Many Muslims celebrate what is known as Mawlid (the Prophet’s Birthday) on the 12th of Rabi’ al-Awwal each year, a tradition that dates back to the 4th century AH, in recognition of it being the Prophet’s ﷺ birth date. However, the Muslim community is divided into two groups regarding whether this celebration is prescribed in Islam:

    One group views the celebration of the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday as a sign of love, proper following, and reverence for the Prophet’s ﷺ esteemed status. They believe it reflects the deep connection Muslims have with their Prophet and helps revive his remembrance around the world.

    The other group sees the celebration of the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday as bid’ah (a condemnable innovation) that contradicts the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, citing the fact that the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, the Tabi’un, and all those who followed them during the first three preferred centuries did not celebrate the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday. Nor did the four Imams of the main schools of thought, or renowned hadith scholars like al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Advocates of Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday

The advocates of celebrating the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday view it as an eloquent expression of love and reverence for the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ. They emphasize the significance of his birth aligning with a Monday, as mentioned in the Prophet’s ﷺ saying: “I was born on it, and on it, revelation was sent down to me.” Narrated by Muslim. They justify their celebration by noting that it is customary for nations to commemorate the birthdays of their great figures with pride, and argue that it is even more fitting for the Muslim community to celebrate the birth of the Prophet ﷺ, the greatest and noblest of all. They accuse those who reject the celebration of having a weak love for the Prophet ﷺ and of being overly rigid and extreme.

Before delving further into the details of the matter, we must first confirm: Was the Prophet ﷺ truly born on the 12th of Rabi’ al-Awwal? And is this date undisputed as the day of his birth ﷺ?

Is the Prophet’s ﷺ Birth Date Accurate

Scholars agree that the 12th of Rabi’ al-Awwal is not definitively established as the Prophet’s ﷺ birth date. Most historians actually assert that it is the day of his passing ﷺ, which was on a Monday, with his burial taking place the following day ﷺ. Nonetheless, celebrating this date as the Prophet’s birthday has spread across the world, with little opposition from scholars and callers due to the event’s role in reviving the Prophet’s ﷺ biography and the love people have for it. As a result, some scholars have issued fatwas allowing and even encouraging its observance.

Mubarakpuri stated that the Prophet ﷺ was born on Monday, the 9th of Rabi’ al-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant, which corresponds to the 20th or 22nd of April, 571 CE, based on the research of astronomer and scholar Mahmoud Pasha. Most biographers mention that the birth occurred on the 12th of Rabi’ al-Awwal, while others have suggested the 9th to the 12th, as it was difficult to determine the exact birth date during that time. Arabs typically recorded dates based on significant events, without systematically documenting specific dates. What is agreed upon is that the Prophet ﷺ was born on a Monday in Rabi’ al-Awwal during the Year of the Elephant, while the exact day of the month remains a point of difference.

Imam Jamal al-Din al-Sarmari (776 AH) mentioned the differing opinions on which day of the month the Prophet ﷺ was born, and based on this, he discussed the ruling on celebrating the Prophet’s birthday. He stated: “This disagreement indicates that the early generations did not consider this day an occasion for gatherings, feasts, celebrations, or the preparation of food, drinks, and listening. The early generations were the most reverent, loving, and respectful towards the Prophet ﷺ, and the most eager to spread his virtues. If the day of his birth had been regarded by them as an occasion, they would have exerted every effort to preserve its exact date, and there would have been no disagreement among them or anyone else about it. They would have agreed on it just as they agreed on the two Eid days, the days of Tashreeq, the Day of Arafah, and the Day of Ashura… If the Mawlid (Prophet’s birthday) were similar to these days, it would have been preserved as they were. However, gathering to recite the Qur’an, spread the miracles of the Prophet ﷺ, discuss his character and ethics, clarify his rights, follow his commands, heed his warnings, and teach his Sunnah is recommended at all times, and indeed obligatory.”

