Many people say that the Mawlid is not a religious innovation because it contains the remembrance of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and glorification of his mention, and it contains no frivolity, singing, or the like.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Many people say: that the Mawlid is not a religious innovation, because it contains the remembrance of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and glorification of his mention, and it contains no frivolity such as singing or the like, but it is only a reminder of the biography of the Chosen One (peace and blessings be upon him). What is the ruling if the Mawlid is of this nature? I want a comprehensive and clear answer to this topic, because many people see that there is nothing of innovation in it, because it is only remembrance?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
There is no doubt that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the master of the children of Adam, and there is no doubt that he has rights over us that are greater than the rights of our mothers and fathers, and there is no doubt that it is obligatory for us to prioritize his love over the love of the self, the child, the parent, and all people, and there is no doubt that he has virtues and merits that no one else has, and this is a matter of consensus. And if this questioner is asking about celebrating the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), then we examine this issue from two aspects:
First: From the historical aspect, it is not established that his birth was on the night of the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, nor was it on the day of the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal. Rather, some contemporary astronomers have verified that his birth was on the ninth day of Rabi' al-Awwal. And based on this, there is no validity to the Mawlid being on the twelfth day or the night of the twelfth from the historical aspect.
As for the aspect of worship, we say: What do the celebrants intend by celebrating the Mawlid? Do they intend to display their love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)?
If they intend this, then displaying his love is by displaying his Shari'ah (peace and blessings be upon him), adhering to it, defending it, and protecting it from every religious innovation.
Or do they intend the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)?
The remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is achieved in what is prescribed every day. The mu'adhdhins (callers to prayer) announce from the minbars: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," and the worshippers in every prayer, the one praying says: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings", and he says: "I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger", and he says: "O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad".
Indeed, every act of worship is a remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and that is because worship is built upon two things:
Sincerity for Allah, and following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And by following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the remembrance is in the heart.
Or do these people intend to increase the sending of prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and displaying his virtues?
We say: This is a good intention, and we are with them in urging the increase of sending prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and urging the display of his virtues (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) among his Ummah, because that leads to the perfection of his love, his exaltation, and following his Shari'ah. But was this transmitted as restricted to that day on which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was born, or is it general for every time and moment?
The answer is the latter. Then we say: Read the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic:[At-Tawbah 9:100]. Are we following the Muhajireen and the Ansar in establishing this Mawlid, or rather in establishing the celebration of the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)?
The answer is: No, because the Rightly Guided Caliphs, all the Companions, those who followed them with excellence, and the Imams of the Muslims after them did not establish this celebration and did not ever call for it.
Are we more deserving of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) than they were? Or were they negligent and lax in establishing this right for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)? Or were they ignorant of it and did not know about it?
None of this was the case, because the existence of the cause without a preventer necessitates that its effect occurs. And the Companions had no preventer from establishing this celebration, but they knew that it is a religious innovation, and that the truth of loving the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) lies in the perfection of following him, not that a person innovates in his religion what is not from it. So if a person is sincere in his love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and in his belief that he is the master of mankind, let him be committed to his Shari'ah. What he found in his Shari'ah, he acts upon it, and what he did not find, he turns away from it. This is pure love and this is complete love.
Then, in these Mawlid celebrations, there occurs mixing and extra words in exaggeration regarding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), to the extent that they chant the Burdah attributed to al-Busiri, and in it he says:
O most noble of creation, to whom do I take refuge... other than You when the general calamity befalls.
How can he say: "To whom do I take refuge other than You when the general calamity befalls"? Is this correct?
It means that this one who is struck by the calamity does not turn to Allah the Mighty and Majestic and does not take refuge in Allah the Mighty and Majestic. This is shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Then he says:
If You are not taking my hand on the Day of Resurrection... pardon, or else say: O slip of the foot.
Does the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) save people on the Day of Resurrection? The supplication of the Messengers (peace be upon them) on that day is: "O Allah, save, save", when crossing the Sirat (the bridge over Hellfire).
And he also says in this poem, addressing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
For from Your generosity is the world and its twin.
The world, and its twin is the Hereafter. From the generosity of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and not all of his generosity, but it is from his generosity, and his generosity is more generous than this. So if he made the world and the Hereafter from the generosity of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), what remains for Allah the Exalted in the world and the Hereafter?
Nothing remains. Both these abodes are from the generosity of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
And he also says: And from Your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen.
Glory be to Allah, from his knowledge, and not all of his knowledge, that he knows what is in the Preserved Tablet, even though Allah the Exalted commanded his Prophet with a specific command to say:[Al-An'am 6:50].
So if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) does not know what is hidden from him in this world, how can it be said that he knows the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen, or rather that the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen is from his knowledge? And this is exaggeration that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not approve of, rather he rejects it and forbids it.
Then, in this Mawlid celebration, things occur that resemble the state of the insane. We heard that while they were sitting, they suddenly jumped up and stood up as one man, and claimed that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was present in this gathering, and that they stood out of respect for him. And this does not happen from a person of sound mind, let alone a believer. It is most like madness. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is in his grave and does not come out except on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said:[Al-Mu'minun 23:100].
In summary, the celebration of the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is not valid from the historical aspect, and it is not permissible from the legal aspect, and it is a religious innovation. And the most truthful of creation and the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the Shari'ah of Allah said:. And I call my Muslim brothers to leave it, and to turn to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and to exalt the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and his Shari'ah, and that a person not innovate in the religion of Allah what is not from the Shari'ah of Allah.
