Assalam Alikum wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuhu
Every year at this time the issue of Mawlid rises on the surface and people start to argue whether the Mawlid is bida’ah or it is not.
The Question, do you want to argue or do you really want to know the truth?
If you want to know the truth, please keep reading, I know its long but I promise you, this will answer all your questions in regards to this matter once and for all in shaa Allah.
Allah SWT tells us in surat Al Nisa’a if we ever disagree over anything to refer it to Allah and his Messenger PBUH
{فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً} [سورة النساء: 59].
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
The Quran and the sunnah are the only two sources of Islam. Having said that, full understanding of the Quran and sunnah is something that many Muslims don’t have and that is why Allah SWT granted this Ummah a number of Oulam’a (scholars) and fuqaha’a who spent their lives in reading and understanding the Quran and sunnah and conveying it to us.
With time and with the division between different tribes people started to deviate from the two main sources of Wahi (revelation) and started to follow the scholars and their opinions without going back to the main sources the Quran and sunnah. The Quran and Sunnah are the argument against any scholar as they have to bring proof to what they say. This does not degrade the level of the scholars; instead we assure that no imam from the respectable imams of this Ummah will deliberately say something against the Prophet PBUH or against the Book of Allah ,
No doubt that the scholars of Islam are all intending to explain the truth of what was revealed to our beloved Prophet PBUH and they all admit that they are all bound to making mistakes and none of them is perfect. That is why they never hesitated in going back to what they said and changing it if they found out that they are wrong. Ibn Taimia said that The Khalifa Omar ibnul Khattab used to go back on his words if he found out that the truth is different from what he said, he also used to ask the companion of the Prophet PBUH to learn from them. Oubai bin Ka’ab also went back on his words about not needing to do ghusul when the two genital parts of man and woman touch, Omar also went back on his words that Tayamoum is not allowed for the Junoub and Abu Hurairah went back on his words that the person who wakes up with janabah cannot fast on that day and many other examples. They always went back to the Quran and sunnah if they disagreed about anything and they used to debate and discuss to come up to the right opinion which benefits the Ummah.
Having said that, every year at this time of the year (the month of Rabe’e Al Awal) the issue of celebrating Mawlid rises to the surface which is an innovation made by the people in deen .They specify a ritual in deen and specify a time for it which resembles the act of the Kuffar.
The Prophet PBUH said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.". Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib
The Prophet said, If anyone introduces an innovation in the religion, he will be responsible for it. (Good or bad). If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in the religion) he is cursed by Allaah, by His angels and by all the people., Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib
What does introducing an innovation mean?
It is to specify a ritual or a form of worship at a certain time to get closer to Allah without any basis in the sharia. It is forbidden. Allah SWT says: Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented? 42:21
And it is known that the Prophet PBUH did not do, neither did his Khulafa’a or the companions may Allah be pleased with them and they are most knowledgeable of the sunnah and more loving and following of the Prophet PBUH than those who came after them. The Prophet PBUH made it clear when he said: "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."
Also read this very clear hadith from our beloved Prophet PBUH on his farewell sermon, he said PBUH:
‘I advise you to fear Allaah and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave were to rule over you. For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing, so it is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Bite on to it with your back molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily, every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”
Hadith - Bukhari and Muslim, Narrated Abu Sa'id, r.a.
The first people who invented the Mawlid of the Prophet are the Obaidiyoun who call themselves Al Fatimyoun and that was in the year 400 of hijrah.
Al Maqrizi said: the Caliphs of the fatimyoun had many celebrations and seasons, a season for new year, and the day of Ashroua and the Mawlid.
They specify a day which is the 12th of Rabi and the shariah prohibited to specify a day for a religious ritual except the days that were specified in Shariah. Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him said, the Prophet PBUH said: Do not single out the night (preceding) Friday among the nights for prayer and do not single out Friday among days for fasting but only when anyone among you is accustomed to fast (on dates) which coincide with this day (Friday).
So it is prohibited to specify what is not specified in the shariah and that is clear in the hadith.
So isn’t this enough for you!!? But there is more
Doing so also is a form of resemblance to the Kuffar. How?