This important conclusion leads us to pose a significant question: How did the story of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday begin in history?

The History of Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday

Tracing the origins of this celebration takes us back to the late 4th century AH, where historical sources and verified accounts agree that the first to celebrate the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday were the Ubaydids (Fatimid) Raafidis (Ismailis). This coincided with another innovation they introduced on the day of Ashura, involving the slapping of cheeks, beating of chests, and striking of heads—gruesome displays of self-harm seen every year,

supposedly to express grief over the martyrdom of Al-Husayn ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Al-Maqrizi mentioned in his book Al-Mawa’idh wal-I’tibar bi Dhikr al-Khitat wal-Athar that “the Fatimid Ismailis introduced several condemnable innovative celebrations, including the birthdays of the Prophet ﷺ, Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, and al- Husayn, among others. He listed twenty-seven such celebrations, all of which disappeared with the fall of the Ubaydi (Fatimid) state in 567 AH at the hands of Salah al-Din al- Ayyubi.”

Al-Maqrizi also stated in the same book: “The Ubaydids (Fatimid) caliphs had numerous festivals and occasions throughout the year, including: the New Year’s festival, the beginning of the year, the Day of Ashura, the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday, the birthdays of Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, peace be upon them, the birthday of Fatimah al-Zahra, peace be upon her, the birthday of the current caliph, the first night of Rajab, the middle night of Rajab, the first night of Sha’ban, the middle night of Sha’ban, the Ramadan night festival, the start of Ramadan, the Ramadan banquet, the night of completion [of the Qur’an], Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Ghadir, the winter and summer clothing distributions, the opening of the Nile, the Day of Nowruz, the Day of Epiphany, Christmas, Lent Thursday, and the Days of Riding…etc.”

In an attempt to distance the fact that the Prophet’s birthday celebration was initiated by a devious Fatimid Ismaili, proponents of the celebration claim that the ruler of Irbil, King al-Muzaffar Abu Saeed Kukburi, who passed away in 630 AH, was the first to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday. However, when reviewing the text of Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, in Al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, where he mentions al- Kukburi, it becomes clear that while al-Kukburi did celebrate it, there is no indication that he was the first to do so.

Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir mentioned in Al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya in the biography of Abu Saeed Kukburi: “He used to organize the noble mawlid in Rabi’ al-Awwal and would celebrate it with great festivity…” He continued, “Al-Bust narrates that someone who attended al-Muzaffar’s banquet during one of the mawlids mentioned that the banquet would include 5,000 roasted sheep, 10,000 chickens, 100,000 bowls, and 30 plates of sweets…” He further added, “He would also host a gathering for the Sufis, where they would engage in spiritual listening from midday until dawn, and he himself would dance with them.”

Abu Shama stated: “The first to initiate this in Mosul was Shaykh Umar ibn Muhammad al-Malla, one of the well-known righteous individuals, and it was through him that the ruler of Irbil and others followed suit.”

Ibn Khallikan mentioned: “At the beginning of Safar, they would decorate the domes with all kinds of luxurious, beautiful adornments. In each dome, there would be a group of singers, another group of storytellers, and another for various amusements. They did not leave a single dome without assigning a group to it. During this period, people’s livelihoods would come to a halt, and they had no other concern except for wandering around and enjoying the festivities…” He continued: “Two days before the mawlid, a large number of camels, cows, and sheep would be brought out, more than can be described, and they would be paraded with drums, songs, and amusements until they reached the field…” He added: “On the night of the mawlid, the spiritual gatherings would take place after Maghrib prayer in the fortress.”

This is an example of how the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday was observed in that era, and it continues in our time. We can see how it was accompanied by entertainment, extravagance, and the waste of both money and time, which is clearly not in line with the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ.

