Is celebrating the Prophet's birthday permissible?
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Question:
From Algeria, the questioner Abdullah says: I greet you with the greeting of Islam, and my question is as follows: My brothers in Islam! My question is that one person told me regarding the noble Prophet's birthday: "This is not found in our religion." Is this correct or not? I told him that this is a great day and we must celebrate it. What is the opinion of the Shari'ah in your view, O honorable Shaykh?
Answer:
Celebrating the Prophet's birthday is not prescribed; rather, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor did his Companions. The same applies to other birthdays, such as those of Ali, al-Husayn, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or others. Celebrating birthdays is an unlegislated religious innovation. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the caller to all good, and he is the teacher and guide of the Ummah. Allah sent him as a bringer of good news, a warner, and a luminous lamp, calling to all good. Allah said concerning him: [Saba: 28]. He also said concerning him: [Al-Ahzab: 45-46]. And the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf: 158].
He did not guide his Ummah to celebrate, and he did not celebrate his own birthday during his lifetime. Neither al-Siddiq, nor 'Umar, nor 'Uthman, nor Ali, nor any other of the Companions did so. Nor did they do it in the blessed centuries, the first, second, and third centuries. Rather, the Rafidah (Twelver Shi'ah) introduced it, and then some of those claiming to follow the Sunnah followed them.
The Messenger (peace be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1718b And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1718a And he used to say in his sermon (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 867a.
Therefore, the stronger and correct view is that celebrating the birthday is not legislated; whether it is the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or anyone else. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) benefited the Ummah and guided them through His sending of the Prophet, not through his birth. Allah benefited the Ummah, guided them, and brought them out of darkness into light through His sending of him (peace and blessings be upon him) and the revelation to him. When Allah sent him at the age of forty, and he became a Prophet and Messenger, Allah benefited the Ummah through him and saved the Ummah from their ignorance and misguidance, not through his birth. We ask Allah to send prayers and peace upon him, a continuous prayer and peace. O Allah, send prayers upon him...
The point is that the stronger view is that celebrating the birthday is a religious innovation (bid'ah) and it is not permissible to do it, even though many people do it now. Innovations do not become the Sunnah by people's practice. Innovations remain innovations even if people do them. However, what is prescribed for Muslims is to care for his hadiths and his biography, to follow his methodology, and to teach his Sunnah in schools and in mosques. Teach people his Sunnah and his religion in the mosque, in the school, in any celebration, on the radio, so that people learn their religion and so that they are guided by what he (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to them. This is what is prescribed.
As for celebrating his birthday in Rabi' al-Awwal every year with eating, drinking, slaughtering, and sermons, this has no basis. This is from the religious innovations (bid'ah) and it is a means to associating partners with Allah (shirk). Many of these celebrators fall into shirk and exaggeration regarding the Prophet (peace be upon him) along with the innovation. We ask Allah for safety.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good for this blessed guidance.
From Algeria, the questioner Abdullah says: I greet you with the greeting of Islam, and my question is as follows: My brothers in Islam! My question is that one person told me regarding the noble Prophet's birthday: "This is not found in our religion." Is this correct or not? I told him that this is a great day and we must celebrate it. What is the opinion of the Shari'ah in your view, O honorable Shaykh?
Answer:
Celebrating the Prophet's birthday is not prescribed; rather, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor did his Companions. The same applies to other birthdays, such as those of Ali, al-Husayn, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or others. Celebrating birthdays is an unlegislated religious innovation. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the caller to all good, and he is the teacher and guide of the Ummah. Allah sent him as a bringer of good news, a warner, and a luminous lamp, calling to all good. Allah said concerning him:
And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا(45) O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. (46) And one who invites to Allah, by His permission, and an illuminating lamp.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَدَاعِيًا إِلَى اللَّهِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَسِرَاجًا مُنِيرًاSay, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًاHe did not guide his Ummah to celebrate, and he did not celebrate his own birthday during his lifetime. Neither al-Siddiq, nor 'Umar, nor 'Uthman, nor Ali, nor any other of the Companions did so. Nor did they do it in the blessed centuries, the first, second, and third centuries. Rather, the Rafidah (Twelver Shi'ah) introduced it, and then some of those claiming to follow the Sunnah followed them.
The Messenger (peace be upon him) said:
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملًا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردThe 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.
خير الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمد ﷺ، وشر الأمور محدثاتها، وكل بدعة ضلالةTherefore, the stronger and correct view is that celebrating the birthday is not legislated; whether it is the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or anyone else. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) benefited the Ummah and guided them through His sending of the Prophet, not through his birth. Allah benefited the Ummah, guided them, and brought them out of darkness into light through His sending of him (peace and blessings be upon him) and the revelation to him. When Allah sent him at the age of forty, and he became a Prophet and Messenger, Allah benefited the Ummah through him and saved the Ummah from their ignorance and misguidance, not through his birth. We ask Allah to send prayers and peace upon him, a continuous prayer and peace. O Allah, send prayers upon him...
The point is that the stronger view is that celebrating the birthday is a religious innovation (bid'ah) and it is not permissible to do it, even though many people do it now. Innovations do not become the Sunnah by people's practice. Innovations remain innovations even if people do them. However, what is prescribed for Muslims is to care for his hadiths and his biography, to follow his methodology, and to teach his Sunnah in schools and in mosques. Teach people his Sunnah and his religion in the mosque, in the school, in any celebration, on the radio, so that people learn their religion and so that they are guided by what he (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to them. This is what is prescribed.
As for celebrating his birthday in Rabi' al-Awwal every year with eating, drinking, slaughtering, and sermons, this has no basis. This is from the religious innovations (bid'ah) and it is a means to associating partners with Allah (shirk). Many of these celebrators fall into shirk and exaggeration regarding the Prophet (peace be upon him) along with the innovation. We ask Allah for safety.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good for this blessed guidance.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.