Outline
- Introduction
- The Logic Some Use to Justify Maulid
- Emotions Can’t Inspire or Start Legislations
- The Strangest Evidence for Maulid
- Loving the Prophet is Unarguable in Islam
- Does that Mean We Can’t Celebrate the Prophet?
- What Happens If You Overcome Your Desire and Abstain from Maulid
- What If I Insist on Celebrating Maulid
Introduction
Alhamdulillah… Infinite thanks and praises are due to Allah, the Almighty. Complete peace and salutations go to the most beloved creature of Allah to Allah, our master of all time, Sayyidunā Muhammad, his household, his companions, and all those who follow his guided path.
When the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal kicks in, the annual arguments and debates start. The same old debates, arguments, and discussions. I’ve chosen to call it recycled debates. As it doesn't change much, if any at all.
In this article, I’m documenting my personal stance. By so doing, I have a resource at hand, to which I can comfortably refer anyone who asks about Maulid.
The Logic Some Use to Justify Maulid
The primary argument used to justify the celebration of Maulid is that it’s done to show love for the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
What a powerful justification. What an emotional justification!
Do you know why is this justification equally powerful and emotional? Well, who doesn’t love the Prophet?! Or say, who wants to appear as someone who doesn’t love the Prophet?!
In fact, I haven’t seen followers of any religion, who whether individually or collectively adore, love, and glorify their prophet as much as Muslims do The Prophet Muhammad ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
Moreover, I’m sure you’ll agree, that when emotions are triggered, reason is weakened. And once reason is weakened, it’s wise to not waste time and energy trying to persuade or even teach.
Emotions Can’t Inspire or Start Legislations
It’s given, that none of the teachings, rulings, or prescriptions prescribed upon us in Islam are driven by emotions.
They’re simply divine commands. Commands which the Muslim must abide by. Regardless of whether he’s happy with them or otherwise. Regardless of whether he sees and finds his immediate interests and benefits in them or feels some heat from them.
In other words, our emotional reactions should not determine whether celebrating Maulid is part of Islam, and for that matter whether it’s permissible or not. Had that been the case, Sayyidunā Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas raḍiya Allāhu ‘anhu wouldn’t have left his mother whom he loved dearly and followed the Prophet Muhammad, ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. Had that been the case, Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr wouldn’t leave his mother for the sake of Islam: Allah and His Messenger.
There’re many prescribed ways that are authenticated to have been practised or approved by the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam, which we can follow or practice to demonstrate our love for the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Without fear (of falling in bid’ah). Without uncertainty. And without a possible sense of guilt and regret, sooner or later.
The first of such authenticated ways is following the Sunnah of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. And certainly, celebrating Maulid is not a form of following his Sunnah, ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
The best attempts to legalize or Islamize the celebration of Maulid is based on ijtihād. Unfortunately, none of this is convincingly proven with evidence. Sadly, after 1400 years of Islam, we are still uncertain of whether Maulid is part of Islam or alien to Islam. This alone suffices the needlessness of working on finding evidence or proofs to support it.
Here, it’s worth emphasising, that evidence pertaining to Islamic matters comes from Allah and the Prophet. Not from Abu Labab in a dream. Let alone from anyone else outside the fold of Islam.
The Strangest Evidence for Maulid
I chanced upon a public lecture at a mosque, where the lecturer was teaching about certain basics of Islam.
All of the sudden, while teaching about purification he digressed and started talking about the celebration of Maulid. The volume of his tone noticeably increased. He then presented his audience with the breaking news. He said, “there’re three verses in the Qur’an, when you combine them, you get clear evidence for the permissibility of celebrating Maulid.”
The sleepy ones in the audience became alert. As you’ve rightly guessed, everyone excitedly took out his phone and activated thier standby mode. While some noted down those Surahs and the number of their respective verses given, others quickly opened their Qur’an apps to refer to the said Surah and the corresponding verses.