Sheikh Muhammad Bakhit al-Muti’i, former Mufti of Egypt, said: “Among the innovations that people frequently ask about is the mawlid (Prophet’s birthday celebration). We say that the first to introduce it in Cairo were the Fatimid (Ubaydids) caliphs, the first being al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah, who traveled from the Maghreb to Egypt in Shawwal 361 AH. He arrived at the port of Alexandria in Sha’ban 362 and entered Cairo on the 7th of Ramadan that same year. They innovated six mawlids: the mawlid of the Prophet ﷺ, the mawlid of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali ibn Abi Talib, the mawlid of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra, the mawlid of al-Hasan, the mawlid of al-Husayn, and the mawlid of the current caliph. These mawlids remained until they were abolished by al-Afdal ibn Amir al-Juyush… In the caliphate of al- Amir bi-Ahkam Allah, the six mawlids were reinstated after al- Afdal had abolished them, and people had almost forgotten them…” Al-Muti’i also said: “From this, you learn that Muzaffar al-Din merely reintroduced the Prophet’s birthday celebration in the city of Irbil in the manner described, which does not contradict what we mentioned about the Fatimid caliphs being the first to introduce it in Cairo before that. The Fatimid state ended with the death of al-Adid li-Din Allah Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn al-Hafiz ibn al-Mustansir on Monday, the 10th of Muharram 567 AH. The mawlid celebrations were not known in the Islamic world before the Fatimids.” He concluded: “When you know what the Fatimids and Muzaffar al-Din practiced in the Prophet’s mawlid, you will be certain that it cannot be ruled as permissible.”

Why Did the Ubaydids Introduce the Celebration of the Prophet’s ﷺ Birthday ?

The history of the Ubaydids rule in Egypt and the Levant witnessed significant resistance and dissatisfaction from Muslims due to their governance policies and oppressive administration of the state. Their era was marked by the widespread promotion of bid’ah (a condemnable innovation) and even polytheistic practices, which created an environment ripe for rebellion against their throne. To divert the public’s attention, they resorted to holding celebrations, and nothing could win over the people’s affection like the commemoration of the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday. Thus, Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah, the Fatimid ruler, promoted the idea of celebrating the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday, among other such events. Upon examining the history of the Ubaydids, it becomes evident that the political objectives were behind these celebrations, a method that has been passed down by ruling regimes to this day to distract people with entertainment and divert their frustration with the ruler.

Al-Maqrizi said: “Al-Afdal bin Amir al-Juyush had abolished the four Mawlids: that of the Prophet ﷺ, Ali, Fatima, and the current Imam. Interest in them faded, and they were almost forgotten. However, the instructors began to remind the Caliph al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah of them, discussing the matter with him and encouraging him to oppose the minister in this regard, reviving these celebrations, and bringing back the maidens and rituals associated with them. He agreed to this and reinstated what was mentioned.”

The Inheritance of the Idea of Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday after the Ubaydids Era:

After the fall of Ubaydids rule, the idea of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday continued to serve the political agendas of rulers during the Ayyubid and Mamluk eras, despite the changing social circumstances. In an effort to create a significant shift from the practices of the Ubaydids, the Ayyubids introduced a qualitative change in these celebrations. Researcher Arafah Abdu Ali stated: “During the Ayyubid era, all forms of religious celebrations were abolished. Sultan Salah al- Din Yusuf aimed to consolidate the pillars of his state to face external threats and to uproot Shiite influence by erasing all social practices that distinguished the Fatimid era. Undoubtedly, this political motive was one of the reasons that drove Salah al-Din to fight against these innovations. This use of celebrations continued even with rulers and politicians who were not associated with Islam.”

During the Ottoman Era:

Sufism dominated the Ottoman Empire, making the Ubaydids’ idea of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday appealing to them. The Sufis even expanded upon it with additional elements rooted in superstition, as their celebrations adopted Sufi rituals and strange practices.

The Ottoman sultans favored this idea to distract the masses, and thus supported it, turning it into a tool for the rulers to present as a gift to their people. This explains the level of attention the Ottoman leadership gave to these celebrations, as they ensured their presence at the ceremonies and actively participated in their lavish costs and details.

