My question is about the celebration of the Night of the Ascension and the Night Journey. Here in Sudan, we celebrate, or they celebrate, the Night of the Ascension and the Night Journey every year. Is
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The questioner : My question is about the celebration of the Night of the Ascension and the Night Journey. Here in Sudan, we celebrate, or they celebrate, the Night of the Ascension and the Night Journey every year. Does this celebration have a basis in the Book of Allah and the pure Sunnah of His Messenger, or in the era of his Rightly Guided Caliphs, or in the time of the Tabi'un? Please inform me, for I am in confusion, and thank you very much?
The Shaykh : This celebration has no basis in the Book of Allah, nor in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the era of his Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them). Rather, the basis in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) rejects this religious innovation, because Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) condemned those who take those who legislate for them a religion other than the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and He made that to be shirk (associating partners with Allah), as He the Exalted said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:21] And because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1718b.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The celebration of the Night of the Ascension is not in accordance with the command of Allah or His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), warning his ummah (the Muslim community), which he says in every Friday sermon on the minbar:Sahih Muslim 867a The phrase is a general statement with an obvious generality, because it is prefixed with "every," which is one of the forms of generality, and it is among the strongest forms. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exclude anything from the innovations; rather, he said: The celebration of the Night of the Ascension is among the innovations that did not exist in the era of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, whom we are commanded to follow their Sunnah. Accordingly, it is obligatory for Muslims to stay away from it, and to focus on the substance rather than the husks, if they are truly honoring the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). For honoring him is by adhering to his Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) and having proper conduct with him, such that they do not draw near to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) by a path other than his path (peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, the perfection of proper conduct and the perfection of following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is that the believer adheres to his Shari'ah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And that he does not draw near to Allah with anything that is not established in his Shari'ah (peace and blessings be upon him).
Accordingly, we say: The celebration is a bid'ah (religious innovation) from which one must be warned and from which one must stay away. Then we also say that the date of the Night of the Ascension has not been established as to which night it is. In fact, the closest opinion on this matter, considering the deliberation involved, is that it is in Rabi' al-Awwal, the Ascension.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not in Rajab, as is popular among people today. Therefore, the Night of the Ascension that people claim is the Night of the Ascension, which is the twenty-seventh night of the month of Rajab, is not historically correct, nor is it religiously correct. The believer should build his affairs on facts, not on illusions.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : This celebration has no basis in the Book of Allah, nor in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the era of his Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them). Rather, the basis in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) rejects this religious innovation, because Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) condemned those who take those who legislate for them a religion other than the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and He made that to be shirk (associating partners with Allah), as He the Exalted said:
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The celebration of the Night of the Ascension is not in accordance with the command of Allah or His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), warning his ummah (the Muslim community), which he says in every Friday sermon on the minbar:
The best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error.
أما بعد، فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمد، وشر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالةEvery innovation
كل بدعةEvery innovation
كل بدعةEvery innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And that he does not draw near to Allah with anything that is not established in his Shari'ah (peace and blessings be upon him).
Accordingly, we say: The celebration is a bid'ah (religious innovation) from which one must be warned and from which one must stay away. Then we also say that the date of the Night of the Ascension has not been established as to which night it is. In fact, the closest opinion on this matter, considering the deliberation involved, is that it is in Rabi' al-Awwal, the Ascension.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not in Rajab, as is popular among people today. Therefore, the Night of the Ascension that people claim is the Night of the Ascension, which is the twenty-seventh night of the month of Rajab, is not historically correct, nor is it religiously correct. The believer should build his affairs on facts, not on illusions.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.