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Prophet Muhammad�s Birthday Celebration

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    Posted: 21 April 2005 at 4:01pm

The Prophet Muhammad
The Prophet Muhammad's Birthday Celebration
By: Dr. Rifyal Ka'bah
http://www.islamic-paths.org/Home/English/Muhammad/Birthday/ Birth_Celebration.htm

The month of Rabi� al-Awwal (the First Spring Season) of the Islamic Calendar is well known in the entire Muslim world as Shahr al-Mawhid (the Month of Birth) of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. The precise date of his birth is disputed among the historians, but 12 of Rabi� al-Awwal is acknowledge in Indonesia to be the date and it is officially stated as a national holiday. This year that date matches June 26, 1999.

As a matter of fact in Islam there are only two holidays: Idul Fitri (the first day after the fasting month Ramadan) and Idul Adha [(the 10th day of Zuhijjah (the month of pilgrimage)]. The question is: Why do the Muslim ummah make other days during the year as the Islamic holidays? Why the Prophet�s birthday is celebrated and considered as a holiday?

Going deeply into the seerat (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad, nobody can trace the tradition of Mawlid (the Prophet�s birthday) celebration or other celebrations of very important days in Islamic history. Never the Prophet nor his close companions or people who followed him and his companions encouraged people to make his birthday as a special day.

Nobody knows exactly when the first celebration of the Prophet�s birthday was celebrated or marked as a holiday. Noted in history that the celebration was found during the reign of Wazir al-Afdlal (487-515 AH/1095-1121 CE) of the Fatimite regime in Egypt. The celebration was held during the day time and attended by government officials and Muslim spiritual leaders in town. The Fatimite amir as a head of state sat in the balcony of the palace and three speakers in sequence delivered their Mawlid speeches. They talked about Muhammad�s origin, his birthday and his life. Celebration was not only for the Prophet�s birthday but also the birthday of Ali (the Prophet�s cousin), Fatimah (his daughter) and the Amir as the present imam of Shi�ite Muslim. The influence of the Shi�ite doctrine of the celebration of the Prophet�s birthday was very clear and is still eminence in modern Egypt even today. Foreign tourists who visited Cairo several times or anybody who ever stayed there for a long period will note that Husain�s birthday (the Prophet�s grandson) was celebrated more thoroughly and illimuniously than the Prophet�s birthday, in the meantime the majority of Muslims in Egypt today adhere to Ahlu as-Sunnah�s Islam.

Ibnu Khalikan�s historical report says that Ahly as-Sunnah version of the Prophet�s birthday celebration was introduced in Egypt by Al-Malik Muzaffar Ad-Din Kukburi in 604 AH/1207 CE. Kukburi was brother of Salahuddin al-Ayyubi (Saladin). These were the days of Crusade where almost 200 years waves after waves of crusaders from Europe came to the heart of the Muslim world in the Middle East to fight Muslims in their own countries.

During the crusade a process of acculturation took place. Both Islamic and Christian culture exchanged views on many things and each tried to put its influence on the other. Christians brought sciences, technologies and wisdom of the East to Europe, and Muslim imitated some festivals and feasts of the Christians who lived among them. One of these feasts is the tradition to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h as Christians celebrated the birthday of Jesus Christ, known as Christmas.

This Christian impact is clearly seen in the use of wax light in Maulid festival, torchlight procession, mass entertainment�s, special cakes and foods on the occasion etc. A bigh festival was organized and attended by a huge number of people from Cairo and its vicinities. The Amir as a head of the stated and the Shufi orders played a significance role in the festival.

A tower made of wood for the Amir was erected in the courtyard of the palace. People attending the festival were entertained by groups of musicians and singers of various kind. Week after week during the month of Mawlid streets of Cairo were overcrowded by people who celebrated the occasion. On the eve of Mawlid, after Maghrib prayer, people under the command of the Amir paraded on the street of Cairo starting from the Citadel proceeding to the Palace. In their hands were torches. On the Mawlid Day all citizens assembled in the courtyard of the Palace where a tower made of wood had been erected. Beside the tower stands a pulpit for the speakers who would sermon the audience and narrate the story of the Prophet�s birthday. The Amir was not only able to see the whole audience from the tower but also watched the troops who parade on one corner of the courtyard. Guests of honor were received by the Amir on the tower and were given jubbah of honor (long dress for man). On the evening the Amir and officers of the state celebrated the Mawlid with shufis in their zawiyah (place where the shufis preferably offer their rituals and shufis practices).