The Ottomans leveraged the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday to endear themselves to the populace and secure their loyalty, particularly in the face of opposition and rivals

such as the Mamluks at that time. This celebration also served as a distraction for those discontent with the wrongful policies and injustices of Turkish governors, while adding a religious facade to the Ottoman sultans’ interests.

Following this example, no ruler ever banned the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday, recognizing its effectiveness in managing the masses. This practice continued as witnessed during the era of Muhammad Ali, his sons, and his descendants, who consistently oversaw and supported the event, despite many of them waging a campaign against Islam.

The author of the book Al-Khitat Al-Tawfiqiyy a said: “The Egyptian state’s attention to the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday during the reign of its Khedive, Tawfiq, and the Bakri family, responsible for managing and organizing the event, is noteworthy. The Bakri family, under the protection of the Alawiyya Muhammadiya state, takes great care in this annual celebration, which is praised and spoken of with great honor by travelers, and esteemed by the people of the time more than any other era. Especially in the noble Khedival period, during the majestic reign of Tawfiq, the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday reached its highest point, and the care for elevating its status achieved its pinnacle. During the first ten days of Safar each year, a grand banquet is held at their home, attended by Sufi sheikhs, custodians of shrines and hostels, notables, and dignitaries of society…”

The Exploitation of the Celebration by the Occupation

The European occupation realized that the Sufi orders were the most effective tool in establishing and maintaining their control, as Sufism encourages asceticism, turning away from worldly matters, and justifies submission and surrender to the occupation was keen on promoting Sufi orders and ensuring their dominance in the societies under their control, as they served to dull aspirations and encourage submission and acceptance of the occupation. Among the practices the occupation encouraged were all Sufi rituals and celebrations, most notably the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday, with all its accompanying extravagance, frivolity, dancing, and mixing of Men and Women.

In response, some Sufis praised the occupation and justified its presence. In fact, some Sufi sheikhs in Egypt went as far as to collect signatures during the revolution of 1337 AH (1919 AD) calling for the British to remain in Egypt!

The occupation went so far as to fund the Mawlid celebrations themselves. As Al-Jabarti mentioned, Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French commander, asked Sheikh Al-Bakri why the Mawlid celebrations had ceased after the occupation of Cairo. Sheikh Al-Bakri apologized, citing the disruption of affairs and the suspension of activities. Napoleon did not accept this excuse and insisted on the celebration, giving him three hundred French riyals as financial support to hold the Mawlid. He also ordered the city to be decorated as usual. On the day of the Mawlid, the French gathered, played their games, and beat their drums. Napoleon himself regularly attended the Mawlid celebrations. The French not only ordered the celebration of the Mawlid but also forced people to participate, imposing fines on those who refused and shutting down their shops.

Why, then, was there so much attention and care from the French occupiers, known for their hostility towards Islam and their eagerness to dismantle the cultures and sources of strength of the people they occupied?

Al-Jabarti answers this by explaining what the French saw in these Mawlid celebrations: “a departure from religious laws, gatherings of women, indulgence in desires and distractions, and the committing of prohibited acts… The French realized the negative consequences of these Mawlid celebrations, the effort and money they consumed, the time and thought they occupied, and how they diverted people from resisting and fighting against the occupiers—something many scholars who encouraged these celebrations or turned a blind eye to them did not realize. They also recognized the great significance of these Mawlids in people’s lives, so they quickly reinstated them to distract the people and return things to their normal course as if nothing had happened, thus closing a wide door to potential rebellion against them…”

The Continuation of the Celebration in the Modern Era:

Sufi proponents continue to heavily rely on the idea of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday to promote their ideas among the public, under the pretext of demonstrating love for the Prophet ﷺ. This has become particularly prominent after the decline in people’s acceptance of their polytheistic ideas regarding the veneration of domes and graves, and the impact of the Salafi discourse opposing Sufism. Thus, the Mawlid has remained their only opportunity to attract people and gather them around their cause. This aligns perfectly with the interests of regimes and governments that prioritize keeping the masses occupied with celebrations and entertainment, diverting them from serious issues and demands for their rights.

