The Shaykh’s address on the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday and the Islamic position on it.
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The Shaykh : It occurred to me to make my address on this night a substitute for the regular lesson, on the subject of the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday by many Muslims. This is not from me except as the fulfillment of the duty of reminding and offering advice to the general Muslim public, for it is one of the duties, as is well known to everyone.
It has become the custom of Muslims, after the three centuries attested to as the best, to celebrate the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The celebration began in one way and has ended today in another. I am not concerned in this address with the historical aspect of the Mawlid and the developments it has undergone; rather, the important thing in this address is that we know our Shari'ah position regarding these celebrations, both old and new. We, the people of the Sunnah, do not celebrate the birth of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the manner of those people, but we celebrate in a different way. It is self-evident that I do not wish to dwell on the fact that we, the people of the Sunnah, are such; rather, this address will be about the celebration of the others, so that I may clarify that this celebration, although it captivates the hearts of the Muslim masses because they surrender to their emotions, which do not recognize any religious heart at all, but are rather unbridled emotions, we know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came with the religion complete, sufficient, and perfect. The religion is everything by which the Muslim worships and draws near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). There is no religion except this. The religion is everything by which the Muslim worships and draws near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And nothing can be part of the religion in any way unless our Prophet (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) brought it. As for what people innovated after his death (peace and blessings be upon him), and especially after the three centuries attested to as the best, it is undoubtedly and without doubt among the newly invented matters. And you have all learned the ruling on these newly invented matters from the introductory lessons of all our courses, where we say, as you heard just now: The best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the worst of matters are their newly invented ones, and every newly invented matter is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.
It has become the custom of Muslims, after the three centuries attested to as the best, to celebrate the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The celebration began in one way and has ended today in another. I am not concerned in this address with the historical aspect of the Mawlid and the developments it has undergone; rather, the important thing in this address is that we know our Shari'ah position regarding these celebrations, both old and new. We, the people of the Sunnah, do not celebrate the birth of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the manner of those people, but we celebrate in a different way. It is self-evident that I do not wish to dwell on the fact that we, the people of the Sunnah, are such; rather, this address will be about the celebration of the others, so that I may clarify that this celebration, although it captivates the hearts of the Muslim masses because they surrender to their emotions, which do not recognize any religious heart at all, but are rather unbridled emotions, we know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came with the religion complete, sufficient, and perfect. The religion is everything by which the Muslim worships and draws near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). There is no religion except this. The religion is everything by which the Muslim worships and draws near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And nothing can be part of the religion in any way unless our Prophet (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) brought it. As for what people innovated after his death (peace and blessings be upon him), and especially after the three centuries attested to as the best, it is undoubtedly and without doubt among the newly invented matters. And you have all learned the ruling on these newly invented matters from the introductory lessons of all our courses, where we say, as you heard just now: The best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the worst of matters are their newly invented ones, and every newly invented matter is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.