THE BID'AH OF CELEBRATING MAWLID AN-NABI THE MISGUIDANCE OF INNOVATIONS

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 *THE BID'AH OF CELEBRATING MAWLID AN-NABI*

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*THE MISGUIDANCE OF INNOVATIONS*

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Nowhere in the Qur'ān or Hadeeth is it written that we should celebrate the Mawlid of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) himself did not do it nor did he command anyone to do it, either during his lifetime or after his death.

What has been reported is that the Prophet (ﷺ) made the *DAY* of his birth a day of worship, and not the *DATE* of his birth, which is different to celebration. 

He was asked about fasting on Mondays and he (ﷺ) said: _*"That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was entrusted with the mission (or I was first given Revelation).*_ 

[Muslim 265, an-Nasaa'i 2186].

The Sahaabah, who were the people around the Prophet and they loved him most, were not reported to have celebrated the Mawlid of the Prophet (ﷺ). It wasn't reported that Abu Bakr(رضي الله عنه), who was the closest of people to him and the one who loved him the most, celebrated the birthday of the Prophet (ﷺ). Neither was it reported that 'Umar(رضي الله عنه), Uthman(رضي الله عنه) or 'Ali(رضي الله عنه), his relative, did so. They loved him more than anyone, but they never celebrated the Mawlid of the Prophet (ﷺ) because he told them not to exaggerate about him as the Christians had exaggerated about Jesus(عليه السلام). 

The Prophet (ﷺ)said: _*"Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam. I am only a slave, so say 'The slave of Allah and His Messenger'."*_ 

[Al-Bukhaari 3445].

The Pious Predecessors did not do this or command others to do it and neither did they say it was good. The Prophet (ﷺ) said in a Saheeh hadeeth: _*"The best of mankind are my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then there will come a people who will not care if their testimony comes before their oath or vice versa (i.e they will not take such matter seriously)."*_

[Al-Bukhaari 6429].

The celebration of the Prophet's (ﷺ) birthday appeared many centuries later, when many of the features of the true religion had disappeared and bid'ah (innovations) had become widespread. Thus, this celebration became a sign of one's love for the Prophet (ﷺ).

Meanwhile the Sahaabah  and the pious predecessors never practiced it, and the Prophet (ﷺ) was very close and dearest to them, and they loved him more than we do. The true love of the Prophet (ﷺ) is demonstrated by following the guidance he brought. 

Allāh (ﷻ) says:

*قُلۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِی یُحۡبِبۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَیَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمࣱ▪️قُلۡ أَطِیعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ*

 *"Say (O Muhammad): If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me, Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is oft forgiving*.

 *Say obey Allaah and the Messenger. But if you turn away, then Allaah does not like the disbelievers."* 

[Aal 'Imraan 3:31-32)]. 

The *first* ayah explains the that love is just a claim, but the proof of sincerity is in following what the Prophet (ﷺ) brought. 

The *second* ayah reaffirms the importance and necessity of obeying Allāh and His Messenger.

The celebration of mawlid is indeed an addition to what he brought and it is an innovation as all the scholars agree.

We ask Allāh (ﷻ) to protect us from bid'ah and its destructions.