In reality, both the Sufis and the Shiites have shared the same objectives by promoting the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday. It is a deceptive means to spread their beliefs, using the guise of love for the Prophet ﷺ to cover up their major deviations. Their aim is to win people’s sympathy, divert them from the correct understanding of the Prophet’s ﷺ way, and introduce practices that open the door to desires, moral decay, and acceptance of mixing and extravagance under the pretense of love for the Prophet ﷺ—who is entirely innocent of such deviations. Ultimately, it serves to distract Muslims from their most important duties, such as enjoining good, forbidding evil, and resisting occupiers.

This provides a correct interpretation of the RAND Corporation’s report from 1428 AH (2007), titled “Building Moderate Muslim Networks.” The report called for expanding the role of Sufi orders significantly and for bringing them closer, given their strategic importance in American planning as one of the available alternatives to counter Islamic movements opposed to the United States.

Thus, the U.S. administration has been keen to encourage Sufi celebrations, as evidenced by the personal attendance of Francis Ricciardone, the former U.S. ambassador in Cairo, at Sufi religious festivals, particularly the Mawlid of Al-Badawi.

The American administrations have sought to promote Sufism as an alternative to other movements, presenting it as the representation of true Islam—especially after the failure of Westernization plans to remove Islam from people’s lives. For this reason, they have encouraged all Sufi rituals, including the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday.

With this brief overview of a long history filled with facts and evidence, we have seen how the bid’ah (a condemnable innovation) of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday moved from

one deviant sect to another—from the hands of the Shiites to those of the Sufis, who added their strange rituals, fueled by superstition, as a way to express their love for the Prophet ﷺ in a manner that he did not command.

They introduced reprehensible innovations, such as drumming, swaying, dancing, the mixing of men and women, and the recitation of poems containing polytheistic elements, such as seeking help from others besides Allah and excessively praising the Prophet ﷺ in a manner similar to how the Christians excessively praised Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon him. The Prophet ﷺ forbade his followers from such practices. When confronted with these facts and told that it is a bid’ah (a condemnable innovation), the ready-made justification from the Sufis is: “It is a good bid’ah!”

Is the Prophet’s Birthday (Mawlid) a Good bid’ah

The correct stance agreed upon by scholars is that there is no such thing in Islam as a “good bid’ah” and a “misguided bid’ah.” Rather, all bid’ahs (condemnable innovations) are misguidance, as explicitly stated in the authentic hadith of the Prophet ﷺ. Imam Abu Ubaid Al-Qasim ibn Salam (d. 224 AH) said, “All bid’ahs and vain desires are one type of misguidance.”

This relies on the saying of Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH) in his profound principle: “Whoever innovates something in Islam, believing it to be good, has claimed that Muhammad betrayed the message, because Allah, the Exalted, says: ‘Today I have perfected your religion for you and have completed My blessings upon you, and I have approved Islam as a religion for you’ [Qur’an 5:3]; so what was not part of the religion then, cannot be part of the religion today.” Imam Al-Shafi’i (d. 204 AH) also said: “Whoever deems something good has legislated,” which means improving some innovations and making them part of the religion is incorrect.

If someone argues that it is a good practice based on the hadith narrated by Muslim, where the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam that is followed after him, will receive its reward and the reward of those who follow it, without their reward being diminished in the least,” we say that this pertains to what the Prophet ﷺ affirmed: “You must adhere to my Sunnah and that of the rightly guided Caliphs after me. Hold to it and cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.” Moreover, he ﷺ also said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not of it will have it rejected (by Allah).” These are all authentic hadiths, and acting upon them collectively and harmonizing between them is what is required.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab said in Sharh al-Arba’in: “The Prophet’s ﷺ statement ‘Every innovation is a misguidance’ is one of his concise and comprehensive sayings, from which nothing is excluded. It is a fundamental principle of the religion, and it is similar to his ﷺ statement: ‘Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not of it will have it rejected (by Allah).’

