This reader submission comes from Abu Talha.
Maulood in Cairo, Egypt
Every year, we make mental, mobile, Google and diary notes to mark the birthdays of people close to us; our spouses, children, parents and best friends… we try to make their day special for them in any way, be it with gifts, cooking their favorite meals, or treating them with an outing. We thank Allah for the day which brought them into the world and into our lives.
Let us in the same way, honor the birthday (or birth month, as the exact date of birth is unknown) of the most beloved man to any Muslim. The month in which he, (saw) was born, changed the course of human history forevermore. Let us not trivialize it.
There is much controversy in the Muslim world, about whether or not the Mercy to Mankind’s’ birthday should be celebrated, and if so, how, and if not, why.
Yes, some people tend to go to extremes, and introduce innovations into the celebration, but before we wag a judgmental finger at anyone, try to understand their love for a man who lived 1400 years ago and try to understand their yearning to express that love.
The occasion of the Maulood is a perfect time to educate ourselves and those around us about Muhammad (saw) and his teachings; to be grateful for him and to appreciate all he has done for us. Indeed, the Maulood is a time for celebrating the life, not just the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (saw).
Let us, in this month, commemorate the magnitude of his achievements, revere the depths of his sorrows and solemnize the value of his sacrifices.
Let us revive his high esteem and respect for women, his kindness to children, his generosity to the poor, his tolerance of his enemies, his rapport with believers of other faiths, his gentleness with his wives, his endurance during trying times, his trust in friends, his astuteness in politics, his bravery in war, his ultimate submission to Allah.
Let us rejoice, during this time, to be of his followers. Let us dare to be his lovers, in a time when his message is so persecuted. Let us reminisce his blessed days.
During this month, get involved in your community, attend the programs held in honor of the Maulood, increase your remembrance of Allah and salutations upon the Chosen one. Read to yourself and your loved ones about the Seerah. Speak out against the abuse of women and children, political oppression, crime and pollution.
Sing and praise the man who loves you, even now from his resting place, Oh believers and weep in humility for the man who shed copious tears for you, Oh faithful…Is this not the best way of celebrating the Prophet’s (saw) life, by emulating him, and treasuring him?
Whilst we are celebrating the beauty of this one life, let us not neglect or overlook the injustice, oppression and tyranny experienced by other lives, Let us remember them, and speak out against such despotism which allows and facilitates innocent blood to be spilt in such a sacred places.
6 Responses to “In tribute to the Beloved”
March 17, 2009
HusseinAsselamu aleikum,
Without underming the efforts you are making in dissiminating the Islamic messge, you must as well be aware of what you are publishing. Thus, you need to see every article that comes your way in light of the Qur’an and the Sunnah; and only and if it is in line with these two guidlines that you should opt for to publish it in your website.
The article on Maulood is an example in this case. The article is full of emotional appeal to people to revive and celebrate the occasion of the birth of the best of mankind, our Prophet, may Allah’s peace be upon him. The question here is what does the Qur’an and the Sunnah say about it? Obviosly if it was part of our Deen tradition, the Prophet himself would have done it and those were with him, the Sahaba and those after them in the two best generations after them.
The Islamic reality is that there was not, and should not be, such a thing as celebrating a Maulood. It is the artwork of the Shaitan to mislead the Ummah. If we truely love and would like to remeber the time, life and Sunnah of our Prophet [saw], then we should stricltly follow his footsteps and one of which is to NOT celebrate his Maulood. In fact, the irony is that our Prophet [saw] died on the same day he was born, so are we celebrating his birth or his death? That’s a question we should ponder upon.
Allah the Most Hight commands: “Say [O Muhammad], ‘If you do love Allah then follow me'” And the Prophet [saw] said, ‘Whoever brings about any thing in our matter [Deen] which is not of it, then it is rejected” and in another narration, he [saw] said, “Whoever does an action which is not part of our matter [Deen] then it is rejected” [or as our he [saw] said it] [Bukhari]
Following the Sunnah of our Prophet in every single matter of our Deen is the only way of guidance, and anything other than that, like that of Maulood, is an innovation from which our Prophet has washed his hands.
May Allah ta’ala guide us all to the right path.
Wessalamu aleikum,
H.Shumay.
March 17, 2009
AfzalAsalaam-ulaykum,
Respected brother/sister, I have to strongly disagree with this article. If we really love our beloved Nabi alayhis-salaam) why only honour his life and sunnah for one month of the year ? Or even worse only for one night ?
Does this mean that we forget the life of Nabi (alahis-salaam) for the rest of the year ? Allah forbid.
We can never love Nabi (alayi-salaam) like the Sahaba did, and yet we find that they did not practice this act.
