PERMISSIBILITY OF CELEBRATING MAWLID NABI MUHAMMAD SAW
Proof No. 4
Allah states in the Quran:
We sent Moses with Our signs (and the command). “Bring out thy people from the depths of darkness into light, and teach them to remember the “Days of Allah (بِأَيَّامِ اللَّهِ).” Verily in this there are Signs for such as are firmly patient and constant,- grateful and appreciative. (14:5)
What are the Ayyam of Allah? Imam al-Bayhaqi narrates in his Shu’ab al Iman that Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: The Days of Allah are his “Blessings and Signs” [Tafsir Ruh ul Ma’ani under 14:5]
Proof from Ahadith
Proof No.1
Book 006, Number 2606 (Sahih Muslim):
Abu Qatada Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Massenger (may peace be upon him) was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It is (the day) when I was bornand revelation was sent down to me.
This Hadith is also reported in by Imam al-Bahayqi in his “Sunnan ul Kubra” (Vol. 4, pg. 300 Hadith no 8182, 8259), in the “Sunan” of Imam Nisai and the “Musnad” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.
It is clear from this Hadith that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) was very happy about the day of his birth and so fasted out of gratitude. Fasting is a form of worship, so one can celebrate this day by any form of ibada. One can fast or hold gatherings or provide food to the poor, all being acts of worship.
Proof No.2
Volume 7, Book 62, Number 38: (Sahih Bukhari):
Narrated ‘Ursa; Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahb whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, “What have you encountered?” Abu Lahb said, “I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba.”
Abu Lahab freed Thuwaiba on joy at birth of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam), even the worst of Kufaar and greatest of enemies is given relaxation in his Adhaab due to freeing Thawaiba by pointing with his finger, so Imagine the situation of a momin who rejoices on Mawlid, detailed explanation of this hadith shall be given in the last section of Verdicts from classical scholars.
Proof No.3
Volume 2, Page No. 147, Hadith No. 1130 (Sahih Muslim, Dar ul Kutab al ILmiyyah):
Ibn Abbas “Allah be pleased with him” reported: The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him” came to Madina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram. They were asked about that. They replied: “This is the day, on which Allah made Moses and the children of Israel emerge victorious over Pharoah. So, we fast on it “OUT OF GLORIFICATION TO IT”. The Prophet “Allah’s blessing and peace be upin him” said: “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, he ordered Muslims to fast on it.
If Jews glorify their days to venerate Musa (a.s) then we Muslims have more right to venerate and rejoice on day when Prophet (saw) was born, this is an accepted analogy as Ulama have derived this specific ruling from the hadith, which shall be mentioned in the last section with detail.
Proof No.4
Volume 1, Page No. 241, Hadith No. 448 (Sunnan an Nasai’i):
Hadrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrates that Prophet (saw) while mentioning his journey of Miraaj said: Jibril (a.s) asked me to get off from Buraak at Bethlehem and told me to say the prayer there, after which he said: Do you know where you have prayed (O Messenger of Allah)? You prayed at Bethlehem where Isa (a.s) “was born”.
So the Mawlid and the places where Prophets (A.S) are born are amongst Sha’ir (sings to be venerated) of Allah.
