Discussion of the accusation by innovators that the people of the Sunnah diminish the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and mentioning an example of this, which is celebrating the Prophet's birthday under the claim
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The Shaykh : The author (may Allah have mercy on him) says: The people of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) have accused the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and affirmation of attributes of diminishing the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). That is, they said: You diminish the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) by affirming what necessitates tajsim (ascribing a body to Allah). This is undoubtedly what every person of bid'ah (religious innovation) and every person of falsehood says. Today is the twelfth day of the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, and most Muslims hold a celebration for the Prophet's birthday (peace and blessings be upon him) on this day and night. They say that this is a sign of his love, and that whoever does not hold it does not love the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because it indicates that he does not celebrate him. In reality, the saying of the poet applies to them: "She threw her illness at me and then fled". Which is more loving and reverent toward the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): a man who says, "I follow his footsteps, I adhere to his trace, I do not deviate from his Sunnah, and I do not innovate in his Shari'ah what is not part of it," or another man who says, "No, I must impose my will and innovate in his religion what is not part of it"? Which is more loving? The first. This is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and this is Abu Bakr, and this is 'Umar, and Uthman, and 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), and the rest of the Companions, the Tabi'un, the four Imams, and those of their ilk. None of them held a celebration for the Prophet's birthday (peace and blessings be upon him), even though the matter was easy and simple, the souls were inclined toward it, and the reason was present. What prevented them? What stopped them? Since everything was easy, since everything was easy, and the souls were inclined toward revering the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and there was no obstacle, and the reason was present, which was the passing of this night over them, what stopped them? If it had been among the implications of his love, they would have been the first people to do it and the most rigorous in applying it. But they did not do it, which indicates that it is not from the Shari'ah. Then, if it had been from the Shari'ah of Allah, it would have been obligatory for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to convey that to the people, either by his action or by his speech. The one who diminishes the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the one who says a word or does an act whose essence is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not convey the Shari'ah of Allah. Because if we make this part of the Shari'ah, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it and did not order it, then its essence is that he concealed the Shari'ah of Allah, or that he was unaware of it, and these people became more knowledgeable about it than he was, or more sincere to creation than he was. This is a denial we say not only about this bid'ah, but about every bid'ah.
Therefore, we say: If you accuse the one who does not hold a celebration for the Prophet's birthday (peace and blessings be upon him) of hating him or diminishing him, you have accused him of your own illness. Because the reality of the matter is that you are the ones who diminished him, did not love him, and did not revere him. The sign of loving the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is following his trace and not innovating anything in his Shari'ah. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) declares in every Friday sermon, or in most Friday sermons:
So you are now either doing it as a custom or as worship. But what appears is that it is worship, and it is worship whether they like it or not, because its essence is revering the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and revering the Messenger is part of worship. Did this type of reverence come in the Shari'ah of the Messenger? No. Then it is a bid'ah. It is a bid'ah. And it is followed by things that contradict reason, let alone religion. Some sit and mention the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) with poems that reach the level of exaggeration where the Messenger is made a partner to Allah, or greater than Allah. They repeat the words of al-Busiri:
"O noblest of creation, to whom shall I take refuge *** Other than You when the general calamity befalls
If You are not taking my hand on the Day of Resurrection, in mercy or favor *** Then say: O slip of the foot
For from Your generosity is the world and its neighbor *** And from Your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen"
Some scholars say that with this verse, nothing remains for Allah of the world and the Hereafter. The people are only the world and the Hereafter from the generosity of the Messenger, and all of his knowledge is also from his knowledge, the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen. They repeat this as a creed. We ask Allah for safety. This means a bid'ah that may reach kufr (disbelief). And if only they would restrict themselves to this, which is the greatest thing, if not the greatest thing. But while they are shaking their heads and moving, they stand up and say, "Peace be upon you," when the one who entered is the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Glory be to Allah. Reason is stripped away in these occasions. Reason is stripped away. We ask Allah for safety. Knowledge is with Allah. But if they were obligated by the Shari'ah to do this, would they do it in this manner? Allah knows best. But it appears that they would not do it. Allah knows best. But how do they burden themselves, poor souls, with things that only increase their distance from Allah? But ignorance, ignorance, and Shaytan are what cause such things. Because when they revere the Messenger as they say on this night, they forget him on the rest of the days. Once a year, and it ends. Even though the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has had his mention raised by Allah in ways other than this. In the adhan, it is declared: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," five times a day and night. In the prayer, it is obligatory for the person to say, "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," and to say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Do they want a greater remembrance than this? No. There is no greater remembrance than this in the day and night. It is obligatory for the person to declare this five times from the highest place. It is a collective obligation for the Muslims, and it is obligatory for every person who prays to say, "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," and to say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger." The problem is that such people, we ask Allah for their guidance, claim that whoever does not do that hates the Messenger. Glory be to Allah. How similar is this night to the last. How similar is the speech of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) to the speech of these people.