Also, please do some research on the history of birthdays, you will find that it is against the principles of Islam.
May Allah guide us.
Was-Salaam
Afzal
March 18, 2009
Abu Talhawa Alaikum Salaam wa Rahmatullahi,
Respected brothers, Shukran for your comments.
I myself am eminently unqualified to respond on the basis of Fiqh Rulings so I’ll refer you to the quotation below…
Ibn Taymiyya said in his book Iqtida’ Al Sirat Al Mustaqeem (Cairo, al-Fiqqi 1950 edition, pages 294 and 297)
“What some people innovated, either to emulate the Christians who celebrate the birth of `Isa (as) or out of love for the Prophet MHMD and in order to exalt him:
Allah MAY reward them for such love and effort but not for the innovations […]. So one MAY magnify the birthdate of the Prophet MHMD upon him blessings and peace, AND treat it as a festival, perhaps obtaining IMMENSE REWARD for it because of his good intentions in honoring the Messenger of Allah.”
(ma yuhdithuhu ba`du al-naasi immaa mudaahaatan lil-nasaara fi meelaadi `Isaa `alayhi as-Salam wa’imma mahabbatan lil- Nabiyyi SallAllahu `alayhi wa Sallam wata`zeeman lahu, wAllaahu qad yutheebuhum `ala haadhihi al-mahabbati wal- ijtihaadi laa `ala al-bida`i […]. Fata`zeemu al-mawlidi wattikhaadhuhu mawsiman qad yaf`aluhu ba`du al-naasi wayakunu lahu feehi ajrun `azeemun lihusni qasdihi wata`zeemihi lirasulillaah).
This text is found in the 2nd edition (1369/1950) of Muhammad Hamid al-Fiqqi at Cairo’s Matba`at al-Sunnat al-Muhammadiyya.
This is a saying of someone who set fanaticism aside and sought to please Allah and his Prophet MHMD. As far as we are concerned, we commemorate the Mawlid for no other reason but what Ibn Taymiya said, “Out of love and veneration of the Prophet.” May Allah reward us according to this love and effort.
In the same source previously mentioned, Al Suyuti said, “Someone asked Ibn Hajar about commemorating the Mawlid. Ibn Hajar answered:
As for the origin of the practice of commemorating the Prophet’s birth , it is an innovation ( bida’a ) 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 praisweorthy 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 praiseworthy innovation, while if ones does not, it is not. An authentic primary textual basis from which its legal validity is inferable has occured to me, namely the rigourously 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 ‘ ), so he asked them about it and they replied
‘It is the day on which Allah drowned Pharaoh and rescued Moses, so we fast in it to thanks to Allah Most high’,
which indicates the validity of giving thanks to Allah for the blessings He has bestowed on a particular day in providing a benefit, or averting an affliction, repeating one’s thanks on the anniversary of that day every year, giving thanks to Allah taking any various forms of worship such as prostration, fasting, giving charity or reciting the Koran.”
Al Suyuti then further writes, “Then what blessing is greater than the birth of the Prophet , the Prophet of Mercy, on this day?”
Brother Afzal, My intent was NOT to suggest that we honour the Prophet SAW for just the month of his birth. As Ramadaan is a month when we step up our spirituality in preparation for continuing in this elevated state the rest of the year so can this month be used to increase our Love for the Prophet PBUH and continue to emulate his practises throughout the rest of our lives.
Please see the ffg links for more Information on this.
http://www.nfie.com/welcome/default.asp?pgid=115
http://www.abc.se/~m9783/n/tufm_e.html
http://www.abc.se/~m9783/n/mwld_e.html
and Allah knows best..
Was Salaam
Abu Talha
March 18, 2009
AfzalAs-salaam-ulaykum Abu Talha,
JazakAllah for the response. It was a real eye opener for me, to read the comments by the great Shaykhs Ibn Taymiyya and Al Suyuti.
However, i have checked the links you provided and the link to comments on Mufti Usmani fatwa is very suspect. I stopped reading when I came to the name Shaykh Naziem Adiel Haqqani.
This Shaykh claims that he spoke to Nabi (alayis-salaam) over the phone! Please do some research on this Shaykh.
Your Brother
Afzal
March 19, 2009
Abu Talhawas Alaikum Salaam My brother,
Shukran for the response Brother Afzal…. I hadn’t heard the claim from Shaykh Nazien Adiel… But will definitely do some more research on this one.
and Allah knows best.
fi Amaanillah
Abu Talha
April 6, 2009
NazeemLet’s be joyful and celebrate the Mercy of all creation! All this bickering get’s us now where. There is no right or wrong. It is a good tradition ( dare I say innovation) which brings Muslims together.