It is permissible to celebrate the Prophet's birthday as an expression of love

to the Prophet provided that the celebration doesn’t involve any of the
prohibited acts.

In this regard, we would like to cite for you the following fatwa issued by
Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr , former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, in
which he states the following:

Due to the spread of innovation during such celebrations, scholars have

denounced them and stated that they were groundless. Among those scholars
is the Maliki jurist Taaj Ad-Deen `Umar Ibn Al-Lakhmi Al-Sakandari known
as Al-Fakahani, who died in 731 AH; he wrote his thesis Al-Mawrid fil
Kalam `Ala-Mawlid on this issue and As-Suyuti quotes it in his book Husn
Al-Maqsid.

Sheikh Muhammad Fadl `Ashur says that in the ninth century, scholars were
divided over the issue. Some said it was permissible, others said it was not
and it was recommended by As-Suyuti, Ibn Hajar Al-`Asqalani and Ibn
Hajar Al-Haythmi, yet they condemned the innovations that took place
during such festivities. Their opinion was derived from the verse: (And
remind them of the days of Allah ) (Ibrahim 14: 5).

Explaining the previous verse, An-Nasa`i and `Abdullah Ibn Ahmad report
in Zaway’d Al-Musnad and Al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab Al-Iman reports on the
authority of Ibn Ka`b that he said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him), said: 'The days of Allah' are Allah's Blessings and Signs, and the
Prophet's birth is a great bliss." (Al-Alusi's Ruh Al-Ma`ani )

Muslim reports on the authority of Qatadah Al-Ansari that the Prophet

(peace and blessings be upon him), was asked about fasting on Monday and
he replied: "It is the day on which I was born and on which I received the
Divine Revelation". It is also reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas and Ibn
Jabir that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was born in the
"year of the elephant" on the 12th of Rabee` Al-Awwal. He also received the
Divine Revelation, ascended to the Heavens, migrated to Madinah and died
on the 12th of Rabee` Al-Awwal.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), says that the day he was
born was a special day. Since it is well known from the Shari`ah that
Muslims should seize the opportunity in blessed days and do good deeds,
Muslims should celebrate the Prophet's birthday so as to thank Allah for
guiding them to Islam through Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him).

Therefore, celebrating the Prophet's birthday is permissible provided that it

does not include committing any of the prohibited things. As for throwing
banquets, this comes under the verse saying: (O ye who believe! Eat of the
good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to
Allah if it is (indeed) He whom ye worship. ) (Al-Baqarah 2: 172)

My opinion is that celebrating such a religious occasion is recommended

especially nowadays for youth have become forgetful of these religious
occasions and their significance because they have indulged in other
celebrations.

Celebrating such a great event should be done through reading more about
the Prophet's Sunnah and life, building mosques, religious institutes and
doing other forms of charity work that remind people of the Prophet's life
and his struggle.

Therefore, it is permissible to celebrate the Prophet's birthday as an

expression of our love to him and our endeavor to follow him as an example
provided that these celebrations do not involve any of the prohibited things.
Some prohibited things are improper intermingling between men and
women, behaving improperly at mosques and partaking in innovations such
as worshiping at tombs and other things that violate the teachings of Islam.
If such previously mentioned violations surpass the religious benefit realized
from these celebrations, then they should be stopped in order to prevent
harm and wrongdoing as indicated in the Shari`ah.

Moreover, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi , adds:

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 Waqqas 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.

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 33: 21)

By celebrating the Prophet's Hijrah, we should teach people 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 Asma' 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 9: 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 `Ashura’, 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.

from: http://www.rasoulallah.net/subject_en.asp?...amp;sub_id=7901

http://www.rasoulallah.net/index_english.as

some sayings of the rightly guided Imams regarding the Mawlid.

Al-Suyuti, Ibn Taymiyya, the Mufti of Mecca and many others. Imam Al-Suyuti, from
Alhawi lil-Fatawi wrote a special chapter entitled "The Good Intention In
Commemorating The Mawlid," at the beginning of which he said, "There is a question
being asked about commemorating the mawlid of the Prophet in the month of Rabi' al-
Awal: What is the religious legal ruling in this regard, is it good or bad? Does the one
who celebrates get rewarded or not?"

