What is the ruling on exchanging gifts between relatives and friends on the occasions of birthdays and weddings?
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The questioner : The listener from the Arab Republic of Egypt has this question: What is the ruling on exchanging gifts between relatives and friends on the occasions of birthdays and weddings?
The Shaykh : As for the first part of the question, I do not know if by "festivals" he means Christian birthdays, or if he means the Prophet's birthdays, which some people observe on the occasion of the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). If he means the former, then exchanging gifts on these festivals, celebrating them, and believing that they are days of joy and happiness is participating with the polytheists in their festivals, and it is forbidden by consensus, as transmitted by Ibn al-Qayyim and others. It is not permissible to give gifts, neither to Muslims nor to Christians, on their birthdays, because giving them is approval of the polytheistic, disbelieving religion they are upon, and a person is in great danger in that.
And if by "festivals" the intended meaning is the Prophet's birthdays, the birthdays of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that were innovated by those who innovated them, then the ruling on exchanging gifts in them is the same as the ruling on adopting them as a festival. The correct of the opinions is that adopting the days of the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as a festival is not prescribed, because it did not occur in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor in the time of the Companions after them, nor in the time of the Successors, nor in the time of the Successors of the Successors. The first time it occurred was in the year 611 of the Hijrah, and the people in it became three groups: a group that supported it, a group that refuted it, and a group that detailed it.
As for the supporters, they say that this is in the category of expressing our joy with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and our honoring of him, so that the Christians do not say that the Muslims do not celebrate their Prophet or care about him, as indicated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in his book "Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim". Thus, approving of it is in the category of warding off blame from the Muslim community. Some of them justified it by saying that this celebration is nothing but sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), praising him, and reviving his remembrance, and this is a required matter in general. And what is required in general, there is no harm in doing it at its appropriate occasion.
And as for those who refuted it, they said that there is no doubt that our love for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is obligatory, and that it is obligatory for us to place his love above ourselves, our children, our parents, and all people. And it is obligatory for us to honor him with the honor he deserves. But love necessitates that we do not exceed the path of the Beloved, and honoring necessitates that we do not precede him and that we do not be ill-mannered with him. So we adhere to what has been legislated for us of the laws, and we do not innovate in his religion what is not from it. And there is no doubt that celebrating or holding a festival for the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), there is no doubt that the one who does it intends thereby to draw near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And drawing near to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is worship, and worship must be established by a legal proof, because the original ruling in acts of worship is prohibition, except for what is established by evidence.
And the claim that this is in the category of reviving his remembrance, honoring him, and warding off blame from the Muslims is refuted and repelled by the fact that the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is on the heart of every believer in every act of worship he performs. For worship must include sincerity to Allah and following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And thus, every worshipper who wants to realize worship will have the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on his heart when performing every act of worship, because he feels that he is following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in it. Also, the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with what he did not legislate is not praiseworthy, and in his remembrance with what he legislated is what suffices and more. The Muslims announce the name of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) five times a day on the high places, and in every prayer and at every prayer, so the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has not been absent from the Muslims, praise be to Allah, at any time, neither in the night nor in the day. And they are in no need of this matter which was innovated and was not in his time (peace and blessings be upon him).
And as for those who detailed it, they said that if the celebration of the Mawlid is limited to merely reading the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), mentioning his characteristics and attributes, and sending blessings upon him (peace and blessings be upon him), then there is nothing wrong with it, because the type of worship has been legislated, and there is no harm in specifying it at an appropriate time. But if this celebration includes what contradicts that, such as exaggeration regarding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and reciting poems that may take a person out of the religion by major shirk, or the superstitions that those who celebrate this Mawlid perform, such as fainting, screaming, and wailing, and believing that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is present, and then they stand for him, claiming it is out of respect and honor, and the like of that, then this is forbidden.
But the stronger opinion is to refute this celebration absolutely, whether it includes exaggeration and superstitions or not. What the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) legislated is sufficient, and it is sufficient to be in no need of anything else. And we say, if the matter revolves around whether your action is a means of drawing near to Allah or an innovation, then safety is safer. And as long as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has not obligated it upon you and has not commanded you to do it, then thank Allah for well-being and avoid what may be harm for you. For whoever avoids doubtful matters has purified his religion and his honor, and whoever falls into doubtful matters falls into the forbidden. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you and increase your reward.