Therefore, we say: If you accuse the one who does not hold a celebration for the Prophet's birthday (peace and blessings be upon him) of hating him or diminishing him, you have accused him of your own illness. Because the reality of the matter is that you are the ones who diminished him, did not love him, and did not revere him. The sign of loving the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is following his trace and not innovating anything in his Shari'ah. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) declares in every Friday sermon, or in most Friday sermons:
The best of speech is the speech of Allah, or the best of words is the words of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, and the worst of matters are their innovations, and every bid'ah is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire
خير الحديث كلام الله أو خير الكلام كلام الله وخير الهدي هدي محمد وشر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالة وكل ضلالة في النارSo you are now either doing it as a custom or as worship. But what appears is that it is worship, and it is worship whether they like it or not, because its essence is revering the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and revering the Messenger is part of worship. Did this type of reverence come in the Shari'ah of the Messenger? No. Then it is a bid'ah. It is a bid'ah. And it is followed by things that contradict reason, let alone religion. Some sit and mention the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) with poems that reach the level of exaggeration where the Messenger is made a partner to Allah, or greater than Allah. They repeat the words of al-Busiri:
"O noblest of creation, to whom shall I take refuge *** Other than You when the general calamity befalls
If You are not taking my hand on the Day of Resurrection, in mercy or favor *** Then say: O slip of the foot
For from Your generosity is the world and its neighbor *** And from Your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen"
Some scholars say that with this verse, nothing remains for Allah of the world and the Hereafter. The people are only the world and the Hereafter from the generosity of the Messenger, and all of his knowledge is also from his knowledge, the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen. They repeat this as a creed. We ask Allah for safety. This means a bid'ah that may reach kufr (disbelief). And if only they would restrict themselves to this, which is the greatest thing, if not the greatest thing. But while they are shaking their heads and moving, they stand up and say, "Peace be upon you," when the one who entered is the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Glory be to Allah. Reason is stripped away in these occasions. Reason is stripped away. We ask Allah for safety. Knowledge is with Allah. But if they were obligated by the Shari'ah to do this, would they do it in this manner? Allah knows best. But it appears that they would not do it. Allah knows best. But how do they burden themselves, poor souls, with things that only increase their distance from Allah? But ignorance, ignorance, and Shaytan are what cause such things. Because when they revere the Messenger as they say on this night, they forget him on the rest of the days. Once a year, and it ends. Even though the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has had his mention raised by Allah in ways other than this. In the adhan, it is declared: "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," five times a day and night. In the prayer, it is obligatory for the person to say, "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," and to say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Do they want a greater remembrance than this? No. There is no greater remembrance than this in the day and night. It is obligatory for the person to declare this five times from the highest place. It is a collective obligation for the Muslims, and it is obligatory for every person who prays to say, "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," and to say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger." The problem is that such people, we ask Allah for their guidance, claim that whoever does not do that hates the Messenger. Glory be to Allah. How similar is this night to the last. How similar is the speech of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) to the speech of these people.