The Ruling on the Prophet's Birthday
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
His Eminence the Shaykh: In previous sessions, we have defined religious innovation and its ruling; and we find that some people, in their celebrations of the noble Prophet's birthday,They say: claim that these celebrations are a means of uniting the hearts of Muslims after the community has become divided. So what is your response to these people?
Our response to those who say: Celebrating the birthday is a means of uniting hearts, and reviving the memory of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We say: First, we do not accept this claim; for those who gather in this manner disperse without any real cause, and hearts cannot be united through a religious innovation in any way.
Second: Indeed, this involves inventing something that Allah has not prescribed. Allah the Exalted has established another gathering for uniting hearts: every day, people gather in one of the houses of Allah five times, and this is sufficient to achieve unity. Therefore, we have no need for this innovation that they introduced, claiming: that unity is achieved through it.
As for the memory of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
Glory to Allah the Great! Does a person not have a memory of the Messenger except once a year?! Do we not remember the Messenger in every act of worship? When you intend to perform ablution, two things are required in the ablution: sincerity for Allah,And the second: and following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When do you feel that you are following him? You are now remembering the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). You perform ablution as one who follows the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and you pray as one who follows the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
Then there is the public remembrance.
And praise be to Allah, at least five times every day we declare in the call to prayer: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." So we have no need for this innovation; the innovation of celebrating the birthday.
We respond to them with an example and say: Glory to Allah! Where are you from the Companions? Where are you from the Tabi'un? Where are you from the generation after the Tabi'un? All three of the preferred generations passed away, and no one established this celebration. This celebration was not known until the fourth century, after the year 400 AH. It is an innovation without doubt, and it is a blameworthy innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.
Our response to those who say: Celebrating the birthday is a means of uniting hearts, and reviving the memory of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We say: First, we do not accept this claim; for those who gather in this manner disperse without any real cause, and hearts cannot be united through a religious innovation in any way.
Second: Indeed, this involves inventing something that Allah has not prescribed. Allah the Exalted has established another gathering for uniting hearts: every day, people gather in one of the houses of Allah five times, and this is sufficient to achieve unity. Therefore, we have no need for this innovation that they introduced, claiming: that unity is achieved through it.
As for the memory of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
Glory to Allah the Great! Does a person not have a memory of the Messenger except once a year?! Do we not remember the Messenger in every act of worship? When you intend to perform ablution, two things are required in the ablution: sincerity for Allah,And the second: and following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When do you feel that you are following him? You are now remembering the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). You perform ablution as one who follows the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and you pray as one who follows the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
Then there is the public remembrance.
And praise be to Allah, at least five times every day we declare in the call to prayer: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." So we have no need for this innovation; the innovation of celebrating the birthday.
We respond to them with an example and say: Glory to Allah! Where are you from the Companions? Where are you from the Tabi'un? Where are you from the generation after the Tabi'un? All three of the preferred generations passed away, and no one established this celebration. This celebration was not known until the fourth century, after the year 400 AH. It is an innovation without doubt, and it is a blameworthy innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.