The Shaykh : As for the first part of the question, I do not know if by "festivals" he means Christian birthdays, or if he means the Prophet's birthdays, which some people observe on the occasion of the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). If he means the former, then exchanging gifts on these festivals, celebrating them, and believing that they are days of joy and happiness is participating with the polytheists in their festivals, and it is forbidden by consensus, as transmitted by Ibn al-Qayyim and others. It is not permissible to give gifts, neither to Muslims nor to Christians, on their birthdays, because giving them is approval of the polytheistic, disbelieving religion they are upon, and a person is in great danger in that.
And if by "festivals" the intended meaning is the Prophet's birthdays, the birthdays of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that were innovated by those who innovated them, then the ruling on exchanging gifts in them is the same as the ruling on adopting them as a festival. The correct of the opinions is that adopting the days of the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as a festival is not prescribed, because it did not occur in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor in the time of the Companions after them, nor in the time of the Successors, nor in the time of the Successors of the Successors. The first time it occurred was in the year 611 of the Hijrah, and the people in it became three groups: a group that supported it, a group that refuted it, and a group that detailed it.
As for the supporters, they say that this is in the category of expressing our joy with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and our honoring of him, so that the Christians do not say that the Muslims do not celebrate their Prophet or care about him, as indicated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in his book "Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim". Thus, approving of it is in the category of warding off blame from the Muslim community. Some of them justified it by saying that this celebration is nothing but sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), praising him, and reviving his remembrance, and this is a required matter in general. And what is required in general, there is no harm in doing it at its appropriate occasion.
And as for those who refuted it, they said that there is no doubt that our love for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is obligatory, and that it is obligatory for us to place his love above ourselves, our children, our parents, and all people. And it is obligatory for us to honor him with the honor he deserves. But love necessitates that we do not exceed the path of the Beloved, and honoring necessitates that we do not precede him and that we do not be ill-mannered with him. So we adhere to what has been legislated for us of the laws, and we do not innovate in his religion what is not from it. And there is no doubt that celebrating or holding a festival for the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), there is no doubt that the one who does it intends thereby to draw near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And drawing near to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is worship, and worship must be established by a legal proof, because the original ruling in acts of worship is prohibition, except for what is established by evidence.
And the claim that this is in the category of reviving his remembrance, honoring him, and warding off blame from the Muslims is refuted and repelled by the fact that the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is on the heart of every believer in every act of worship he performs. For worship must include sincerity to Allah and following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And thus, every worshipper who wants to realize worship will have the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on his heart when performing every act of worship, because he feels that he is following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in it. Also, the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with what he did not legislate is not praiseworthy, and in his remembrance with what he legislated is what suffices and more. The Muslims announce the name of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) five times a day on the high places, and in every prayer and at every prayer, so the remembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has not been absent from the Muslims, praise be to Allah, at any time, neither in the night nor in the day. And they are in no need of this matter which was innovated and was not in his time (peace and blessings be upon him).
And as for those who detailed it, they said that if the celebration of the Mawlid is limited to merely reading the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), mentioning his characteristics and attributes, and sending blessings upon him (peace and blessings be upon him), then there is nothing wrong with it, because the type of worship has been legislated, and there is no harm in specifying it at an appropriate time. But if this celebration includes what contradicts that, such as exaggeration regarding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and reciting poems that may take a person out of the religion by major shirk, or the superstitions that those who celebrate this Mawlid perform, such as fainting, screaming, and wailing, and believing that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is present, and then they stand for him, claiming it is out of respect and honor, and the like of that, then this is forbidden.
But the stronger opinion is to refute this celebration absolutely, whether it includes exaggeration and superstitions or not. What the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) legislated is sufficient, and it is sufficient to be in no need of anything else. And we say, if the matter revolves around whether your action is a means of drawing near to Allah or an innovation, then safety is safer. And as long as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has not obligated it upon you and has not commanded you to do it, then thank Allah for well-being and avoid what may be harm for you. For whoever avoids doubtful matters has purified his religion and his honor, and whoever falls into doubtful matters falls into the forbidden. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you and increase your reward.