An Explanation of the Types of Exaggeration in Which the Later Generations Fell

The Shaykh : As occurred among the later generations, we read in some treatises written about this birthday, which we are in the process of explaining is an innovation, that many discussions took place, unfortunately. The matter is as clear as the morning light. Some people wrote to explain that this is not the practice of the righteous predecessors, nor is it worship or obedience. Others became enthusiastic, surrendered to their emotions, and began speaking words that only a person about whom it might be said, "If Allah (Mighty and Majestic) takes back what He has given, He drops what is obligatory," would say. Why? Because in the old style of the birthday celebration, I do not know if they have copied it and modified it now, they used to sit on the ground. When the reciter came to the story of the birth of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and his mother placing him, they would all stand up. And they would strike a person if he did not move and remained sitting. So discussions took place on this topic, and some wrote a treatise. This foolish man said: "If I could stand for the birth of the Messenger (peace be upon him) on my head, I would do it." Does this man know what he is saying? The truth is as the poet said:
"If you do not know, that is a calamity, *** And if you do know, the calamity is greater."
If we make a comparison between this foolish man and the noble Companions of the Messenger, counting only one of them, not all the Companions, so that we do not wrong them; which one respects and honors the Messenger (peace be upon him) more? Is it that Companion who, when the Messenger (peace be upon him) entered, did not stand for him, or this foolish later person who says, "If I could, I would stand on my head"? This is the speech of a person, as we said earlier, who is distracted and does not know what comes out of his mouth. Otherwise, if he remembered the biography of the Messenger (peace be upon him), his character, his humility, and his command to people not to elevate him, as we mentioned earlier, how did he dare to say this word, especially since he says it after the death of the Messenger (peace be upon him)? At that time, Satan takes a very wide path to mislead people and... people regarding their Prophet after his death more than during his life (peace be upon him). Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), while alive, is seen, and he advises, reminds, and teaches people, and he is the master of teachers. So Satan cannot approach anyone with such exaltation, which is of the category of associating partners with Allah.
As for after his death (peace be upon him), here Satan can penetrate the hearts of people and take them off the path that the Messenger (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) left them on. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not have anyone stand for him during his life, although he is the most deserving of people to stand for him; if it were permissible, we know from this hadith of Anas that the Companions loved the Messenger (peace be upon him) with true love, and that if they were left to their own desires, they would stand for him forever and ever. But they, the true mujahideen, left their desires in obedience to the Messenger (peace be upon him) and in hope of the forgiveness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), so that they might be granted the love of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for them, and Allah would forgive them. This is how Islam is.
So Islam is submission. This is the reality that we must always keep in mind, and that we must always and forever stay away from the emotions that... people often and very often lead them astray from the straight path.
There remains now of the exaltation of the Messenger (peace be upon him) in Muslim societies only formal matters. As for the true exaltation, as we mentioned, which is following him, this has become limited, restricted to very few people. And what does a person say about the celebrations today: raising the voice, singing, and if this singer raised his voice and swayed and moved his head and chin and the like in front of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), that would be, I do not say: is it disbelief, but it is an insult to the Messenger (peace be upon him), not an exaltation of him, and not love for him. Because when you see him raising his voice, extending, going up and down in musical styles I do not know, and he says: he does that out of love for the Messenger of Allah!! He is a liar. This is not love. Love is following him. And so now you find people in two groups: a group who are convinced to prove that they are lovers of the Messenger (peace be upon him) by listening, by silence, and by working on themselves, their wives, and their offspring. And other people who leave this field empty in their homes, with their wives, their daughters, and their children; they do not teach them the Sunnah, nor do they raise them upon it. How can they, when "one who lacks a thing cannot give it"? And only these appearances remain with them, only the celebration of the birth of the Messenger (peace be upon him). Then it became a straw on a camel's load, as they say, and we have many festivals and celebrations... Just as the celebration of the Master of Mankind came as an imitation of the Christians, so we have run, even in our celebration of the births of our children, on the way of the Christians.