The Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet's (ﷺ) Birthday

 *سم الله الرحمن الرحيم*

▪️ *_The Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet's (ﷺ) Birthday_*

*- It is not permissible for Muslims to organize celebrations for the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ on the night of the twelfth of Rabīʿ Al-Awwal, nor on any other night; nor is it permissible for them to organize celebrations for any other person's birthday, because celebrating a birthday is an innovation in the religion, for the Prophet ﷺ did not celebrate his birthday at any time in his life, and he is the conveyor of the religion and the dispenser of the Law from his Lord, the Most Glorified. Nor did he order others to do it, and neither did his righteous Caliphs, nor any of his Companions, nor the Tabiʿīn who followed them well, in the best generations (of Islām). Therefore, it is known to be an innovation. He ﷺ said:*

*"مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ"*

*"Whoever initated something in this matter (i.e. this religion) of ours that is not from it, will have it rejected."*

*_[Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī 2697]_*

*And in Muslim's version, and a version (also) reported by Al-Bukhārī in a Muʿallaq form:*

*"مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ"*

*"Whoever performed a deed which is not in conformity with this matter (i.e. this religion) of ours, will have it rejected."*

*_[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1718]_*

*Celebrating his birthday is not in conformity with his religion; on the contrary, it is one of the things people have innovated in his religion in recent times, and is therefore rejected. He ﷺ used to say, during his Friday sermon:*

*"أَمَّا بَعْدُ ؛ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، وَخَيْرُ الْهُدَى هُدَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَشَرُّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا، وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ"*

*"As for what follows: Verily, the best of speech is the Book of Allāh, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muḥammad (ﷺ), and the most evil of  matters are the newly invented ones, and every innovation is a misguidance."*

*_[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 867]_*

*An-Nasa'i added, with an authentic chain of narrators:*

*"وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ"*

*"... and every misguidance is in the Fire."*

*_[Sunan An-Nasā'i 1578]_*

*Studies of Ḥadīth related to his birth, studies connected with his Sīrah, the history of his life - both before and after Islām - as taught in the schools and mosques and other places should be free from any birthday celebrations, since there is no need for innovating celebrations which have not been legislated by Allāh or His Messenger, nor has a legal evidence been established for it... And Allāh answers the one who asks Him; so we ask Allāh on behalf of all of the Muslims that He guide them and grant them success in sufficing themselves with the Sunnah and abstaining from all innovations.*

*_[Shaykh Ibn Bāz Fatāwā Islāmiyah 1/281-3]_*