And I advise them to preserve their times, their minds, their thoughts, their bodies, and their wealth from wasting them in this innovative celebration. And I ask Allah the Exalted for guidance and success for us and for them, and the rectification of our condition. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
There is no doubt that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the master of the children of Adam, and there is no doubt that he has rights over us that are greater than the rights of our mothers and fathers, and there is no doubt that it is obligatory for us to prioritize his love over the love of the self, the child, the parent, and all people, and there is no doubt that he has virtues and merits that no one else has, and this is a matter of consensus. And if this questioner is asking about celebrating the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), then we examine this issue from two aspects:
First: From the historical aspect, it is not established that his birth was on the night of the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, nor was it on the day of the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal. Rather, some contemporary astronomers have verified that his birth was on the ninth day of Rabi' al-Awwal. And based on this, there is no validity to the Mawlid being on the twelfth day or the night of the twelfth from the historical aspect.
As for the aspect of worship, we say: What do the celebrants intend by celebrating the Mawlid? Do they intend to display their love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)?
If they intend this, then displaying his love is by displaying his Shari'ah (peace and blessings be upon him), adhering to it, defending it, and protecting it from every religious innovation.
Or do they intend the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)?
The remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is achieved in what is prescribed every day. The mu'adhdhins (callers to prayer) announce from the minbars: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," and the worshippers in every prayer, the one praying says: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings", and he says: "I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger", and he says: "O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad".
Indeed, every act of worship is a remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and that is because worship is built upon two things:
Sincerity for Allah, and following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And by following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the remembrance is in the heart.
Or do these people intend to increase the sending of prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and displaying his virtues?
We say: This is a good intention, and we are with them in urging the increase of sending prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and urging the display of his virtues (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) among his Ummah, because that leads to the perfection of his love, his exaltation, and following his Shari'ah. But was this transmitted as restricted to that day on which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was born, or is it general for every time and moment?
The answer is the latter. Then we say: Read the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic:
And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him
والسابقون الأولون من المهاجرين والانصار والذين اتبعوهم بإحسان رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنهThe answer is: No, because the Rightly Guided Caliphs, all the Companions, those who followed them with excellence, and the Imams of the Muslims after them did not establish this celebration and did not ever call for it.
Are we more deserving of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) than they were? Or were they negligent and lax in establishing this right for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)? Or were they ignorant of it and did not know about it?
None of this was the case, because the existence of the cause without a preventer necessitates that its effect occurs. And the Companions had no preventer from establishing this celebration, but they knew that it is a religious innovation, and that the truth of loving the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) lies in the perfection of following him, not that a person innovates in his religion what is not from it. So if a person is sincere in his love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and in his belief that he is the master of mankind, let him be committed to his Shari'ah. What he found in his Shari'ah, he acts upon it, and what he did not find, he turns away from it. This is pure love and this is complete love.
Then, in these Mawlid celebrations, there occurs mixing and extra words in exaggeration regarding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), to the extent that they chant the Burdah attributed to al-Busiri, and in it he says:
O most noble of creation, to whom do I take refuge... other than You when the general calamity befalls.
How can he say: "To whom do I take refuge other than You when the general calamity befalls"? Is this correct?
It means that this one who is struck by the calamity does not turn to Allah the Mighty and Majestic and does not take refuge in Allah the Mighty and Majestic. This is shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Then he says:
If You are not taking my hand on the Day of Resurrection... pardon, or else say: O slip of the foot.
Does the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) save people on the Day of Resurrection? The supplication of the Messengers (peace be upon them) on that day is: "O Allah, save, save", when crossing the Sirat (the bridge over Hellfire).
And he also says in this poem, addressing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
For from Your generosity is the world and its twin.
The world, and its twin is the Hereafter. From the generosity of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and not all of his generosity, but it is from his generosity, and his generosity is more generous than this. So if he made the world and the Hereafter from the generosity of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), what remains for Allah the Exalted in the world and the Hereafter?
Nothing remains. Both these abodes are from the generosity of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
And he also says: And from Your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen.
Glory be to Allah, from his knowledge, and not all of his knowledge, that he knows what is in the Preserved Tablet, even though Allah the Exalted commanded his Prophet with a specific command to say:
Say, [O Muhammad], "I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allah or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me." Say, "Is the blind equivalent to the seeing?
قل لا أقول لكم عندي خزائن الله ولا أعلم الغيب ولا أقول لكم إني ملك إن أتبع إلا ما يوحى إلي قل هل يستوي الأعمى والبصيرSo if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) does not know what is hidden from him in this world, how can it be said that he knows the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen, or rather that the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen is from his knowledge? And this is exaggeration that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not approve of, rather he rejects it and forbids it.
Then, in this Mawlid celebration, things occur that resemble the state of the insane. We heard that while they were sitting, they suddenly jumped up and stood up as one man, and claimed that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was present in this gathering, and that they stood out of respect for him. And this does not happen from a person of sound mind, let alone a believer. It is most like madness. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is in his grave and does not come out except on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said:
and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.
ومن ورائهم برزخ إلى يوم يبعثونIn summary, the celebration of the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is not valid from the historical aspect, and it is not permissible from the legal aspect, and it is a religious innovation. And the most truthful of creation and the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the Shari'ah of Allah said:
Every innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةAnd I advise them to preserve their times, their minds, their thoughts, their bodies, and their wealth from wasting them in this innovative celebration. And I ask Allah the Exalted for guidance and success for us and for them, and the rectification of our condition. Indeed, He is capable of all things.