13 QUESTIONS ABOUT MAWLID AN NABI

A brief presentation about the common questions associated

with the Mawlid An Nabi yearly event.

WHY THIS SLIDE SUMMARY?

• The Salat An Nabi Youtube channel aims at promoting fellow brothers and sisters

remembering Allah swt and sending peace & blessings upon his prophet.

• From time to time I receive comments such as:

“ There is no proof in the Sunnah that the Mawlid event is halal

“ The prophet never used to celebrate his Mawlid and never did his companions

“ The Mawlid is haram

• The purpose of these slides is to explain the Mawlid an nabi event and show its

Islamic validity

1. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF MAWLID AN NABI?

• The word Mawlid ( مولد ) in the Arabic language means birth

• In Islamic reference, it is used in “Mawlid An Nabi” ( مولد النبي ) which refers to the event /

day of the birth of Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings upon him.

• The birthdate of prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him is based on

scholarly consensus. The date was the 12th day of Rabi ul Awal (Islamic Month) which

was in the year 571 CE (Christian calendar)

• The Mawlid An Nabi event is usually celebrated in masses around that time of the year,

but in some places is commemorated every month or week

• The Mawlid An Nabi is NOT an Eid like Eid el Fitr or Eid el Adha in that they are

associated with Islamic rituals (fasting Ramadan & Hajj)

2. WHEN WAS MAWLID AN NABI FIRST CELEBRATED?

• Sunni Muslims, who constitute the major branch of Islam, regard a Mawlid

celebration held in 1207 C.E. / 603 A.H. (Approx 800 years ago) as the first Mawlid

festival.

• That occasion was organized by Al-Muzaffar ad-Din Kukbiriy, brother-in-law of the

Egyptian sultan Saladin, at the city of Irbil, near Mosul (Iraq).

• Al-Muzaffar was known for his scholarly status, piety, and bravery. He gathered

many scholars, including scholars of hadith, and the true Sufis, to participate in this

honourable celebration.

• The Ottoman Khilafah declared it an official holiday in 1588 C.E.

3. WHAT DID THE SCHOLARS OF THE TIME SAY ABOUT IT?

Hafidh as-Suyutiy authored a treatise in support of the Mawlid. He called it Husn Al-

Maqsad Fi Amal Al-Mawlid (The Good Endeavour of Celebrating the Mawlid). He

said:

“ I see the basis of the celebration, i.e., gathering the people, reciting Qur’an, narrating the

story of the Mawlid and the wondrous signs accompanying it, offering food for people to eat

--after which they leave--to be a good innovation. That is, it is rewardable for the one who

does it, because it involves aggrandizing the status of the Prophet and it reflects one’s

delight about the honorable birth of the Prophet.

3. WHAT DID THE SCHOLARS OF THE TIME SAY ABOUT IT?

Hafidh as-Sakhawi said in his book of fatwas (edicts):

“ Celebrating the birth of the Prophet was innovated after the lapse of the first three

centuries. Since then, the Muslims at large in the major cities have been celebrating the

Mawlid. During the nights of the celebration they give much in charity and recite the story

of the honourable Mawlid. As a result, they reap many blessings and merits.

3. WHAT DID THE SCHOLARS OF THE TIME SAY ABOUT IT?

Shaykh al Islam, the (greatest) hafiz of his time, Abu l-Fadl ibn Hajar al-Asqalani was

asked about the observance of the mawlid, to which he answered the following:

“ The legal status of the mawlid is that it is a bid'a, which has not been transmitted on the

authority of one of the pious ancestors from the (first) three centuries. Despite this, it

comprises both good things as well as the reverse. If one strives for good things in the

practising thereof and the opposite is evaded, it is a good innovation. If not, then not.

4. WHY WAS THE MAWLID AN NABI EVENT CELEBRATED?

• Mawlid An Nabi is a time where Muslims rejoice in commemorating the birth of best

of mankind

• The Mawlid event is one form of expressing love for the Prophet of Allah (Peace and

blessings be upon him)

• It is a way of showing gratitude to Allah (Glory be to Him) as a community

• It is a way of brining the community together to praise Allah and His prophet

5. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE MAWLID EVENT?

• Recitation of the noble Qur'an

• Praising Allah (Glory be to Him)

• Sending peace and blessings (salawat) upon the Prophet

• Poetry or Nasheed

• Teaching the people about the life of the Prophet for examples:

• What happened at his birth from miraculous events

• His description, qualities and traits

• How the companions loved him dearly

• Feeding the people, rich and poor for the sake of Allah (Glory be to Him)

6. IS THE MAWLID EVENT HALAL OR HARAM?

• The great scholars of the over many generations have already come to the conclusion

that celebrating the Mawlid events is a rewardable action.

• Centuries of Khalifs (Islamic rulers) have allowed this event to take place and have

also encouraged it.

