What is the ruling on celebrating the commemoration of the Prophet's birth?
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The Shaykh : ... The Muslim fasts, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) fasted it. However, most Muslims, who are a minority among all Muslims, fast it for the mere virtue that does not relate to what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated in the previous hadith of Abu Qatadah: Sahih Muslim 1162b. They do not keep this meaning in mind. So, when a Muslim fasts on Monday, he should remember that this is a way of remembering the grace of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) upon the Muslims, in that He created the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on this day and sent him as a messenger on this day. So, let us call this a celebration of the birth of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) on this day. The difference I referred to earlier is that this prescribed celebration is repeated every week, whereas their celebration is repeated once a year. And what is their celebration? Nothing! Perhaps some anthems are recited, which they call Islamic anthems. In many of them, there is exaggeration in praising the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that the Messenger himself would not approve of if he heard them in his time, or if he were in our time, he would deny them most strongly. Because some of them contain what is equivalent to the saying of that Ansari girl when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) heard her saying and beating the hand drum: "We have a Prophet who knows what is to come!" He said (peace and blessings be upon him): ; meaning, without this exaggeration. So, this celebration contains such words with exaggerations in describing and praising the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). It may contain a description that matches reality, but it is not considered a way of honoring and glorifying the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him); because that description may be shared by all people. As is said in some books written on the Mawlid, and I think this Mawlid is attributed to Ibn al-Jawzi or to someone else from the later generations, I do not remember exactly now. It says in it that his mother carried him for nine lunar months. This is the talk there. What is the merit or virtue in this to be mentioned as praise for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?! His mother carried him for nine lunar months. And they also say: He was born circumcised and rejoiced. As for the first description, most people are carried by their mothers for nine months. But is the Messenger praised for this matter that is shared with the masses of people? No. But this is how they used to celebrate the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) before. So, either they elevate him and praise him with what does not please him, or they praise him with something that is shared by all people.
In summary: The celebration of the Mawlid that people do today has no basis in the Sunnah, so it is a religious innovation. And the one that has a basis, which is fasting on Monday with this intention, is done by few. And of those who fast, the very, very few are those who keep in their minds that this is a commemoration of the birth of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the sending of the Messenger on Monday.
It was the day on which I was born
ذاك يومٌ وُلدْتُ فيهNo one knows the unseen except Allah. Leave that, and say what you used to say
لا يعلم الغيب إلا الله ، دعي هذا ، وقولي ما كنت تقولينIn summary: The celebration of the Mawlid that people do today has no basis in the Sunnah, so it is a religious innovation. And the one that has a basis, which is fasting on Monday with this intention, is done by few. And of those who fast, the very, very few are those who keep in their minds that this is a commemoration of the birth of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the sending of the Messenger on Monday.
Source
www.al-albany.com
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