What is your guidance for the Muslims who celebrate the Prophet's birthday on the twelfth day of Rabi' al-Awwal?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner says: On this twelfth day of the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, many people celebrate what is called the Prophet's birthday. What is your statement and guidance for the Muslims on this day?

Answer:
This is a custom where, if a person is ignorant of the sunnahs or is lazy about them, he turns to bid'ah (religious innovations) to compensate for them, claiming that this suffices him for the sunnahs and for following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is an error and ignorance. Celebrating the Mawlid is a bid'ah. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So it is a bid'ah because it was not part of the practice of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), nor the practice of his Companions, nor the practice of the best generations. Rather, it occurred after the best generations at the hands of the Fatimids and others from the Sufis and innovators, and people inherited it as if it were a sunnah, whereas it is a bid'ah. Yes.