#384: Ruling on Birthday Celebrations
QUESTION
” Pls ya admin,what is the ruling of celebrating birthdays is it permissible or not,pls elaborate, jazakhallahu khyran was barakallahu feekum”
ANSWER
Wa antum, jazaakumullaahu khayran Wa baaraka feekum.
Alhamdulillaah!
Birthday celebrations are not permissible in Islam for the following reasons:
1. Yearly celebrations are a form of Ibaadah in Islam as is agreed upon by the Muhaqqiqun among our Ulamaa.
It is reported from Anas Ibn Maalik Radiyallaahu anhu who said:
When The Messenger of Allah – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – came to Madinah, the people had two days in which they played and entertained themselves as a festivity. He – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – said: “What are these two days?” they answered: we used to play and entertain ourselves in them both in Jahiliyya. The Messenger of Allah – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – then said:
((إن الله قد أبدل لكم بهما خيرا منهما يوم الأضحي ويوم الفطر))
“Indeed Allah have substituted for you for them both with the Days of Adha and the Day of Fitr”
Recorded and Transmitted by Imaam Abu Dawud and An-Nasa’i.
Imaam An-Nawawi – rahimahullah – quoted in the Sharh of this hadith the statement of the Ulamaa where they mentioned that this Hadith is a prove of the impermissibility of holding any celebrations or festivities outside this Hadith.
The only other Id we have in Islam is the day of Jum’a. Abu Hurayrah – radiyallahu anhu – said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah – salallahu alayhi wasallam – said: “Indeed the day of Jum’a is a day of Id, so do not make your day of Id your day of fasting unless that you fast before or after it.”
For clarity purposes, what is meant literally as Id is yearly celebrations or festivities.
2. It is a form of emulating the Kuffaar. This is because it is known only to be the tradition of the Kuffaar of the west and did not get its origin from the Muslim Ummaah. Had there been any good in it, then our pious predecessors (Salaf) would have preceded us in it.
Shaykh Muhammad Saalih Al-Uthaymeen Rahimahullahu said:
“There are no celebrations in Islam except Friday the weekly ‘Eid, the first day of Shawwal – ’Eidal-Adha . The day of ’Arafah might be called an ‘Eid for those who are at ’Arafah on that day, and the days of Tashreeq,
following ’Eidul-Adha . As for birthday celebrations for a person or his children, or wedding anniversaries or the like, none of them are legislated and they are closer to being innovations than to being allowed.”
‘Fatawa Arkanul-Islaam’, p265
Shaykh Bin Baz – Rahimahullahu – said:
“Celebrating birthdays has no source whatsoever in the pure sharia. In fact, it is an
innovation, since the Messenger of Allah salallaahu ‘alayhi-wasallam said:“Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that does not belong to it shall have it rejected.”
Recorded and Transmitted by Imaam-Bukhaari and Imaam Muslim. In a version recorded by Muslim and by Bukhaari in definitive muallaq form. “Whoever performs a deed which is not in accord with our affairs, that deed is rejected.”…”
Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qardawi said:
“Celebrating birthdays is a rite introduced by
the enemies of Islam into Islamic community. It is unlawful to celebrate it or make parties for it. As for the food distributed for this occasion, it is not forbidden in itself and there is no harm to eat it. But it is unlawful to prepare it intending to celebrate such innovation.”Fatwa 84848.
Allāhu A’alam!
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran.
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