From Egypt the tradition of Mawlid was spread to Mecca and the land of Hejaz in Arabia. From the Holy City where Muslim peoples of different nationals assembled during the hajj season each year, the tradition was spread to North Africa, Morocco and Andalusia (Spain). To the north it was spread to Syria, Irak, Turkey and Balkan peninsula, and to the south, to Yemen and Hadramaut, and to the east, to Southeast Asia and Indonesia.

It was well known in history that Indonesia took its Islamic religious and cultural root from Egypt and Mecca. From the beginning, Mecca had been the center of Islamic heritage and tradition for Indonesian Muslims. Their first intention was to Mecca a pilgrimage, and then stayed in the holy city to seek Islamic studies. Among those pilgrims there were some great teachers of Indonesia�s origin in Mecca who taught Islamic studies to their won countrymen. Later, especially after the opening of the Suez canal for international maritime, Cairo became important as the center of Islamic studies for Indonesian students.

Today, without knowing its origin, the Mawlid celebration and commemoration has become part of religious and cultural life of Indonesian Muslims. Even in some rural areas, the Mawlid celebration is identical with parties to commemorate a child�s birthday, the day of child�s circumcision, marriage, etc.

In fact, the Mawlid celebration is not part of the Islamic religion. It is a cultural side of the Muslim life. Islam is not against culture. Islamic culture was born through cultural activities of the people who adhere genuinely and properly to Islam. In another words, there is nothing wrong for the Muslims to commemorated the Mawlid, if it is done to remind Muslims of the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad pbuh and the celebration is held within the framework of Islamic doctrines.

The Prophet Muhammad and all prophets from Allah are the reminders for their ummah of the way of Allah. Qur�an was sent down to earth as a reminder (al-zikra) and the ummah who supported the call of the past prophets of Allah were called �people of the reminder� (ashab al-zikr). The tradition to celebrate the Mawlid can go on as long as its aim is to remind the people of the way of life brought by the Prophet Muhammad from Allah the Almighty. By this kind of celebration, the Muslim ummah are supposed to be more convinced of the Muhammad�s universal message as the mercy for the whole world (rahmatan li al��alamin). The Qur'an says: "Thus We have appointed you a middle nation. that ye may be witness against mankind, and that the Messenger may be a witness against you.� (Qur'an 2:143).

The Muslim nation is the best example for the whole world in promoting the truth, establishing justice, enjoying the good, and preventing the bad.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nausheen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 April 2005 at 8:15pm

Auzubillahi minash shaitan ir rajeem,

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim.

 

Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Celebration of the Mawlid

This is Imam Ibn Taymiyya's opinion about Mawlid from: "the Collected Fatwas," ("Majma' Fatawi Ibn Taymiyya,") Vol. 23, p. 163: "fa-t'adheem al-Mawlid wat-tikhaadhuhu mawsiman qad yaf'alahu ba'ad an-naasi wa yakunu lahu feehi ajra `adheem lihusni qasdihi t'adheemihi li-Rasulillahi, salla-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam"

"To celebrate and to honor the birth of the Prophet (s) and to take it as an honored season, as some of the people are doing, is good and in it there is a great reward, because of their good intentions in honoring the Prophet (s)."

 

Ibn Qayyim's Opinion on Recitation of the Prophet's (s) Birthday

Allama Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah, the best and most reknowned student of Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya, writes, on page 498 of "Madarij as-Salikin,"

"Listening to a good voice celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (s) or celebrating any of the holy days in our history gives peace to the heart, and gives the listener light from the Prophet (s) to his heart, and he will drink more from the Muhammadan spring (`ayn al-Muhammadiyya)."

 

Ibn Kathir Praises the Night of Mawlid

One of the most reknowned scholars is Ibn Kathir. Ibn Kathir was a muhaddith from the followers of Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya, rahmatullah `alayh. Ibn Kathir, in the last days of his life wrote a book entitled "Mawlid Rasul Allah (s)" which was spread far and wide. That book mentioned the permissibility and recommendability of celebrating the Mawlid.

Ibn Kathir says in the aforementioned book, p. 19:

"The Night of the Prophet's (s) birth is a magnificent, noble, blessed and holy night, a night of bliss for the believers, pure, radiant with lights and of immeasurable price."

Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya Said: "Laylat al-'Israa' wal-Mi'raj is Greater than Laylat al-Qadr"

Imam Ibn Taymiyya said that Laylat al-'Israa' wal-Mi'raj was better than Laylat al-Qadr. He is quoted by Ibn Qayyim in the latter's book, "al-Badaa'i," Vol. 3, page 162: "wa suila shaikh ul-Islam `an Laylat ul-Qadri wa Laylat ul- 'Israai' ayyuhuma afdal? Fa-ajaaba bi-anna Laylat ul-'Israai' afdal fee haqq in-Nabee"

"Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya was asked, `Which is better, Laylat al-Qadr or Laylat al-'Israa'?' and he answered, `With respect to the Prophet (s), Laylat al-'Israa' is better than Laylat al-Qadr.'"

 

The Importance of Laylat al-Mawlid

Now we ask: If Ibn Taymiyya accepted that Laylat al-'Israa' may be considered better than Laylat ul-Qadr, why not consider that Laylat al-Mawlid is better than Laylat al-'Israa', since the Night of the Prophet's (s) Birth is the night in which was born the one who went to `Isra' and Mi'raaj? Therefore we say, as Ibn Marzuq, the reknowned student of Imam Nawawi said: "Laylat al-Mawlid is better than Laylat al-Qadr."

 

Ibn Kathir Mentions The Prophet (s) Accepting Poetry in His Honor

In the time of the Prophet (s), it is well-known that poets came to him with all kinds of works praising him, writing about his campaigns and battles and about the Sahaba. This is proved by the numerous poems quoted in the Siras of Ibn Hisham, al-Waqidi, and others. The Prophet (s) was happy with good poetry. It is reported in Bukhari's "al-Adab al-Mufrad" that he said: "There is wisdom in poetry."

Ibn Kathir says in his "Mawlid," page 30: "The Prophet's (s) uncle al-'Abbas (r) composed poetry praising the birth of the Prophet (s), in which are found the following lines: `When you were born, the earth was shining, and the firmament barely contained your light, and we can pierce through, thanks to that radiance and light and path of guidance.'"

Ibn Kathir mentions the fact that according to the Sahaba, the Prophet (s) praised his own name and recited poetry about himself in the middle of the battle of Hunayn in order to encourage the Companions and frighten the enemies. That day he said (s): "Ana an-Nabee, laa kadhib Ana ibn `abd al-Muttalib" meaning: "I am the Prophet! This is no lie. I am the son of `Abd al-Muttalib!"

 

Ibn Qayyim on the Singing and Recitation of Poetry

`Allama Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya wrote in his book "Madarij as- Salikin," Vol. 1:
"the Prophet (s) also gave permission to sing in wedding celebrations, and allowed poetry to be recited to him. He heard Anas (r) and the Companions praising him and reciting poems while digging before the famous battle of the Trench (Khandaq) as they said: "We are the ones who gave bay'ah to Muhammad for jihad as long as we are living."

Ibn Qayyim also mentions `Abdullah ibn Rawaha's long poem praising the Prophet (s) as the latter entered Mecca, after which, the Prophet (s) prayed for him. He prayed that Allah support Hassan, another poet, with the Holy Spirit as long as he would support the Prophet (s) with his poetry. Similarly the Prophet (s) rewarded Ka'b ibn Zubayr's poem of praise with a robe. Ibn Qayyim continues, "`A'isha always recited poems praising him and he was happy with her."

Ibn Qayyim on the Melodious Recitation of Qur'an

Ibn al-Qayyim says in the same book, page 488, "Allah gave permission to his Prophet (s) to recite the Qur`an in a melodious way. "

Ibn Qayyim continues, "The Prophet (s) said, `Decorate the Qur'an with your voices,' and `Who does not sing the Qur'an is not from us.' Ibn Qayyim comments on page 490: "To take pleasure in a good voice is acceptable, as is taking pleasure from nice scenery, such as mountains or nature, or from a nice smell, or from good food, as long as it is conforming to shari'a. If listening to a good voice is haram, then taking pleasure in all these other things is also haram."