The answer according to me is as follows: To commemorate the mawlid which is

basically gathering people together, reciting parts of the Quran, narrating stories about the
Prophet's birth and signs that accompanied it, then serving food and afterwards
departing, is one of the good innovations ; and the one who practices it gets rewarded,
because it involves venerating the status of the Prophet and expressing joy for his
honorable birth.

Ibn Taymiyya said in his book Iqtida' Al Sirat Al Mustaqeem (Cairo, al-Fiqqi 1950
edition, pages 294 and 297)

"What some people innovated, either to emulate the Christians who celebrate the birth of
`Isa (as) or out of love for the Prophet and in order to exalt him:
Allah MAY reward them for such love and effort but not for the innovations [...]. So one
MAY magnify the birthdate of the Prophet upon him blessings and peace, AND treat it
as a festival, perhaps obtaining IMMENSE REWARD for it because of his good
intentions in honoring the Messenger of Allah."

(ma yuhdithuhu ba`du al-naasi immaa mudaahaatan lil-nasaara fi meelaadi `Isaa

`alayhi as-Salam wa'imma mahabbatan lil- Nabiyyi SallAllahu `alayhi wa Sallam
wata`zeeman lahu, wAllaahu qad yutheebuhum `ala haadhihi al-mahabbati wal-
ijtihaadi laa `ala al-bida`i [...]. Fata`zeemu al-mawlidi wattikhaadhuhu mawsiman qad
yaf`aluhu ba`du al-naasi wayakunu lahu feehi ajrun `azeemun lihusni qasdihi
wata`zeemihi lirasulillaah).

This text is found in the 2nd edition (1369/1950) of Muhammad Hamid al-Fiqqi at
Cairo's Matba`at al-Sunnat al-Muhammadiyya.

This is a saying of someone who set fanaticism aside and sought to please Allah and his
Prophet . As far as we are concerned, we commemorate the Mawlid for no other reason
but what Ibn Taymiya said, "Out of love and veneration of the Prophet." May Allah
reward us according to this love and effort.

In the same source previously mentioned, Al Suyuti said, "Someone asked Ibn Hajar
about commemorating the Mawlid. Ibn Hajar answered:

As for the origin of the practice of commemorating the Prophet's birth , it is an

innovation ( bida'a ) that has not been conveyed to us from any of the pious early
muslims of the first three centuries, despite which it has included both features that are
praisweorthy and features that are not. If one takes care to include in such a
commemoration only things that are praiseworthy and avoids those that are otherwise, it
is a praiseworthy innovation, while if ones does not, it is not. An authentic primary
textual basis from which its legal validity is inferable has occured to me, namely the
rigourously authenticated ( sahih ) hadith in the collections of Bukhari and Muslim that '
the Prophet came to Medina and found the Jews fasting on the tenth of Muharram
( 'Ashura ' ), so he asked them about it and they replied

'It is the day on which Allah drowned Pharaoh and rescued Moses, so we fast in it to
thanks to Allah Most high',

which indicates the validity of giving thanks to Allah for the blessings He has bestowed
on a particular day in providing a benefit, or averting an affliction, repeating one's thanks
on the anniversary of that day every year, giving thanks to Allah taking any various forms
of worship such as prostration, fasting, giving charity or reciting the Koran."

Al Suyuti then further writes, "Then what blessing is greater than the birth of the Prophet
, the Prophet of Mercy, on this day?"

(Quotation from Al Suyuti continues at )

"This is regarding the basis of Mawlid. As for the activities, there should be only the
things that express thankfulness to Allah, such as what has been previously mentioned:
reciting Quran, eating food, giving charity, reciting poetry praising the Prophet or on
piety which moves hearts and drives them to do good and work for the Hereafter."

These are the derivations that those opposed to Mawlid call false conclusions and invalid
analogies.
Imam Mohammed bin Abu Bakr Abdullah Al Qaisi Al Dimashqi.
Jami' Al Athar fi Mawlid, Al Nabiy Al Mukhtar, Al lafz al ra'iq fi Mawlid khayr al
khala'iq, and Mawlid al sadi fi Mawlid Al Hadi,

Imam Al `Iraqi.
Al Mawlid al heni fi al Mawlid al sani.

