Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet's Birthday and the Night of the Ascension and the Night Journey?

Q: Some scholars have introduced celebrations for which I do not know a basis in the Shari'ah, such as celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Night of the Ascension and the Night Journey, and the Prophet's migration. We ask you to clarify to us what the Shari'ah indicates regarding these matters so that we may be on clear guidance?

A: There is no doubt that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has perfected the religion for this community and completed His favor upon them, as Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [Surah al-Ma'idah: 3]. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, took the soul of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after he had conveyed the clear message and Allah had completed the laws of the religion through him. So no one has the right to introduce into the religion what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has not legislated, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is agreed upon as authentic from the hadith of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). And Muslim narrated in his Sahih from her (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And the meaning of his saying: is that it is rejected, and it is not permissible to act upon it; because it is an addition to the religion that Allah has not permitted. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has refuted in His clear Book those who did that, and He said, in Surah al-Shura: [Surah al-Shura: 21].
And in Sahih Muslim, from Jabir, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in the Friday sermon: . The hadiths and athar regarding the refutation of religious innovations and warning against them are numerous, and this answer does not have room to mention them.
These celebrations mentioned in the question were not practiced by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), who is the most sincere of people and the most knowledgeable of them regarding the Shari'ah of Allah, and the most eager of them to guide the community and direct it to what benefits it and pleases its Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He. They were not practiced by his Companions, who are the best of people and the most knowledgeable of them after the prophets, and the most eager of them for every good. They were not practiced by the leaders of guidance in the blessed centuries. Rather, some of the later scholars introduced them, some through independent legal reasoning and juristic preference without evidence, and most of them through following a scholar without knowing his evidence of those who preceded them in these celebrations.
And the obligatory duty upon all Muslims is to follow the path of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, and to be cautious of what people have introduced into the religion of Allah after them. That is the straight path and the correct methodology, as Allah, said: [Surah al-An'am: 153]. And it is established in the authentic hadith from 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse to his Companions, then he drew a long straight line and said: Then he drew lines to his right and left and said: Then he recited this verse: [Surah al-An'am: 153]. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: [Surah al-Hashr: 7].
From the evidence we have mentioned, it becomes clear to you that all these celebrations are religious innovations. It is obligatory upon Muslims to abandon them and be cautious of them. What is prescribed for Muslims is to gain knowledge of the religion, to pay attention to studying the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and to act upon it at all times, not only at the time of the birthday. And in what Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has legislated, there is sufficiency and adequacy regarding the religious innovations that have been introduced.
As for the Night of the Ascension and the Night Journey, the correct opinion of the scholars of knowledge is that it is not known. And what has been narrated regarding its specification, all of it is weak hadiths that are not authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And whoever says that it is the 27th of Rajab has erred; because he has no legal evidence supporting that. And even if we assume that it is known, celebrating it is a religious innovation; because it is an addition to the religion that Allah has not permitted. And if that were prescribed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, would have been the first to do it and the most eager for it, more than those who came after them. And so it is with the time of the migration. If celebrating it were prescribed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions would have done it. And if they had done it, it would have been transmitted. So the fact that it was not transmitted indicates that it is a religious innovation.
And I ask Allah, to rectify the conditions of the Muslims and grant them knowledge of the religion, and to protect us and you and them from all religious innovations and introduced matters, and to guide all of them to His straight path. Indeed, He is capable of all things. And may Allah send prayers and peace upon His servant and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.