Ibn Taymiyya's Opinion on the Meetings of Dhikr

The following is the opinion of Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya on meetings of dhikr. It can be found in Vol. 22, page 253 of the Collected Fatwas, King Khalid ibn `Abdul `Aziz edition ("Majma'a Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya"):

Ibn Taymiyya was asked about people that gather in a masjid making dhikr and reading Qur'an, praying to Allah and taking their turbans off their heads (leaving their heads bare) and crying, while their intention is not pride nor showing off but seeking to draw closer to Allah: is it acceptable or not?

He replied: Not only is it acceptable but it is good and recommended.

Wa min Allah at-tawfiq (from Allah is all success).

<font color=purple>Wanu nazzilu minal Qurani ma huwa

Shafaa un wa rahmatun lil mo'mineena

wa la yaziduzzalimeena illa khasara.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nausheen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 April 2005 at 8:24pm

Auzubillahi minash shaitan ir rajeem,

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim.

Introduction to of Dhikra Mawlid Rasul Allah (s)

by Shaykh as-Sayyid Muhammad Alawi Maliki

Ibn Kathir's Book of Mawlid 
"
Dhikra Mawlid Rasul Allah "

 

The book consists of 31 pages. A copy could be obtained from the Library of University of Princeton, between the many manuscripts there where it was kept in collection under number 4098. Collection 4098 has sixteen different important manuscripts, with "Dhikra Mawlid Rasulullah" being one of them.

That book was written by Ibn Kathir who is a vey well-known scholar from the Salafi school and who was a student of the main Imam and founder of the Salafi school Shaikh ul-Islam, Taqi ad-Din Ibn Taymiyya. When he died, Shaikh Ibn Kathir was buried beside his shaikh, Ibn Taymiyya in the Sufi cemetery in Damascus (al-maqbirat is-sufiyya fi Dimashq).

On the first page of the manuscript, Ibn Kathir says he wrote the book at the request of one of the muadhineen (adhan callers) in the mosque al-Muzaffari in Damascus, mosque of the Hanbalis, in the Salihiyya District --the mosque built by Muzaffar ad-Din Kawkaburi. It was known in Damascus as Jami'a al-Hanabila. At that time Ibn Kallikan, the historian, described the Mawlid of the Prophet (s) as a big celebration, which all scholars of the time used to take as a national holiday and a religious, holiday including Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Kathir. In that mosque was happening a big ceremony for the mawlid. Therefore the muadhins of that mosque, ash-Shaikh 'Imad ud-din Abi Bakr and the Shaikh Badruddin Hassan asked Ibn Kathir to write a book about the permissiblity of Mawlid in Islam.

Being a talmeez (follower) to his shaikh, Ibn Kathir felt it necessary to ask his shaikh's permission for writing such a book. He asked Shaikh Ibn Taymiyya, if he had permssion to write it. Shaikh Ibn Taymiyya gave him permission and encouraged him to do that. This manuscript tells us that Ibn Kathir and Ibn Taymiyya, the great scholars of Islam, were giving permission and authorizing reading of the remembrance of the Mawlid ash-sharif.

In order for the general public to understand, Ibn Kathir wrote it in a very easy language and he included in it what is good to be done in the remembrance of the Mawlid of the Prophet (s), specifically the poetry, the seerah and what is to be said.

Ibn Kathir says in this book, on page 19:

"The Night of the Prophet's (s) birth is a magnificent, noble, blessed and holy night, a night of bliss for the Believers, pure, radiant with lights and of immeasurable price."

<font color=purple>Wanu nazzilu minal Qurani ma huwa

Shafaa un wa rahmatun lil mo'mineena

wa la yaziduzzalimeena illa khasara.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nausheen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 April 2005 at 8:29pm

Auzubillahi minash shaitan ir rajeem,

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim.

Shaykh Qardawi Approves of Celebrating Mawlid

"Actually, celebrating the Prophet's birthday means celebrating the birth of Islam..." 

  -- Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qardawi  

Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, likely the most renowned Salafi scholar of the 20th century, in replying to the question on whether Mawlid should be celebrated replied: 

We all know that the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not celebrate the Prophet's birthday, Hijrah or the Battle of Badr, because they witnessed such events during the lifetime of the Prophet who always remained in their hearts and minds.

