#455: Clarification on Celebrating the Birth of the Rasūl -Salallāhu Alayhi Wa Sallam – 01

الحمد لله رب العالمين، والصلاة والسلام علي رسول الله وعلي آله وصحبه وسلم

Brothers and Sisters, I am writing the following due to the matter which was debated on the issue of the Mawlud – celebrating the birthday of the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallām –

Firstly, we should know that Yearly Celebrations otherwise referred to as Id in Islām is one of those things which the Shari’a did not leave us to decide for ourselves. Rather, the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – particularly air marked them for us.

This is when he said in the Hadith of Anas bn Mālik – radiyallāhu anhu – he said: when The Messenger of Allāh – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – came to Madinah, the people had two days in which they played and entertained themselves as a festivity. He – salallāhu 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 Allāh – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – then said:
((إن الله قد أبدل لكم بهما خيرا منهما يوم الأضحي ويوم الفطر))
“Indeed Allāh have substituted them for you with the Days of Adha and the Day of Fitr”.
Recorded and Transmitted by Imām Abu Dawud and An-Nawawi.

Imām An-Nawawi – rahimahullāh – quoted in the Sharh of this Hadīth the statement of the Ulamā where they mentioned that this Hadīth is a prove of the impermissibility of holding yearly festivities outside this Hadīth.

The only other Id we have in Islām is the day of Jum’a. Abu Hurayrah – radiyallāhu anhu – said: “I heard the Messenger of Allāh – salallāhu 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.” Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaymah.

That stated, it should be known that yearly festivity is an Ibādah among Ibādāts by virtue of the restriction mentioned in the Hadīth above. Means that any innovation in it is not permissible.

On Bid’a, Imam Hāfidh Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali – rahimahullāh – said:
“And what is meant by Bid’a is what is innovated in the Ibādāt which has no evidence in the Shari’a to support it.” Jāmi’ Ulum Wa Al-Hikam 2/127.

He said also: “And whosoever innovates a thing and then attributes it to the Dīn which does not have an authorized source in the Dīn to which it can be sanctioned, it is misguidance and the Dīn is absolved of it be it a matter of Creed or Deed or Statement that is clear or hidden…” ibid 2/128.

We ask Allāh for guidance, āmīn.

Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran.

By: Abū ‘Āsim

📚 IslamNode