How to respond to those who say there is no difference between celebrating the week of individuals, such as Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, and celebrating the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) birthday
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The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah reward you. These innovators who say we resemble each other in commemorating individuals...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : They say you commemorate individuals, or for example, what happened regarding the week of Imam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : They say we resemble this matter, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is greater, meaning greater than the Imam.
The Shaykh : There is no doubt, yes, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is greater than every human being, but commemorating the Messenger is not specific to this night. I mentioned to you earlier that every act of worship contains a commemoration of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is from one aspect.
From another aspect, does the week of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab repeat? Did they make it a recurring festival? We say it was not made a festival; you are making it a recurring festival. A festival is the thing that returns and repeats. You are making this a recurring festival every year, and this is the evil. Therefore, if someone on any day stood and spoke about the mission of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his biography, we would not say he is an innovator. But because we make this a recurring festival every year, like the lawful festivals of al-Fitr and al-Adha, this is the evil. And even if, even if the week of Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab is wrong, do we measure wrong with wrong? We do not measure.
The questioner : If one of them said, O Shaykh, this is not an act of worship?
The Shaykh : What do they mean?
The questioner : A commemoration.
The Shaykh : Do they mean sitting like the people of entertainment who sing?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : They mean they say we love the Messenger. Is loving the Messenger religion or not religion? It is religion and worship, clear?
The questioner : Clear.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : They say you commemorate individuals, or for example, what happened regarding the week of Imam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : They say we resemble this matter, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is greater, meaning greater than the Imam.
The Shaykh : There is no doubt, yes, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is greater than every human being, but commemorating the Messenger is not specific to this night. I mentioned to you earlier that every act of worship contains a commemoration of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is from one aspect.
From another aspect, does the week of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab repeat? Did they make it a recurring festival? We say it was not made a festival; you are making it a recurring festival. A festival is the thing that returns and repeats. You are making this a recurring festival every year, and this is the evil. Therefore, if someone on any day stood and spoke about the mission of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his biography, we would not say he is an innovator. But because we make this a recurring festival every year, like the lawful festivals of al-Fitr and al-Adha, this is the evil. And even if, even if the week of Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab is wrong, do we measure wrong with wrong? We do not measure.
The questioner : If one of them said, O Shaykh, this is not an act of worship?
The Shaykh : What do they mean?
The questioner : A commemoration.
The Shaykh : Do they mean sitting like the people of entertainment who sing?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : They mean they say we love the Messenger. Is loving the Messenger religion or not religion? It is religion and worship, clear?
The questioner : Clear.