Proof from righteous Ulama and Fuqaha
1. Imam Ibn Kathir (Rahimuhullah) – The scholar revered most highly by Salafis/Wahabis in Tafsir & History.
He says regarding Shah Malik al-Muzzafar (rah) regarding whom Salafis spread deception by forging words of Ibn Kathir (rah) i.e. he was actually a Fasiq, cruel and Bidati ruler (Naudhobillah) but in reality Imam Ibn Kathir (rah) said this:
أحد الاجواد والسادات الكبراء والملوك الامجاد له آثار حسنة وقد عمر الجامع المظفري بسفح قاسيون وكان قدهم بسياقه الماء إليه من ماء بذيرة فمنعه المعظم من ذلك واعتل بأنه قد يمر على مقابر المسلمين بالسفوح وكان يعمل المولد الشريف في ربيع الاول ويحتفل به احتفالا هائلا وكان مع ذلك شهما شجاعا فاتكا بطلا عاقلا عالما عادلا رحمه الله وأكرم مثواه وقد صنف الشيخ أبو الخطاب ابن دحية له مجلدا في المولد النبوي سماه التنوير في مولد البشير النذير فأجازه على ذلك بألف دينار وقد طالت مدته في الملك في زمان الدولة الصلاحية وقد كان محاصر عكا وإلى هذه السنة محمودالسيرة والسريرة قال السبط حكى بعض من حضر سماط المظفر في بعض الموالد كان يمد في ذلك السماط خمسة آلاف راس مشوى وعشرة آلاف دجاجة ومائة ألف زبدية وثلاثين ألف صحن حلوى
Translation: He was a generous, mighty master, and glorious ruler, whose works were very good.He built Jamiya al Muzaffari near Qasiyun…يعمل المولد الشريف في ربيع الاول) with great celebration, Moreover, he was benevolent, brave, wise, a scholar, and just person – Rahimuhullah wa Ikraam – Sheikh Abul Khattab (rah) wrote a book on Mawlid an Nabwi for him and named it At-Tanwir fi Mawlid al Bashir al Nazeer, for which he gave him 1000 dinars. His rule stayed till the Rule of Salahiya and he captured Aka and he remained a man worthy of respect.
Al-Sabt mentions that a person attending the gathering of Mawlid held by Muzzafar said: He used to fill the table with 5000 well cooked goats, 10,000 chickens, 100-thousand bowls (of milk) and 30,000 trays of sweets. [Tarikh Ibn Kathir, Al Bidayah Wan Nihaya Volume 13, Page No. 174]
2. Imam Shahab-ud-din Abul Abbas al-Qastallani (Rahimuhullah) the author of great Seerah book called Al-Muwahib al-Laduniya, he said:
When it is said that Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) was born at night time then the question arises which of the two nights is greater i.e. Night of Decree or Night of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam)’s birth?
The Night of Prophet (saw)’s birth is superior due to 3 reasons
First: He (salallaho alaihi wasalam) arrived (in this world) on the Night of Mawlid whereas Night of decree was granted to him (afterwards), therefore the arrival of Prophet (saw) is greater than what has been granted to him, hence night of Mawlid is higher in virtue.
Second: If Night of decree is vitreous night because Angels descend in it, then Night of Mawlid has the virtue of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) being sent to world. The Prophet (saw) is superior to Angels, therefore night of Mawlid becomes superior
Third: Due to night of decree, the Ummah of Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam) was given imminence, whereas due to Night of Mawlid all creations were given Fazilah, as Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) is sent as Mercy to worlds/creations (Quran 21:107), hence the blessing was made general for all creations.
Reference: Imam Qastallani – Rahimuhuillah in Al Muwahib al Laduniya Volume 1, Page No. 145, Also Imam Zarqani – Rahimuhullah in his Sharah of Al-Muwahib, Volume 1, Page Nos 255-256
Imam Qastallani (Rahimuhullah) also said: May Allah have mercy on the one who turns the nights of the month of the Prophet’s birth into celebration in order to decrease the suffering of those whose hearts are filled with disease and sickness.”[Al-Muwahib- Volume 1, Page No 148]
3. Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (Rahimuhullah) the Mujaddad (reviiver) of 9th century writes:
أن أصل عمل المولد الذي هو اجتماع الناس وقراءة ما تيسر من القرآن ورواية الأخبار الواردة في مبدأ أمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وما وقع في مولده من الآيات ثم يمد لهم سماط يأكلونه وينصرفون من غير زيادة على ذلك هو من البدع الحسنة التي يثاب عليها صاحبها لما فيه من تعظيم قدر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وإظهار الفرح والاستبشار بمولده الشريف
Translation: The reality of Mawlid is that people gather to recite Quran to the extent that is easy, also to discuss narrations which are regarding Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam), the signs which took place on his birth. Then dinning is arranged for them and they return without adding anything more to this “Bidat al Hasanah”. The one who arranges it gets Thawab due to honoring Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) and showing gratitude on his birth [As-Suyuti – Rahimuhullah in Al Hawi lil Fatawi, Volume 1, Page No. 292, Published by Maktaba al Asriya, Beirut, Lebanon][Husn al-Maqsad fi Amal al-Mawlid Page No. 41]
Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (Rahimuhullah) answers why celebrating on birth supercedes the sorrow of Prophet (saw) passing away on same date:
أن ولادته صلى الله عليه وسلم أعظم النعم علينا ووفاته أعظم المصائب لنا والشريعة حثت على إظهار شكر النعم والصبر والسلوان والكتم عند المصائب وقد أمر الشرع بالعقيقة عند الولادة وهي إظهار شكر وفرح بالمولود و لم يأمر عند الموت بذبح ولا غيره بل نهى عن النياحة وإظهار الجزع فدلت قواعد الشريعة على أنه يحسن في هذا الشهر إظهار الفرح بولادته صلى الله عليه وسلم دون إظهار الحزن فيه بوفاته
Translation: The birth of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) is a great blessing for us and his death is very saddening for us too, however Shariah has ordered us to rejoice and thank Allah on blessings, whereas on calamity it has taught us to have patience while hiding it, this is why Shariah has told us to do Aqiqa on birth which is a form of being happy and thankful to Allah for giving us birth, but on death there is no concept of sacrificing an animal and even lamenting is forbidden. Hence in light of rulings prescribed by shariah one should rejoice in Rabi ul Awwal on birth of our beloved Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) [Husn al-Maqsad fi Amal al-Mawlid Page No. 54-55] [As-Suyuti – Rahimuhullah in Al Hawi lil Fatawi, Volume 1, Page No. 298, Published by Maktaba al Asriya, Beirut, Lebanon]
4. Sheikh ul Islam and hadith Master of his age, Ibn Hajr Asqalani
The Sheikh ul Islam and hadith Master of his age, Ibn Hajr Asqalani was asked about the practice of commemorating the birth of the Prophet, and gave the following written reply: As for the origin of the practice of commemorating the Prophet’s birth, it is an innovation that has not been conveyed to us from any of the pious early muslims of the first three centuries, despite which it has included both features that are praisweorthy and features that are not.
If one takes care to include in such a commemoration only things that are praiseworthy and avoids those that are otherwise, it is a praise worthy innovation, while if ones does not, it is not. An authentic primary textual basis from which its legal validity is inferable has occured to me, namely the rigorously authenticated (sahih) hadith in the collections of Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet came to Medina and found the Jews fasting on the tenth of Muharram `Ashura ‘ [Husn al-Maqsad fi Amal al-Mawlid Page No. 63] [Continued in Next Page No 64]
So he asked them about it and they replied: “It is the day on which Allah drowned Pharaoh and rescued Moses, so we fast in it to thanks to Allah Most high,” which indicates the validity of giving thanks to Allah for the blessings He has bestowed on a particular day in providing a benefit, or averting an affliction, repeating one’s thanks on the anniversary of that day every year, giving thanks to Allah taking * any various forms of worship such as prostration, fasting, giving charity or reciting the Koran.
Then what blessing is greather than the Birth of the Prophet, the Prophet of Mercy, on this day? in light of which, one should take care to commemorate it on the day itself in order to confrom to the above story of moses and the tenth of Muharram, [but] those who do not view the matter thus do not mind commemorating it on any day of the month, while some have expanded its time to any of day the year, whatever exception bay e taken at such a view. [Husn al-Maqsad fi Amal al-Mawlid Page No. 64]
I have derived the permissibility of Mawlid from another source of the Sunna [besides Ibn Hajar’s deduction from the hadith of `Ashura’], namely :The hadith found in Bayhaqi, narrated by Anas, that “The Prophet slaughtered a `aqiqa [sacrifice for newborns] for himself after he received the prophecy,” although it has been mentioned that his grandfather `Abd al-Muttalib did that on the seventh day after he was born, and the `aqiqa cannot be repeated.
Thus the reason for the Prophet’s action is to give thanks to Allah for sending him as a mercy to the worlds, and to give honor to his Umma, in the same way that he used to pray on himself. It is recommended for us, therefore, that we also show thanks for his birth by meeting with our brothers, by feeding people, and other such good works and rejoicing.” This hadith confirms the aforementioned hadith of the Prophet’s emphasis of Monday as the day of his birthday and that of his prophethood. [Husn al-Maqsad fi Amal al-Mawlid Page No. 64-65]