So, anyone who introduces something and attributes it to the religion, without having any foundation in the religion to refer to, is committing misguidance, and the religion is free from it. This applies to matters of beliefs, actions, or both outward and inward words.”

Condemned innovations are those which the Prophet ﷺ did not do despite the presence of factors that would have prompted their doing, and the absence of anything preventing him from doing them. The Prophet ﷺ did not celebrate his birthday, nor did any of the Companions, because it was not legislated as part of the religion. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The truest of word is the Book of Allah and best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of things are those that are newly invented.” He also said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not of it will have it rejected (by Allah).” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). In another version in Muslim it reads: “He who does an act which we have not commanded, will have it rejected (by Allah).

A Clear Warning Against This bid’ah

Ibn Taymiyyah stated in Iqtidha’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim: “The righteous predecessors did not perform this act, despite the presence of the necessary reasons for it and the absence of anything that would prevent it. If it had been purely good or preferable, the righteous predecessors—may Allah be pleased with them—would have been more deserving of doing it than we are, as they loved the Messenger of Allah ﷺ more than we do and were more eager to honor him. True love and veneration for him are fulfilled by following him, obeying his commands, reviving his Sunnah inwardly and outwardly, spreading what he was sent with, and striving for this with the heart, hand, and tongue. This was the way of the first and foremost of the Muhajirun and Ansar and those who followed them in goodness.”

He also said: “As for establishing celebrations outside the prescribed Islamic occasions, such as certain nights of the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, which are said to be the night of the

Prophet’s birthday, or some nights of Rajab, or the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah, or the first Friday of Rajab, or the 8th of Shawwal, which the ignorant call the ‘Festival of the Righteous,’ these are innovations not approved by the predecessors, nor did they perform them. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted, knows best.”

Taj al-Din al-Fakihani, a Maliki scholar (d. 734 AH), said in his treatise Al-Mawrid fi ‘Amal al-Mawlid (p. 20): “I know of no basis for this Mawlid in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah, nor is there any report of its observance by any of the scholars of this Ummah, who are the models in religion and who adhere to the ways of the early generations. Rather, it is an innovation initiated by idle people… This has no approval in the Sharia, nor was it practiced by the Companions, the Tabi’in, or the devout scholars as far as I know. This is my answer before Allah if I am questioned about it, and it cannot be considered permissible because introducing something new into the religion is not permissible by consensus of the Muslims.”

Ibn al-Hajj al-Fasi (d. 737 AH) also said in Al-Madkhal: “If the Mawlid is free from unlawful activities, such as listening to prohibited things, and one merely prepares food, invites others, and intends to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday without involving any of the previously mentioned corruptions, then it is still an innovation purely because of the intention. This is because it constitutes an addition to the religion, something not practiced by the early generations. Following the predecessors is more appropriate, indeed obligatory, rather than introducing a different intention than what they were upon, for they were the most devoted in following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and honoring him. They were also the foremost in hastening to adhere to the Sunnah, and it was never reported from any of them that they intended to celebrate the Mawlid. We follow their example, and what was sufficient for them is sufficient for us.”

He also said: “Some of them — referring to those who engage in celebrating the Mawlid — refrain from things like listening to music and instead choose to read Sahih al-Bukhari or other hadith collections. Indeed, reading hadith is one of the greatest acts of devotion, full of immense blessings and great good, but only when done in its proper, legitimate manner according to Islamic law, not with the intention of celebrating the Mawlid. Do you not see that prayer is one of the greatest acts of devotion to Allah, yet if someone performed it outside its prescribed time, they would be condemned and deemed in violation? If this is the case for prayer, one of the most revered acts of worship, then what about other acts?”

All goodness lies in following those who came before, And all evil lies in innovating from those who came after.