The Prophet SAAWS said, "Surely, you will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, in everything as one arrow resembles another, (i.e. just like them), so much so that even if they entered a hole of a sand-lizard, you would enter it."
They said, "O Allaah’s Messenger! Do you mean to say that we will follow the Jews and the Christians?"
He SAAWS replied, "Whom else?" (By meaning the Jew and Christians)
Celebrating the brith of the Prophet Mohammad PBUH resembles the celebration of the birth of the prophet Essa PBUH and the innovators do it on the bases that the Prophet Mohammad PBUH is more worthy to be honored and celebrated than Prophet Essa PBUH. They read poems and qasa’aid in praising the Prophet PBUH which he prohibited PBUH when he said also in the hadith: «لاَ تُطْرُونِي، كَمَا أَطْرَتْ النَّصَارَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُهُ، فَقُولُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، وَرَسُولُهُ»(21)، فجَمَعوا بين سيئتين: التشبه بالكفار والتشبه في الإطراء(22).
And the translation I found of this hadith in English says do not exaggerate in praising me which is not true translation. Because the Prophet PBUH said clearly: La Tatrouni which means do not praise me, not do not exaggerate in praising me. He said: Do not praise me the way the Christians praised the son of Mariam, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Messenger. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 3261)
Some will argue there is nothing wrong with praising the Prophet PBUH and telling stories about him. Well here is the answer to your argument with an ayah from the Quran, Allah SWT says: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
((إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا)
Allah and his angels Yusaloun and not yamdahoun (praise) or yasifoun, so if you really want to praise the Prophet PBUH then say Allahuma Sali Alam Muhammad wa ala Aalihi wa sahbihi wa Salem and he will answer to you in shaa Allah and you will have lots of ajr. None of your poems or qasidah will bring you any ajr and some of those qasidas have shirk in them, I read and heard them myself. And the food you are giving to people, go and give it to the poor who need it instead of wasting it on people who don’t need it. Wakeup my dear sister and brother!!
Also if you want to tell stories about the Prophet PBUH, do it every day or every week with your children and teach them about our Prophet, our deen is a deen of knowledge and knowledge is not given only once a year. It is throughout the year.
Another thing, nothing in sharia permits reading dua or reciting phrases ayaat in congregation, we know the Prophet PBUH didn’t not do it even with dua which is a form of worship to Allah SWT.
Now I ask you again what more proof do you need than all the ahadith from him Peace be upon him. You claim that you do this ritual because you love him!! Isn’t loving someone means to follow what they asked you to do and stay away from what they prohibited you to do!!? When you have clear ahadith like the ones I included above what more could you argue!!? Do you think all the ahadith are wrong and you are right!!? Based on what?
Some of the people who support this innovation use this hadith to justify their act. The Prophet (SAW) said: "He who inaugurates a good practice (sunnatun hasana) in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least." This hadith clearly says Man San’a sunnah hasanah not man Ibtada'a bida'ah hasanah (who innovated a good innovation) and there is a big difference here. The translation of this hadith as translated by the scholars of Islam, It means who ever revives a sunnah which was forgotten, example if you live in a village where they don't do Aqiqa and you start to do Aqiqa and inform the people that it is sunnah and they start doing it then you will have the reward of everyone following what you did. Unfortunately, those who support the bida’a of Mawlid ignore all the ahadith which goes against it and use this hadith out of context.
They say well there is a good bida'a and a bad bida'a. I will tell you there is nothing called a good bida'a it is either not a bida'a and you think it is or it is a bad bida'a and you think it is good but nothing is called good bida’ah. The Prophet PBUH said: .( every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”) Notice that he used every and all which means nothing else is left so simply all and every innovation
Think about it, the Prophet PBUH will not be telling us Ma'n sannah sunnah hasana and then contradict it by saying whoever introduces an innovation in this deen is rejected if the two are the same!!? Allah SWT says in surat Al Najim: {وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى} (3) {إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى} (Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.) It is not but a revelation revealed,). They are not the same so don't get mixed up in this please.
May Allah guide the ummah Ameen. I put this together not to argue but because I love you for the sake of Allah.
