound, as for example in the case of a weak hadith, or if it is not explicit in stating the prohibition, the original principle of permissibility applies.”
Dar al-Ifta distinguishes between religious celebrations (such as the two Eids) which have particular religious status, and ordinary social occasions. Dar al-Ifta's position is that although Muslims have the two established Islamic Eids, this does not prevent people from marking personal occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or other milestones, so long as they are not treated as religious festivals and the celebration is free from prohibited activities.
So, if a Muslim wants to have a birthday dinner, bake a cake, give a child a present, invite family or friends, or simply gather together and make du'a, there is a sound contemporary scholarly basis for considering that permissible. Naturally, Islamic boundaries should still apply. A birthday celebration would not become permissible merely because it is a birthday if it involved things that are independently prohibited e.g. intoxicants, inappropriate conduct, unlawful food, or other clearly impermissible behavior. Dar al-Ifta explicitly makes this qualification in its ruling.
It is also worth recognizing why some Muslims are uncomfortable with birthdays. Some scholars take the opposing position, arguing that birthdays were not practiced by the Prophet (pbuh) or the early Muslim generations and that adopting them constitutes imitation of non-Muslim customs or an innovation. That is a legitimate scholarly position, and someone who follows it should not be criticized for choosing not to celebrate.
But the existence of that opinion does not mean that Muslims who follow the permissive view are doing something religiously blameworthy. The issue is one on which qualified scholars have reached different conclusions. For someone who regards birthdays as a cultural rather than religious practice, celebrating moderately, gratefully, and within Islamic ethical boundaries is, in our opinion and God knows best, an acceptable position.
In that sense, a birthday can even be an opportunity to turn an ordinary cultural custom into something meaningful: thanking God for another year, making du'a for the person, showing gratitude to one's parents, giving charity, repairing relationships, and celebrating the blessings of family and friendship.
In peace.