What is the ruling on the Prophet's birthday celebration?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner: Holding the Mawlid, celebrating the Mawlid.
The Shaykh : Celebrating the Mawlid.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Do you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) celebrated a Mawlid?
The questioner: It is not reported.
The Shaykh : Not reported?
The questioner: No, I have not heard of it.
The Shaykh : I did not hear.
The questioner: No, I mean, does this mean it is not permissible to do it at all?
The Shaykh : I am not going to tell you whether it is permissible or not. Since you are asking in a sound logical manner to know the ruling, have you heard or known that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) celebrated a Mawlid?
The questioner: I have not heard, but...
The Shaykh : The Companions, the Successors, and the mujtahid imams—what do you know about them? Did they hold a Mawlid?
The questioner: I have not read anything reported about it, nor in any other matter.
The Shaykh : I am telling you now that, since you have not read about it, the Mawlid, by the consensus of the Muslims, did not exist in the early centuries, neither in the era of the Companions, nor in the era of the Successors, nor in the era of the generation following the Successors. And perhaps you know that these three eras are attested to as being the best, and the scholars say:
"And all good is in following those who came before, and all evil is in the innovation of those who came after."
From these Salaf are the four Imams whom the majority of Muslims today follow. Look, if we assume that the Mawlid is good and has reward and merit, do you imagine that these Imams and those before them from the righteous Salaf would miss this nearness, assuming it is a nearness that brings them closer to Allah? And we would correct them, thinking that we are more devoted in worship? This is impossible. Therefore, you and every Muslim must know that any act of worship that the righteous Salaf did not perform cannot be a prescribed act of worship, because if it were good, they would have preceded us to it. Is the answer clear to you, if Allah wills?
The questioner: If Allah wills.
The questioner: Our Shaykh, regarding our family at home, they are holding this Mawlid. The family at home, and we have no say in it; they want to hold this Mawlid. So what should our conduct be toward them? They are the ones holding it, and we are unable to convince them not to do it.
The Shaykh : O my sister, o my daughter, you are responsible for yourself. You are responsible for yourself. You are not asking about your family now; you are asking about yourself. So I ask you: did you comprehend and understand the words you heard from me?
The questioner: Yes, I comprehended it and understood it.
The Shaykh : Good. Your duty with the passage of time is to increase in knowledge and understand those around you. If they understand, that is good and excellent. Otherwise, you are responsible for yourself.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Are all people like this? Are all people scholars? Of course, the fewest of people are scholars, as the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:187]. And of this majority, some are convinced by what the scholar says, and some are not. The one who does not accept what the scholar says, especially when it is accompanied by proof, is sinful for contradicting His saying: [An-Nahl 16:43]. Is there anything else?
The questioner: Yes, if you please, my Shaykh, I have a second question.
The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.
The Shaykh : Celebrating the Mawlid.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Do you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) celebrated a Mawlid?
The questioner: It is not reported.
The Shaykh : Not reported?
The questioner: No, I have not heard of it.
The Shaykh : I did not hear.
The questioner: No, I mean, does this mean it is not permissible to do it at all?
The Shaykh : I am not going to tell you whether it is permissible or not. Since you are asking in a sound logical manner to know the ruling, have you heard or known that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) celebrated a Mawlid?
The questioner: I have not heard, but...
The Shaykh : The Companions, the Successors, and the mujtahid imams—what do you know about them? Did they hold a Mawlid?
The questioner: I have not read anything reported about it, nor in any other matter.
The Shaykh : I am telling you now that, since you have not read about it, the Mawlid, by the consensus of the Muslims, did not exist in the early centuries, neither in the era of the Companions, nor in the era of the Successors, nor in the era of the generation following the Successors. And perhaps you know that these three eras are attested to as being the best, and the scholars say:
"And all good is in following those who came before, and all evil is in the innovation of those who came after."
From these Salaf are the four Imams whom the majority of Muslims today follow. Look, if we assume that the Mawlid is good and has reward and merit, do you imagine that these Imams and those before them from the righteous Salaf would miss this nearness, assuming it is a nearness that brings them closer to Allah? And we would correct them, thinking that we are more devoted in worship? This is impossible. Therefore, you and every Muslim must know that any act of worship that the righteous Salaf did not perform cannot be a prescribed act of worship, because if it were good, they would have preceded us to it. Is the answer clear to you, if Allah wills?
The questioner: If Allah wills.
The questioner: Our Shaykh, regarding our family at home, they are holding this Mawlid. The family at home, and we have no say in it; they want to hold this Mawlid. So what should our conduct be toward them? They are the ones holding it, and we are unable to convince them not to do it.
The Shaykh : O my sister, o my daughter, you are responsible for yourself. You are responsible for yourself. You are not asking about your family now; you are asking about yourself. So I ask you: did you comprehend and understand the words you heard from me?
The questioner: Yes, I comprehended it and understood it.
The Shaykh : Good. Your duty with the passage of time is to increase in knowledge and understand those around you. If they understand, that is good and excellent. Otherwise, you are responsible for yourself.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Are all people like this? Are all people scholars? Of course, the fewest of people are scholars, as the Exalted said:
but most of the people do not know."
ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمونSo ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فاسألوا أهل الذكر إن كنتم لا تعلمونThe questioner: Yes, if you please, my Shaykh, I have a second question.
The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.