An Innovation That Leads to Further Innovations

Reviving the innovation of the Mawlid opened the door to other innovations and diverted people from the Sunnah. This is why those who promote innovations are often themselves innovators, and why those who neglect the Sunnah and oppose its adherents are also innovators. Most of those who celebrate the Prophet’s birthday are innovators. The same is true of the Sufis, who turned their entire religion into a series of Mawlid celebrations for every deceased person they revere! They do not finish one Mawlid before they start preparing for another. This has resulted in excessive veneration of these deceased figures, ultimately leading to associating others with Allah, the Most High. It became a return to the age of ignorance. Allah says: “And those who take guardians apart from Him [they say], ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allah.'” (Az-Zumar: 3). Moreover, each Mawlid celebration is accompanied by other innovations, often imitating the ways Christians celebrate what they call the birth of Christ, as well as their other birthdays.

The Concept of Christmas for Christians

Celebrating the Prophet’s birthday resembles the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him). Such imitation is strictly forbidden, as there is a clear prohibition against imitating non-believers and a command to differ from them. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them,” and “Be different from the polytheists.” The celebration of Jesus’ birth is an innovation that they introduced without any scriptural basis, and even the date of his birth is disputed!

When one reflects on the Qur’anic discourse, one does not find any verses that glorify the Prophet’s birth; rather, the verses emphasize his mission. Allah says: “Most surly, Allah has conferred favor upon the believers, having sent them a Messenger from among themselves, reading to them His signs and purifying them and teaching them the Scripture and wisdom, for surely they were previously in evident misguidance.” (Aal-Imran: 164). And He says: “It is He who sent among the gentiles (literally: unlettered) a Messenger from among themselves, reading His signs to them and purifying them and teaching them the Scripture and wisdom— although they were indeed in evident misguidance before that.” (Al- Jumu’ah: 2).

Paradoxes Between Life and Death

It is true that the Prophet ﷺ was born on a Monday in the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, but he also passed away on a Monday in the same month. So, how can people rejoice and celebrate on the day of his passing? Ibn al-Hajj al-Maliki, in his book “Al- Madkhal,” said: “It is astonishing how people celebrate the Mawlid with songs, joy, and happiness for his birth in this blessed month, while it was in this same month that he ﷺ passed away to the honor of his Lord—may He be exalted. The Ummah suffered a tremendous calamity that no other misfortune could ever equal. Based on this, it would be more appropriate to weep and grieve greatly, with every person reflecting privately on the magnitude of their loss, for he ﷺ said: ‘Let the misfortune that befalls me be a comfort to the Muslims in their misfortunes.'”

If they were sincere in their love for their Prophet ﷺ, they would grieve on this anniversary due to not being able to see him and because his death brought profound sorrow and pain to the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them. The Prophet ﷺ passed away on Monday, the 12th of Rabi’ al- Awwal, in the eleventh year of Hijra, corresponding to June 633 CE, at the age of 63.

If they were sincere in their love for their Prophet ﷺ, they would grieve on this anniversary due to not being able to see him and because his death brought profound sorrow and pain to the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them. The Prophet ﷺ passed away on Monday, the 12th of Rabi’ al- Awwal, in the eleventh year of Hijra, corresponding to June 633 CE, at the age of 63.

What Keeps People Most from Accepting the Truth

What keeps people most from accepting the truth that celebrating the Prophet’s birthday ﷺ is a reprehensible innovation, even when the evidence is clearly established with logical and scriptural proofs, is the difficulty of breaking away from traditions they have practiced for many years. They find it burdensome to go against what their forefathers adhered to and view it as a customary practice among people that they fear being criticized for abandoning.

Here, we return to a very important principle in worship: worship is based on divine instruction. What is considered lawful is what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have prescribed. Any act of worship that the Prophet ﷺ did not perform, despite the reason for it being present and no obstacles preventing it, makes its omission a Sunnah, and its practice a blameworthy innovation. To be honest, what most often keeps people from accepting the truth is either arrogance or cowardice!