Mulla `Ali Al Qari.

Al Mawlid Al rawi fil Mawlid al Nabawi.

Imam Ibn Dahiya.

Al Tanweer fi Mawlid Al basheer Al Nadheer.

Imam Shamsu Din bin Nasir Al Dimashqi.

Mawlid al Sadi fi Mawlid Al Hadi. He is the one who said about the Prophets estranged
uncle, Abu Lahab, "This unbeliever who has been dispraised, { "perish his hands" } [111:
1], will stay in Hell forever. Yet, every Monday his torment is being reduced because of
his joy at the birth of the Prophet." How much mercy can a servant expect who spends all
his life joyous about the Prophet and dies believing in the Oneness of Allah?

Imam Shamsu Din Ibn Al Jazri.

Al Nashr fil Qira'at Al `Ashr, `Urf Al Ta'reef bil Mawlid al shareef.

Imam Ibn Al Jawzi

Imam Ibn Al Jawzi said about the honorable Mawlid, "It is security throughout the year,
and glad tidings that all wishes and desires will be fulfilled."

Imam Abu Shama

Imam Abu Shama (Imam Nawawi's shaykh) in his book Al ba'ith ala Inkar Al bida` wal
hawadith (pg.23) said, "One of the best innovations in our time is what is being done
every year on the Prophets birthday, such as giving charity, doing good deeds, displaying
ornaments, and expressing joy, for that expresses the feelings of love and veneration for
him in the hearts of those who are celebrating, and also, shows thankfulness to Allah for
His bounty by sending His Messenger, the one who has been sent as a Mercy to the
worlds."

Imam Al Shihab Al Qastalani

Imam Al Shihab Al Qastalani (Al Bukhari's commentator) in his book Al mawahib Al
Ladunniya (1-148) said, "May Allah have mercy on the one who turns the nights of the
month of the Prophets birth into festivities in order to decrease the suffering of those
whose hearts are filled with disease and sickness."

There are others who wrote and spoke about Mawlid, such as Imam Al Sakhawi, Imam
Wajihu Din bin `Ali bin al Dayba' al Shaybani al Zubaidi, and many more , which we
will not mention due to the limited space available. From these many evidences, it should
be clear by now that celebrating the Mawlid is highly commendable and allowed. Surely
we cannot simply shrug off as heretics the scholars and dignitaries of this nation who
approved the commemoration of the Mawlid and wrote countless books on the subject.
Are all these scholars, to whom the whole world is indebted for the beneficial books they
have written on Prophetic sayings, jurisprudence, commentaries, and other sorts of
knowledge, among the indecent who commit sins and evil? Are they, as those opposed to
Mawlid claim, imitating the Christians in celebrating the birth of Jesus? Are they
claiming that the Prophet did not convey to the nation what they should do? We leave
answers to these questions up to you.

Peace & Blessings upon Sayyidina Muhammad ,

his Family, and his Companions.

From The Muslim Magazine with permission.

Dr. `Isa al-Mani` al-Humayri, Department of Awqaaf, Dubai

Office of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dubai Administration of Ifta' and
Research

Al Suyuti also statet:

In light of which, one should take care to commemorate it on the day itself in order to
conform to the above story of Moses and the tenth of Muharram, those who do not view
the matter thus do not mind commemorating it on any other day of the month, while
some have expanded its time to any of the day of the year, whatever exception may be
taken at such a view.

Reference :
al Suyuti, Jalal al Din.
al Hawi li al fatawi al fiqh was ulum al tafsir was al hadith wa al usul wa al nahw wa al i
wa sa'ir al funun. 2 vols. 1352/1933 - 34 Reprint Beirut : Dar al Kutub al Ilmiyya,
1403/1983. Quoted in The Reliance of the Traveller ( Ahmad ibn Naqib al Misri ) A
Classical Manual of Islamic Sacred Law translated by Noah Ha Mim Keller ( 1991 ) page
w58.0 --> w59.0

According to the Mufti of Mecca on Mawlid And Other Scholars' Opinions on the
Mawlid

According to the Mufti of Mecca Ahmad ibn Zayni Dahlan, in his book al-Sira al-
nabawiyya wa al-athar al-muhammadiyya, page 51: "To celebrate the Mawlid and to
remember the Prophet is accepted by all the Ulama of the Muslims." Most of the
following quotations are taken from that work.