Sa`d Ibn Abi Waqqaas said that they were keen on telling their children the stories of the Prophet's battles just as they were keen on teaching them the Qur'an. Therefore, they used to remind their children of what happened during the Prophet's lifetime so they did not need to hold such celebrations. However, the following generations began to forget such a glorious history and its significance. So such celebrations were held as a means of reviving great events and the values that we can learn from them.

p Unfortunately, such celebrations include some innovations when they should actually be made to remind people of the Prophet's life and his call. Actually, celebrating the Prophet's birthday means celebrating the birth of Islam. Such an occasion is meant to remind people of how the Prophet lived.

Allah Almighty says: "Verily in the Messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the last Day, and remembereth Allah much." (Al-Ahzab: 21)

By celebrating the Prophet's Hijrah, we should teach them values such as sacrifice, the sacrifice of the Companions, the sacrifice of `Ali who slept in the Prophet's place on the night of the Hijrah, the sacrifice of Asmaa' as she ascended the Mountain of Thawr. We should teach them to plan the way the Prophet planned for his Hijrah, and how to trust in Allah as the Prophet did when Abu Bakr told him: "We could be seen so easily, the Prophet replied saying: "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two when Allah is their third?" "Have no fear, for Allah is with us."  (At-Tawbah: 40)

We need all these lessons and such celebrations are a revival of these lessons and values. I think that these celebrations, if done in the proper way, will serve a great purpose, getting Muslims closer to the teachings of Islam and to the Prophet's Sunnah and life.

As for celebrating `Ashooraa', the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, celebrated this day by fasting only. He asked the Jews why they fasted on that day and they told him that it was the day that Allah saved Moses and the people of Israel. The Prophet replied saying:  "We have more of a right to Moses than you." So he fasted on that day and ordered the people to fast on that day. He also said near the end of his life: "By Allah, if I lived longer I would fast on the 9th of Muharram." That is, that he would fast on the 9th and the 10th in order to be different from the Jews who fast on the 10th only.  However, some of the Sunnis celebrate `Ashura as if it were a feast.  The Shi`ah consider it a day of sadness and mourning, but all such things are innovations and are completely un-Islamic.

As for the second part of the question [what is exact birth date of the Prophet (s)], the exact date of the Prophet's birth is disputed , but it is most likely to be on Monday, 9th Rabee`Al-Awwal (20th or 22nd of April, 571 AC), the same year in which the invasion of the Elephants took place against the Ka`bah. And he, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away on Monday 12, Rabee` Al-Awwal in the eleventh year of Hijrah (8 June 632 AC.)

Allah Almighty knows best. 

Source:  Mufti Islam Online Fatwa Committee Date: 19/Apr/2001: Fatwa ID: 34150

<font color=purple>Wanu nazzilu minal Qurani ma huwa

Shafaa un wa rahmatun lil mo'mineena

wa la yaziduzzalimeena illa khasara.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wasi siddiqui Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 April 2005 at 6:19pm

The Birth of Islam

In the holiest land of Arabia
In the tribal of Quresh
It was in Makkah
The Prophet Mohammad was born
The Holy Quran was blessed upon him in cave of Hira
When Gabriel asked him to recite Holy Quran
It was the beginning of the religion Islam
This is how Islam was born
Prophet Mohammad said there are five pillars of Islam
Faith in Allah, Prayers, Fasting, Charity and Haj
He said tolerance is what Islam teaches
Without these basic things there is no Islam
He travel across the communities
And said I am the messenger of Allah
Read this Holy book, this is word of Allah
This is Holy Quran as it comes to me
When the news of Mohammad reaches Far East
King of Egypt came to meet Prophet Mohammad

He was surprised to see his living style
He thought that he might be living in a castle
And found him sitting and preaching under a tree
Is this is how you live? asked the King
Yes he said I am Mohammad my life is simple as you see
I am not a King or have any servants
And the castle that you were expecting to see
Allah has given me all that I need
My life is simple as you can see
Where is your food that you eat?" asked the King
Prophet Mohammad said this is dates, which I eat
That king was so impressed by what he saw
And said "Like you a true Muslim can I also be"?
Prophet Mohammad said always forgive your enemy
As I did to that lady who used to throw garbage at me
One day no garbage came on me
I began to worry about her health
And found her in great pain
I comfort her and provided help that she need
She began to cry and said I am feeling ashamed for what I did?

She was so impressed and became a Muslim
At the age of 63, when he was near to his death
He calls to all Muslims to have unity
I am leaving behind for you two things to follow
It is my life (sunnah) and the Holy Quran.