The Companions’ Greater Love for the Prophet ﷺ

The companions had a far greater love for the Prophet ﷺ, yet they did not express their love by celebrating his birthday, an event that was not even authentically established. Instead, they showed their love by reviving his Sunnah, holding onto it firmly, remaining steadfast on his path, and combating any innovation or deviation in religion.

‘Urwah ibn Mas‘ud said to the Quraysh: “O people, by Allah, I have visited kings and I have visited Caesar, Chosroes, and the Negus, but by Allah, I have never seen a king whose companions honor him as the companions of Muhammad honor Muhammad ﷺ. By Allah, if he were to spit, it would fall

in the hand of one of them, and he would rub it on his face and skin. If he commanded them, they would hasten to fulfill his command. If he performed ablution, they would nearly fight over his ablution water. When he spoke, they would lower their voices before him, and they would not look directly at him out of respect for him.” Despite this profound reverence, they did not make his birthday an occasion for celebration. Had it been prescribed, they would not have abandoned it.

If your love were true, you would have obeyed him; for a lover is obedient to the one he loves.

Good intentions do not permit innovations in religion, for Islam is built upon sincerity and adherence: sincerity to Allah and following the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ. A Muslim remembers the Prophet ﷺ in every call to prayer, every sermon, every prayer, and every act of worship. The Prophet ﷺ is remembered in the two testimonies after ablution, in the prayers, and throughout the hours of the day and night, and throughout a Muslim’s life, in the way prescribed by Allah.

On Monotheism and the Sunnah

Especially in these times, when the Muslim Ummah is facing numerous challenges and crises, it is imperative to unite the Muslims upon monotheism (Tawheed) and the Sunnah, so that Allah may lift this affliction from us. There is no hope for change until we flee to Allah and adhere to the path of His Prophet ﷺ, for ‘No calamity descends except due to a sin, and it is not lifted except through repentance.’ The gravest sin committed against Allah after associating partners with Him is innovation (Bid’ah), for innovation is more beloved to Iblis than sin. This is why a group of the Salaf, including Sufyan al-Thawri, said: ‘Innovation is more beloved to Iblis than sin because sin

is repented from, but innovation is not repented from.’ This is the meaning of what was narrated from a group of them who said: ‘Allah has barred repentance for every innovator,’ meaning that he does not repent from it because he thinks he is on the right path, but if he repents, Allah would accept his repentance, just as He accepts the repentance of a disbeliever.”

A Muslim should hold firmly to what the companions — may Allah be pleased with them — were upon. The Prophet ﷺ said: “You must adhere to my Sunnah and that of the rightly guided Caliphs after me. Hold to it and cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.”

Ibn Mas‘ud — may Allah be pleased with him — said: “Whoever among you seeks a role model, let him emulate the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. They were the most righteous in their hearts in this Ummah, the most profound in knowledge, the least pretentious, the most upright in guidance, and the best in character. Allah chose them for the companionship of His Prophet ﷺ and the establishment of His religion. So, recognize their virtue, follow their footsteps, for they were upon the straight path.”

Based on what has been presented, it becomes clear that the most suitable course for the Muslims is to unite on the righteous path, the way of the Salaf of this Ummah and its righteous scholars. Instead of clinging to the innovation of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday, let us adhere to the methodology of the Prophet ﷺ in all aspects of life. Working to spread his Sunnah is the greatest proof of love for him and the best way to honor his memory and call to his message. Allah says: “Or is it that they have associates who have legislated for them as religion that which Allah has not given permission?” [Ash-Shuraa: 21].

*Quranic translations are taken from [Bridges translation of Quran]

The original article in Arabic:

اﻻﺣﺘﻔﺎلﺑﺎﻟﻤﻮﻟﺪ اﻟﻨﺒﻮي: ﻟﻤﺎذا اﻻﺧﺘﻼف؟

Translated by: Arwa Jehad