• Those who claim the Mawlid is haram go against centuries of scholarly Ijtihad, and

are most likely following the teachings and interpretations of Muhammad ibn ʿAbd

al-Wahhab الوهابمحمد بن عبد ) ) 1703 – 1792 C.E.

7. IS THERE ISLAMIC PROOF FOR THE LEGALITY OF THE MAWLID?

• The permissible (halal) nature of the Mawlid is deducted using Usul Fiqh framework by

Muslim mujtahids.

• Some ignorant people simply make the claim that the Mawlid is haram because it is not

mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah. Know that the sources of shariah (what is

halal and what is haram) are as follows:

• Quran, Sunnah, Ijma (Scholarly Consensus), Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning), Istihsan

(Jusristic discretion, Ijtihad (Effort of deduction)

• Thus the scholars used Quran verses and related hadiths to extrapolate and determine

the legality of the Mawlid

• There is no proof that the prophet peace be upon him forbade such events from taking

place

8. IS THE MAWLID A BID’AH

• The Mawlid can be classified as Bid’a Hassanah (Good / Praiseworthy Innovation) and

this category was defined firstly by Imam Al Shafi. This category was mentioned closely

in words by Omar Ibn Khattab in regards to the congregational Tarraweeh prayer in

Ramadan.

• Also, the Mawlid celebration can be classified as a Sunnah Hassanah, as Imam Muslim

related through Jarir Ibn Abdullah that the Prophet said:

“ The one who innovates a Sunnah Hassanah (good innovation) in Islam has its reward and a

reward similar to those who follow him in it–until the Day of Judgment–without lessening their

reward. The one who innovates an innovation of misguidance would be sinful for it and has sins

similar to those who follow him in it–until the Day of Judgment–without lessening their sins.

9. WHO CELEBRATES THE MAWLID?

• Hundreds of millions of Muslims all over the world celebrate the Mawlid An Nabi

event.

• The celebration is sometimes thought to be exclusive to those of the spiritual (Sufi)

path, but in reality it is celebrated by the majority of Sunni Muslims in every

Muslim country around the world.

10. DO YOU HAVE TO CELEBRATE THE MAWLID AN NABI EVENT

• No. It is not a Fard / Obligatory action

• Muslims who choose not to celebrate the Mawlid event should be treated with

respect and honour

• Muslims who do not celebrate the Mawlid event are not to be classified as less loving

of the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him)

11. WHICH QURAN VERSES DID THE MUJTAHIDS USE?

• “ In the bounty of God. And in His Mercy, in that let them rejoice” (10:58) - Tafseer

of Imam Ibn al-Jawzi & Imam Jalal uddin Suyuti

• “ That is the bounty of Allah; which He giveth unto whom He will. Allah is of Infinite

Bounty” (62:4) - Tafseer of Tanwir al Miqbas Min Tafsir Ibn Abbas

• “ So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he

will be raised up to life (again)!” (19:15)

• “ Bring out thy people from the depths of darkness into light, and teach them to

remember the Days of Allah (14:5) - Tafsir Ruh ul Ma’ani

12. WHICH HADITHS DID THE MUJTAHIDS USE?

1. “Abu Qatada Ansari reported that Allah's Messenger was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me.” This Hadith is also reported in by al-Bahayqi, Nisai and Ahmad bin

Hanbal.

2. “ 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.” Sahih Bukhari, Volume

7, Book 62, Number 38.

3. 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 upon him” said: “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, he ordered

Muslims to fast on it. Sahih Muslim Volume 2, Page No. 147, Hadith No. 1130

4. Hadrat Anas bin Malik (RA) narrates that Prophet (Peace be upon him) while mentioning his journey of Miraaj explains:

Jibreel (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". Sunnan an

Nasai’i Volume 1, Page No. 241, Hadith No. 448

13. WHAT DID THE RIGHTEOUS SCHOLARS SAY?

• Imam Ibn Kathir (Rahimuhullah) - The scholar revered most highly by Salafis/Wahabis in Tafsir &

History. He says regarding Shah Malik al-Muzzafar (rah):

“ He was a generous, mighty master, and glorious ruler, whose works were very good.He built Jamiya al

Muzaffari near Qasiyun…During Rabi ul Awwal he used to celebrate Mawlid ash Shareef ( فيالشريفالمولديعمل

االولربيع ) 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]

MORE SAYINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUS SCHOLARS

• 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]

• Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti the Mujaddad (reviver) of 9th century writes:

“ 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]

MORE SAYINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUS SCHOLARS

• Sheikh ul Islam and hadith Master of his age, Ibn Hajr Asqalani

“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 praiseworthy 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 occurred 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]

CONCLUSION

• In conclusion, the Mawlid An Nabi event is compatible with Islamic principles and is

a praiseworthy event.

• The Muslims have celebrated prophet Muhammed’s (peace be upon him) life in the

past and hundreds of millions of Muslims will continue to do this until the day of

judgement inshallah.

• Please note that the presentation was simply a summary and there is much to be

further said.