Every year at this time the issue of Mawlid rises on the surface and people start to argue whether the Mawlid is bida’ah or it is not.
The Question, do you want to argue or do you really want to know the truth?
If you want to know the truth, please keep reading, I know its long but I promise you, this will answer all your questions in regards to this matter once and for all in shaa Allah.
Allah SWT tells us in surat Al Nisa’a if we ever disagree over anything to refer it to Allah and his Messenger PBUH
{فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً} [سورة النساء: 59].
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
The Quran and the sunnah are the only two sources of Islam. Having said that, full understanding of the Quran and sunnah is something that many Muslims don’t have and that is why Allah SWT granted this Ummah a number of Oulam’a (scholars) and fuqaha’a who spent their lives in reading and understanding the Quran and sunnah and conveying it to us.
With time and with the division between different tribes people started to deviate from the two main sources of Wahi (revelation) and started to follow the scholars and their opinions without going back to the main sources the Quran and sunnah. The Quran and Sunnah are the argument against any scholar as they have to bring proof to what they say. This does not degrade the level of the scholars; instead we assure that no imam from the respectable imams of this Ummah will deliberately say something against the Prophet PBUH or against the Book of Allah ,
No doubt that the scholars of Islam are all intending to explain the truth of what was revealed to our beloved Prophet PBUH and they all admit that they are all bound to making mistakes and none of them is perfect. That is why they never hesitated in going back to what they said and changing it if they found out that they are wrong. Ibn Taimia said that The Khalifa Omar ibnul Khattab used to go back on his words if he found out that the truth is different from what he said, he also used to ask the companion of the Prophet PBUH to learn from them. Oubai bin Ka’ab also went back on his words about not needing to do ghusul when the two genital parts of man and woman touch, Omar also went back on his words that Tayamoum is not allowed for the Junoub and Abu Hurairah went back on his words that the person who wakes up with janabah cannot fast on that day and many other examples. They always went back to the Quran and sunnah if they disagreed about anything and they used to debate and discuss to come up to the right opinion which benefits the Ummah.
Having said that, every year at this time of the year (the month of Rabe’e Al Awal) the issue of celebrating Mawlid rises to the surface which is an innovation made by the people in deen .They specify a ritual in deen and specify a time for it which resembles the act of the Kuffar.
The Prophet PBUH said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.". Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib
The Prophet said, If anyone introduces an innovation in the religion, he will be responsible for it. (Good or bad). If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in the religion) he is cursed by Allaah, by His angels and by all the people., Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib
What does introducing an innovation mean?
It is to specify a ritual or a form of worship at a certain time to get closer to Allah without any basis in the sharia. It is forbidden. Allah SWT says: Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented? 42:21
And it is known that the Prophet PBUH did not do, neither did his Khulafa’a or the companions may Allah be pleased with them and they are most knowledgeable of the sunnah and more loving and following of the Prophet PBUH than those who came after them. The Prophet PBUH made it clear when he said: "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."
Also read this very clear hadith from our beloved Prophet PBUH on his farewell sermon, he said PBUH:
‘I advise you to fear Allaah and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave were to rule over you. For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing, so it is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Bite on to it with your back molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily, every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”
Hadith - Bukhari and Muslim, Narrated Abu Sa'id, r.a.
The first people who invented the Mawlid of the Prophet are the Obaidiyoun who call themselves Al Fatimyoun and that was in the year 400 of hijrah.
Al Maqrizi said: the Caliphs of the fatimyoun had many celebrations and seasons, a season for new year, and the day of Ashroua and the Mawlid.
They specify a day which is the 12th of Rabi and the shariah prohibited to specify a day for a religious ritual except the days that were specified in Shariah. Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him said, the Prophet PBUH said: Do not single out the night (preceding) Friday among the nights for prayer and do not single out Friday among days for fasting but only when anyone among you is accustomed to fast (on dates) which coincide with this day (Friday).
So it is prohibited to specify what is not specified in the shariah and that is clear in the hadith.
So isn’t this enough for you!!? But there is more
Doing so also is a form of resemblance to the Kuffar. How?