Imam Subki said, "When we were celebrating the Prophet's birthday , a great uns
(familiarity) comes to our heart, and we feel something special."
Imam Shawkani in his book al-Badr at-tali`, said, "It is permissible to celebrate the
Prophet's birthday." He mentioned that Mullah `Ali Qari held the same opinion in a book
entitled al-Mawrid ar-Rawi fi al-Mawlid al-Nabawi, written specifically to support the
celebration of the Prophet's birthday.

Imam Abu Shama, the sheikh of Imam Nawawi, said in his book on innovations entitled:
al-Ba`ith `ala inkar al-bida` wa al-hawadith:

The best innovation in our day is the remembrance of the Prophet's birthday. On that day,
people give much donations, make much worship, show much love to the Prophet, and
give much thanks to Allah Almighty for sending them His Messenger to keep them on the
Sunna and Shari`a of Islam.

Imam Sakhawi said, "The Mawlid was begun three centuries after the Prophet , and all
Muslim nations celebrated it, and all `ulama accepted it, by worshipping Allah alone, by
giving donations and by reading the Prophet's Sira."

Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami said , "As Jews celebrated the day of `Ashura by fasting to
thank Allah, we also have to celebrate the day of Mawlid," and he quoted the
aforementioned hadith, "When the Prophet came to Madina..." Ibn Hajar continues, "One
gives thanks to Allah for the favor that He gave on a particular day either through a great
good, or through the averting of a disaster. That day is celebrated every year thereafter.
Thanksgiving entails various forms of worship like prostration, fast, charity, and
recitation of Qur'an, and what greater good is there than the advent of that Prophet, the
Prophet of Mercy , on the day of Mawlid?"

Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597) wrote a booklet of poems and sira to be read at mawlid celebrations.
It is entitled Mawlid al-`arus and begins with the words: al-hamdu lillah al-ladhi abraza
min ghurrati `arusi al-hadrati subhan mustanira: "Praise be to Allah Who has manifested
from the radiance of the bridegroom of His presence a lightgiving daybreak..."

[From The Muslim Magazine with permission.]

Gathering For The Mawlid
During The Month Of Rabi` al-Awwal

Question:
Is it permissible to gather during the month of Rabi` al-Awwal to remember the birth of
the noble Prophet Allah bless him and give him peace)?
Answer:
In his Lata'if al-Ma`arif, a book on what Muslims should do for each month and season of
the years, the great hadith master Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali held three lessons. The first two
lessons concerned the birth of the Prophet and the third and final lessons concerning his
death. Allah bless him and his family and give them peace. As a bare minimum, this
shows that Ibn Rajab considered teaching about the life of the Prophet Allah bless him
and give him peace) during the month of Rabi` al-Awwal to be something not only
permissible, but of such importance that it should be done in public. While virtually no
Muslims denies the permissibility of studying the biography of the Prophet Allah bless
him and give him peace), a vocal minority claims that this is a [blameworthy] innovation.
fn1 Mentioning the birth and death of the Prophet Allah bless him and give him
peace as things that Muslims should do during the month of Rabi` al-Awwal is a clear
indication from Ibn Rajab that it is permissible:
1. to learn about the birth and death of the Prophet Allah bless him and give him peace)
2. to gather in public to do so
3. to emphasis doing it during Rabi` al-Awwal is permissible
While specific modalities of education about, reminding of, and commemoration of these
things may take different rulings, they cannot be declared categorically impermissible.

[See: Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Lata'if al-Ma`arif. Damascus: Dar Ibn Kathir. 1999/1420 AH.
pp158-216]

And Allah knows best.

Wa al-salamu `alaykum,
Musa

fn1: There are two taxonomies regarding things for which were not done during the time
of the Prophet Allah bless him and give him peace). The most popular taxonomy places
these things into five categories: obligatory, praiseworthy, neutral, offensive, and
impermissible. The other taxonomy declares these things as being praiseworthy sunnahs
or blameworthy innovations. It is confusing to simply say "innovation".