Well, the Surahs he said are:
- Surah Yunus, 58
- Surah Al-Anbiya, 107
- Surah Al-A’raf, 157
He continued to explain and tried to persuade the crowd with such a breaking evidence.
Now, there are a few things wrong with that sharing of his.
First, rulings in Islam are not based on Mathematical calculations and combinations.
Second, these Surahs and the verses were descended upon the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam, and he taught it to the companions who then taught it to their successors, who then passed it down to us.
Neither the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam nor the companions, raḍiya Allāhu ’anhum combined these verses to form a ruling of permissibility for Maulid.
If that's the case, where does anyone get this from? The answer to this is a topic for another discussion. No promises, though ^__^
Third, the verses or parts of the verses that he used to prove Mualid’s validity are either mistranslated or taken out of the context of the verses. None of the verses makes complete sense without the context in which it’s located. By context, I mean, you need to connect each verse with a few verses preceding it or a few verses following it.
Fourth, a ruling that was not revealed in the Qur’an nor narrated in the Sunnah is hard to be created, by simply combining verses. And to do so, one must beat around the bush, go philosophical, and come out with nothing persuasive.
And fifth, Islam doesn’t need makeup of stories to prove its authenticity. And this is true to loving the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
Loving the Prophet is Unarguable in Islam
Having said all the above, it’s needless to indicate, that in Islam, loving the Prophet Muhammad ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam is unarguable, and it's a fundamental requirement. This love must be wholehearted. The absence of which keeps an individual outside the fold of Islam.
In other words, one is not or can’t be Muslim if he holds grudges towards the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. In any way. It’s therefore, not surprising, that only the Munāfiqūn hate, or hold grudges towards him ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
A Munāfiq doesn’t have love for the Prophet in his heart. Even if he portrays extreme love for him. Even if he conducts or promotes events or celebrates Maulid.
However, loving the Prophet Muhammad ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam is unlike how you love any other creature. Simply because loving the Prophet Muhammad is a form of worship. And in Islam, any form of worship is divinely prescribed and guided. It’s not inspired by anyone’s vision, wisdom, or dreams.
Does that Mean We Can’t Celebrate the Prophet?
There’s a difference between celebrating the Prophet and celebrating the Prophet’s birthday. Thus, it’s important to be specific when asking. When a question is composed wrongly, it's likely to be answered wrongly.
A true Muslim celebrates the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam every single time. He celebrates the Prophet by putting his Sunnah into practice. Sunnah from all angles, forms and variations.
He does so, anytime he stands up in pride by replicating the lifestyle of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam in his daily and personal lifestyle.
In a nutshell, we must celebrate the Prophet. But not by organizing Maulid. Rather by emulating how the Prophet celebrated himself and his birth. By emulating how he taught his companions to, and how his companions celebrated him ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
An annual birthday celebration, whether for the Prophet, for a companion, for a scholar, or for oneself is alien in Islam. However, celebrating the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam by following him, cherishing his teachings and lifestyle, and defending him is a form of celebrating him, which is not a point of the discussion.
What Happens If You Overcome Your Desire and Abstain from Maulid
If you’re able to overcome your emotions and desires pertaining to celebrating Maulid, and take a stand; a clear stand, which in the worst case scenarios won’t displease Allah and His messenger, then you’ll be able to eliminate a lot of other unnecessary celebrations from your heart and from your life.
When you achieve that, you’ll make room for more authentic righteous deeds. In your heart and in your actions. Insha Allah.
By Allah, when you do, the tranquility you’ll have in your heart will be indescribable. I said ‘tranquility.’ I didn’t say ‘social convenience.’
Follow the guidance of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam and be guided.
What If I Insist on Celebrating Maulid
If you insist on celebrating Maulid, it’s a choice you make. And every choice we make in life has consequences that return to us in the Hereafter. As for this life, you may want to watch the video below to see how I perceive anyone who insists on celebrating Maulid.
If you have read to this point, then let the discussion continue Facebook.
Allah knows best.
Allāhu Ḥāfiẓ 🙂
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