The Prophet SAAWS said, "Surely, you will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, in everything as one arrow resembles another, (i.e. just like them), so much so that even if they entered a hole of a sand-lizard, you would enter it."
They said, "O Allaah’s Messenger! Do you mean to say that we will follow the Jews and the Christians?"
He SAAWS replied, "Whom else?" (By meaning the Jew and Christians)
Celebrating the brith of the Prophet Mohammad PBUH resembles the celebration of the birth of the prophet Essa PBUH and the innovators do it on the bases that the Prophet Mohammad PBUH is more worthy to be honored and celebrated than Prophet Essa PBUH. They read poems and qasa’aid in praising the Prophet PBUH which he prohibited PBUH when he said also in the hadith: «لاَ تُطْرُونِي، كَمَا أَطْرَتْ النَّصَارَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُهُ، فَقُولُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، وَرَسُولُهُ»(21)، فجَمَعوا بين سيئتين: التشبه بالكفار والتشبه في الإطراء(22).
And the translation I found of this hadith in English says do not exaggerate in praising me which is not true translation. Because the Prophet PBUH said clearly: La Tatrouni which means do not praise me, not do not exaggerate in praising me. He said: Do not praise me the way the Christians praised the son of Mariam, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Messenger. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 3261)
Some will argue there is nothing wrong with praising the Prophet PBUH and telling stories about him. Well here is the answer to your argument with an ayah from the Quran, Allah SWT says: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
((إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا)
Allah and his angels Yusaloun and not yamdahoun (praise) or yasifoun, so if you really want to praise the Prophet PBUH then say Allahuma Sali Alam Muhammad wa ala Aalihi wa sahbihi wa Salem and he will answer to you in shaa Allah and you will have lots of ajr. None of your poems or qasidah will bring you any ajr and some of those qasidas have shirk in them, I read and heard them myself. And the food you are giving to people, go and give it to the poor who need it instead of wasting it on people who don’t need it. Wakeup my dear sister and brother!!
Also if you want to tell stories about the Prophet PBUH, do it every day or every week with your children and teach them about our Prophet, our deen is a deen of knowledge and knowledge is not given only once a year. It is throughout the year.
Another thing, nothing in sharia permits reading dua or reciting phrases ayaat in congregation, we know the Prophet PBUH didn’t not do it even with dua which is a form of worship to Allah SWT.
Now I ask you again what more proof do you need than all the ahadith from him Peace be upon him. You claim that you do this ritual because you love him!! Isn’t loving someone means to follow what they asked you to do and stay away from what they prohibited you to do!!? When you have clear ahadith like the ones I included above what more could you argue!!? Do you think all the ahadith are wrong and you are right!!? Based on what?
Some of the people who support this innovation use this hadith to justify their act. The Prophet (SAW) said: "He who inaugurates a good practice (sunnatun hasana) in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least." This hadith clearly says Man San’a sunnah hasanah not man Ibtada'a bida'ah hasanah (who innovated a good innovation) and there is a big difference here. The translation of this hadith as translated by the scholars of Islam, It means who ever revives a sunnah which was forgotten, example if you live in a village where they don't do Aqiqa and you start to do Aqiqa and inform the people that it is sunnah and they start doing it then you will have the reward of everyone following what you did. Unfortunately, those who support the bida’a of Mawlid ignore all the ahadith which goes against it and use this hadith out of context.
They say well there is a good bida'a and a bad bida'a. I will tell you there is nothing called a good bida'a it is either not a bida'a and you think it is or it is a bad bida'a and you think it is good but nothing is called good bida’ah. The Prophet PBUH said: .( every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”) Notice that he used every and all which means nothing else is left so simply all and every innovation
Think about it, the Prophet PBUH will not be telling us Ma'n sannah sunnah hasana and then contradict it by saying whoever introduces an innovation in this deen is rejected if the two are the same!!? Allah SWT says in surat Al Najim: {وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى} (3) {إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى} (Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.) It is not but a revelation revealed,). They are not the same so don't get mixed up in this please.
May Allah guide the ummah Ameen. I put this together not to argue but because I love you for the sake of Allah.
