The ruling on celebrating the Prophet's birthday ﷺ

Written by Shaykh Muḥammad al-Yaqoubi.

Introduction

Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ — i.e. the Mawlid — is an act of obedience. It is one of the works that are recommended: the person who practises it is rewarded and the person who abstains from it is not punished. However, it becomes obligatory if the government or one's parents command it, or if people are in need of it in order to plant the love of the Prophet ﷺ in their hearts, particularly children.

What is the evidence for singling out the Prophet's birthday ﷺ for veneration?

It is that the Prophet ﷺ honoured Monday and celebrated it particularly by fasting, because it was the day on which he was born. Abū Qatāda narrates that when the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ was asked why he fasted on Mondays, he replied:

"That was the day I was born, and the day on which I was sent as a prophet — or on which I received revelation."

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

This is an absolute proof that venerating his birthday has a reference, that such veneration is recommended, and that holding gatherings to celebrate it is another recommended act, on account of its fruits: honouring the Prophet ﷺ, increasing people's yearning for him, urging people to love him, to follow his Sunnah and to embrace his noble character ﷺ.

What does the celebration of the Prophet's birthday ﷺ consist of?

It consists of several virtuous acts, all of which are encouraged in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. They include: recitation of the Holy Qur'an, remembrance of Allāh Almighty, prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ, learning his immaculate life story, presenting his description and his virtues, listening to poetry in praise of him ﷺ, and expressing our joy and happiness in him ﷺ. All these are acts of worship whose doer is rewarded.

Did the Prophet ﷺ, any Companion or any Follower prohibit the celebration of his birthday?

Definitely not: there is no ḥadīth that prohibits the celebration of the Prophet's birthday ﷺ, and it has not been reported from any Companion or Follower that they prohibited it. The celebration of the Mawlid not occurring in their time is not a proof that it is impermissible. To prove that something is forbidden, one has to bring a specific text — and none exists.

Isn't the way of celebrating the Mawlid, with songs and speeches, an innovation?

Celebrating the Mawlid is a praiseworthy innovation and a good sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged introducing new good practices and prohibited innovating bad ones. He said:

"Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam will be rewarded for it, and for every person who practises it until the Day of Judgement; and whoever starts a bad practice will bear the sin of it, and the sin of everyone who practises it until the Day of Judgement."

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

A sunnah is an act that is emulated by others. It is considered good if it has a reference. An example of a good innovation is the tarāwīḥ prayer in congregation behind a single imām, which ʿUmar started, though the Prophet ﷺ did not do it. The oft-cited ḥadīth "every innovation is misguidance" does not apply to new good practices; quoting it alone is therefore wrong, as it is specified by the other ḥadīth that encourages starting new good practices.

When did the celebration of the Mawlid start?

The celebration of the Mawlid as practised now emerged in the 6th century AH among the Sunni Muslims of the city of Mosul (Iraq), during the reign of Sultan Nūr al-Dīn Zangī, who fought the crusaders, revived the Sunnah and put an end to innovations. The scholars then unanimously agreed upon the permissibility of the Mawlid — and the consensus of the mujtahid imāms on a matter is a legal proof that necessitates its practice and ends the dispute about it.

Did any scholars issue a fatwa on the permissibility of celebrating the Mawlid?

The majority of scholars gave fatwas permitting the celebration of the Mawlid, among them: Abū Shāma al-Maqdisī, Ibn Kathīr, Zayn al-Dīn al-ʿIrāqī, Ibn al-Jazarī, Ibn Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Dimashqī, al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Sakhāwī, al-Qasṭallānī. Al-Suyūṭī said in al-Ḥāwī li-l-fatāwī:

"The Mawlid celebration is a good innovation for which one is rewarded, because it is to revere the Prophet's rank ﷺ, to express joy and to seek the glad tidings of his blessed birth ﷺ."

Al-Suyūṭī · al-Ḥāwī li-l-fatāwī

Closing verses

His birth revealed the purity of his lineage,
Through the many miracles and signs that accompanied it;
This is no wonder, for he is the greatest secret yet unveiled in the universe —
How pure he was, from beginning to end.

The Prophetic Lights