Copy right ( 2005 ) Wasi Siddiqui


 

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nausheen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 April 2005 at 6:30pm

Auzubillahi minash shaitan ir rajeem,

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim,

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah

Originally posted by <SPAN =bold>wasi siddiqui wasi siddiqui wrote:


Copy right ( 2005 ) Wasi Siddiqui

A very beautiful composition.

Jazak allah khair.

Maa salaama,

Nausheen

 

<font color=purple>Wanu nazzilu minal Qurani ma huwa

Shafaa un wa rahmatun lil mo'mineena

wa la yaziduzzalimeena illa khasara.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 April 2005 at 6:27am
Bi ismillahir rahmanir raheem

assalamu alaikum semar

i have to seriously doubt the acuracy of your post,

a quote from what i am posting below,"This is a development which took place at the end of the sixth Islamic century according to Imam as-Suyuti, who researched the origins of the practice."



Shaykh Mutawalli Ad-Darsh 
(rahimahullah)

 

Q: Is the celebration of the Prophet's birthday a reprehensible innovation or is it something to be encouraged?

A: We do not call it a celebration but a commemoration of the birth of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). This is a development which took place at the end of the sixth Islamic century according to Imam as-Suyuti, who researched the origins of the practice.

There are two points of view. On the one hand there are those who consider the commemoration to be a good innovation to remind us of the birth of the Prophet (s.a.w.), to remind us of his achievements and to remind us of the great Islamic way of life we inherited from his coming. In the seventh Islamic century people became more involved in worldly affairs, and the living experience of the Shari'ah was in decline. As a result, scholars took the opportunity to remind people of that great event in the history of humanity. In this commemoration, Muslims revive the memory of the Prophet's achievements.

They quote the Hadith in which the Prophet was asked about the first day of the week, when he replied, "That was the day I was born. That was the day I received my message and when I migrated to al-Madinah." So these were days ingrained in the memory of the Prophet (s.A.w.). Also, upon his arrival in Madinah, the Prophet saw the Jewish community celebrating an event, and when he inquired about it he was told, "This was the day on which God saved Moses and his people", to which the Prophet (s.a.w.) replied, "We deserve to look after the correct tradition of Moses." The proponents of the Mawlid also point to the ayah in the chapter of Ibrahim when God says to Moses (a.s.), "Remember the days of Allah", meaning the days on which Allah has graced them with so many favours.

On the Prophet's birthday, some parts of the life of the Prophet are related, the Qur'an is recited and food is offered to the needy, avoiding the sort of behaviour that is Islamically reprehensible. Those who say that commemorating the Prophet's birthday is a Bid'ah which is not acceptable are influenced by the bad behaviour that took place when people danced in the streets, mixed freely with the opposite sex and danced around the villages. That is the part which is not acceptable.

One of the great Muslim scholars in his book published this century, "Al-Ibda'a fi mazaar 'il Ibtida'a" or "The most innovative thing in explaining the harmful things in innovations" came to the conclusion that the two parties in the Mawlid debate are not talking about the same thing. The party which objects is talking about things which are not generally acceptable, while the party which encourages the commemoration is talking about things that are generally acceptable. The author concludes that if Islamically unacceptable practices are avoided then there is no harm in commemorating the birthday of the Prophet (s.a.w.). This is the view of Ibn Hajar, al-Imam as-Suyuthi and the recently departed great Mufti from Egypt, Sheikh Hasanayn Muhammad Makhluf.



HUSN AL MAQSID FI `AMAL AL-MAWLID

THE GOODNESS OF INTENTION IN CELEBRATING THE PROPHET'S BIRTHDAY

Imam Jalaluddin as-Suyuti

Translated from Imam as-Suyuti's 'Al-Hawi lil-Fatawi' 2 vols. (Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-`Arabi, n.d.) 1:251-252.

"Praise be to God and peace be upon those of His servants He has elected. The question has been asked about the celebration of Mawlid al-Nabawi in the month of Rabi` al-awwal: what is the ruling concerning it according to shari`a, and is it praiseworthy or blameworthy, and does the one who practices it obtain reward for it or no?

