The Ruling on Those Who Celebrate the Prophet's Birthday
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding those who hold what they call the Prophet's birthday celebration?
Answer:
The Prophet's birthday has no celebration, and it is not permissible to hold celebrations for it; because there is no evidence for this, rather it is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor did his Companions, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order it, nor did his Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) do it, nor did the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor did the pious predecessors in the three blessed centuries. Rather, the Rafidah introduced it in the fourth century, and then some people followed them.
The Rafidah, the Banu 'Ubayd al-Qadah, who are called the Fatimids, introduced it in Egypt and elsewhere, and they introduced other birthdays for 'Ali (peace be upon him), and for al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Fatimah, and their ruler. Then some Muslims followed them out of ignorance and error, and it has spread among people now. So one should not be deceived by people in this matter, for celebrating birthdays is among the blameworthy religious innovations (bid'ah), and it is not permissible for Muslims to celebrate birthdays, nor the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), rather all of that is a religious innovation (bid'ah).
And the scholars have written about this and clarified this religious innovation (bid'ah), among them: Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and Imam al-Shatibi (may Allah have mercy on him), and others. Indeed, we have written several treatises and several articles on this that were published and distributed many years ago.
So the point is that celebrating the Prophet's birthday is among the blameworthy religious innovations (bid'ah) that some people introduced, and the first to introduce it were the Rafidah Fatimids in the fourth century, and then some people followed them out of imitation and ignorance.
And loving him (peace and blessings be upon him) is not through birthdays and celebrations. Loving him (peace and blessings be upon him) is by following him, obeying his commands, leaving his prohibitions, and proceeding according to his methodology (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the religion, and this is the love. Allah the Exalted said: [Surah Al-Imran: 31].
And the Companions loved the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) more than we do and were more complete in faith than we are. If celebrating the birthday had been a prescribed matter, they would have done it, and they are better than us and more excellent than us. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about them:, .
Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most sincere of people and the most knowledgeable of people. If celebrating the birthday had been a prescribed matter, he would have taught his Ummah, and he would not have concealed it, he would have taught them about it, or he would have done it, or his Rightly Guided Caliphs would have done it and clarified it.
So when none of this occurred, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor his Companions, nor the blessed centuries, it is known that it is among the religious innovations (bid'ah). And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 140Muttafaqun 'alayh (Zubair `Aliza'i) meaning: so it is rejected. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1718b meaning: it is rejected. And he said in his sermon—as narrated by Jabir (peace be upon him)—in the Friday sermon, he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: Sahih Muslim 867a, so he informed that the worst of matters are their innovations, and that every religious innovation (bid'ah) is misguidance. Al-Nasa'i added: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1578Sahih (Darussalam), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the hadith of al-'Arba' ibn Sariyah (peace be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani).
So it is obligatory for Muslims in every place to beware of this religious innovation (bid'ah), and not to celebrate the birthday, and to urge people to study the biography (Seerah) in schools, institutes, and mosques—the biography of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)—they learn his religion in their mosques at all times, and not only in Rabi' al-Awwal of every year. No, they study the Prophetic biography, they learn the religion of Allah in their mosques, schools, institutes, and universities at all times in the entire year, they learn and gain understanding of the religion, not only in Rabi' al-Awwal.
We ask Allah for everyone success, guidance, and understanding in the religion.
What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding those who hold what they call the Prophet's birthday celebration?
Answer:
The Prophet's birthday has no celebration, and it is not permissible to hold celebrations for it; because there is no evidence for this, rather it is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor did his Companions, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order it, nor did his Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) do it, nor did the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor did the pious predecessors in the three blessed centuries. Rather, the Rafidah introduced it in the fourth century, and then some people followed them.
The Rafidah, the Banu 'Ubayd al-Qadah, who are called the Fatimids, introduced it in Egypt and elsewhere, and they introduced other birthdays for 'Ali (peace be upon him), and for al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Fatimah, and their ruler. Then some Muslims followed them out of ignorance and error, and it has spread among people now. So one should not be deceived by people in this matter, for celebrating birthdays is among the blameworthy religious innovations (bid'ah), and it is not permissible for Muslims to celebrate birthdays, nor the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), rather all of that is a religious innovation (bid'ah).
And the scholars have written about this and clarified this religious innovation (bid'ah), among them: Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), and Imam al-Shatibi (may Allah have mercy on him), and others. Indeed, we have written several treatises and several articles on this that were published and distributed many years ago.
So the point is that celebrating the Prophet's birthday is among the blameworthy religious innovations (bid'ah) that some people introduced, and the first to introduce it were the Rafidah Fatimids in the fourth century, and then some people followed them out of imitation and ignorance.
And loving him (peace and blessings be upon him) is not through birthdays and celebrations. Loving him (peace and blessings be upon him) is by following him, obeying his commands, leaving his prohibitions, and proceeding according to his methodology (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the religion, and this is the love. Allah the Exalted said:
Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْAnd the Companions loved the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) more than we do and were more complete in faith than we are. If celebrating the birthday had been a prescribed matter, they would have done it, and they are better than us and more excellent than us. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about them:
The best of people is my generation
خير الناس قرنيThe best of my Ummah is my generation.
خير أمتي قرنيThen he (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most sincere of people and the most knowledgeable of people. If celebrating the birthday had been a prescribed matter, he would have taught his Ummah, and he would not have concealed it, he would have taught them about it, or he would have done it, or his Rightly Guided Caliphs would have done it and clarified it.
So when none of this occurred, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor his Companions, nor the blessed centuries, it is known that it is among the religious innovations (bid'ah). And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If anyone introduces into this affair of ours anything which does not belong to it, it is rejected.
مَن أحدث في أمرنا هذا –يعني: الدِّين– ما ليس منه فهو ردٌّHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
مَن عمل عملًا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردٌّThe 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، فإنَّ خير الحديث كتابُ الله، وخير الهدي هديُ محمدٍ ﷺ، وشرَّ الأمور مُحدثاتها، وكل بدعةٍ ضلالةand every going astray is in the Fire
وكل ضلالةٍ في النارAvoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error.
إياكم ومُحدثات الأمور، فإنَّ كل محدثةٍ بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالةSo it is obligatory for Muslims in every place to beware of this religious innovation (bid'ah), and not to celebrate the birthday, and to urge people to study the biography (Seerah) in schools, institutes, and mosques—the biography of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)—they learn his religion in their mosques at all times, and not only in Rabi' al-Awwal of every year. No, they study the Prophetic biography, they learn the religion of Allah in their mosques, schools, institutes, and universities at all times in the entire year, they learn and gain understanding of the religion, not only in Rabi' al-Awwal.
We ask Allah for everyone success, guidance, and understanding in the religion.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.