"I answer that the origin of the celebration of Mawlid, which consists in the gathering of people, the recitation of Qur'an, the narrating of accounts related to the beginnings of the Prophet (s) and the miracles that have been told as taking place upon his birth, and then in the giving of food to the people who eat and leave without adding anything to this, -- *this is one of the praiseworthy innovations* [huwa min al-bida` al-hasana] for the doing of which one obtains reward, because of the respect shown to the greatness of the Prophet (s) and the demonstration of joy and happiness at the news of his noble birth.

"The first to have innovated that practice is the ruler of Irbil, King al-Muzaffar Abu Sa`eed... one of the noblest and most generous kings (to have ruled). He left man good bequests. He is the one who built the Muzaffari mosque on the side of Jabal Qasyun [in Syria; it is said that Judgment Day will take place on that mountain].

"Ibn Kathir said in his 'Tarikh' [History]:

'He [Muzaffar] used to celebrate the noble Mawlid in Rabi` al-Awwal and organize huge festivities for it. He was a wise king, brave, a fierce fighter, intelligent, learned, and just. May he have mercy on him and ennoble his grave. Shaykh Abu al-Khattab ibn Dihya compiled for him a book on the Mawlid of the Prophet (s) an named it 'al-Tanwir fi Mawlid al-Bashir al-Nadhir' [The Illumination Concerning the Birthday of the Bringer of Glad Tidings and Warner] and the king rewarded him with 1,000 dinars for it. His rule lasted until he died in the year 630 [Hijri] as he was besieging the French in the city of Acca [Acre, Palestine] after a glorious and blameless life.'"

It is enough for now to show the position of Suyuti on celebrating the Mawlid. His entire fatwa is that it is good to celebrate it. He calls it "a praiseworthy innovation" according to Imam Shafi`i's classification of innovations between "good" and
"bad."

also see

The Mawlid: The Conservative View

Mawlid Fatwa -Dubai Wizarat al-Awqaf

If you notice sister the article you posted is very general and makes many conclusions from little or vague evidence, it seems coherant but it needs closer analysis. Mawlid was practiced and introduced by islams great scholars not christians. Rasul allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) himself honoured the births of other prohphets if not his own, if you remember Isra wal miaraj "Then he reached a land where the palaces of Syria became visible to him. Jibril said to him: "Alight and pray." He did so and remounted, then the Buraq continued his lightning flight and Jibril said: "Do you know where you prayed?" He said no. Jibril said: "You prayed in Bayt Lahm (Bethlehem), where `Isa ibn Maryam was born."

just a not on Bidah clasafication.

Bid`ah (Innovation): Definition & Examples

Bid`ah (Innovation): Definition and Classification
Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 April 2005 at 6:29am
Bi ismillahir rahmanir raheem

a friend of mine said the following on another forum and his words had much wisdom in them.

Shaykh al Islam, the (greatest) hafiz of his time, Abu l-Fadl ibn Hajar (al-Asqalani) was asked about the observance of the mawlid, to which he literally answered the following: 'The legal status of the mawlid is that it is a bid'a, which has not been transmitted on the authority of one of the pious ancestors from the (first) three centuries. Despite this, it comprises both good things as well as the reverse. If one strives for good things in the practising thereof and the opposite is evaded, it is a good innovation. If not, then not.'

Imam Zaid Shakir gave a similar response to this when he was asked about celebrating the Prophet(SAW)'s birthday to which he replied more or less the following that if one sees and uses the gatherring as an opportunity to get closer to The Prophet(SAW) and the practices partaken in the celebratations are praisworthy, then there is nothing wrong with it but if one is going to use the gathering as another social outing with the brothers/sisters and another hangout, then you might as well spend your time doing something else.

Those who regard the commemoration of the Prophet(SAW)'s birthday as a total complete forbidden bidaah which leads someone astray and eventually to hell fire, follow a very small minority who have defined bidaah based on a single narration of the Prophet(SAW) without taking into consideration the whole corpus of hadith and views of other great ulama on what exactly can be regarded as a bidaah.

At the end of the day, Follow which ever position you feel comfortable with. If anyone can find an opinion that contradicts shaykh ul islam Abu l-Fadl ibn Hajar from a scholar more trustworthy and knowledgeable then he, then go ahead. But if we choose to follow a modern scholar's view based on his/her own understanding without any reference to the views of classical scholars then basically as Sheikh Nuh puts it, its like scrapping a BMW for a go-cart.

Allahu A3lam

Wassalamz
Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.
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