Dispelling myths about mawlid
Ibn Kathir wrote in the book Al-Bidayat wa an-Nihayat, that the sovereign of Irbil celebrated Mawlid in the month of Rabi ul-Awwal every year. He gathered together a huge amount of people. He was an alim, a very strong, fair, clever and brave ruler. He gave alms everywhere and people worshipped the Almighty and in both al-Haram mosques as well.
Every year he ransomed prisoners who had been captured by the French. Some say the total amount of the prisoners he ransomed is about 60,000. His wife was Rabiatu Hatun, Ayub’s daugther. And she said, “His clothes were not worth five silver coins (dirhams).” Once someone asked him why and his answer was, “It is better to wear five dirham clothing and give the rest [money] away as sadaqah (alms), than to wear expensive clothing and leave the poor in need.”
He spent 300.000 dinars (gold coins) on each Mawlid celebration and 100.000 dinars on payment for a night’s lodging of guests and travellers. On each of the al-Haram mosques and on provision of water to the Hijaz (the pilgrims’ road to Mecca) he spent 30.000 dinars. All these contributions do not include the donations he made secretly (see vol. 13, p. 158).
The book Fiqh al-Ibada states that the madhab of Imam Malik disapproves the observing of an extra fast on the birthday of the Prophet (PBUH) because this day is considered a festive day. Similar statements can be found also in Fiqh al-Islam wa Adilatuhu (vol. 3, p. 21) and Fiqh ala Madhabi al-Arbaati (vol. 1, p. 889).
Shaykh al-Islam al-Hafiz Ahmad Ibn Hajar al-Askalani, who is the author of multi-volume commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari named Fatkhu al-Bari, was also asked a question about Mawlid. And his answer was the following, “The basis of Mawlid is an innovation (bid’ah) that did not yet exist in the first three centuries. And there are both good and bad sides to it. If people try to do the permitted and to stay away from the forbidden while celebrating Mawlid, then it can be considered a good innovation (albid’ah al-hasana). But if people do not stay away from the forbidden, then it is not.”
And then he said: “Truly I have found the reasons for Mawlid to be permissible in the reliable sources like Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim.”
Just remember what happened when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) arrived in Medina. He found Jews fasting on the day of Ashura and wondered what the reason was. They answered that this was the day Allah drowned the pharaoh and saved the Prophet Moses (PBUH). So fasting on this day was a way to thank and praise Allah. This hadith proves that any person may praise the Almighty on the day Allah granted mercy to him or saved him from a trouble. And he is allowed to do this on the same day year by year. Different types of divine services (ibadah), like kowtowing (sujud), fasting, almsgiving (sadaqah) and reading the Quran are the ways to praise Allah.
Is there any greater joy than on the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Prophet of Mercy (PBUH)? Thus it is essential to work hard on celebrating the birth of the Prophet (PBUH) on this very day. Then it will fit the situation with the prophet Moses (PBUH) and the fasting of Jews on the day of Ashura as a way to thank Allah for saving the prophet Moses (PBUH) and his people from pharaoh. One who does not pay attention to this very day may celebrate Mawlid any other day of the year.
All of the above proves that the Mawlid celebration is permitted. While celebrating Mawlid we should confine ourselves to performing the actions expressing our gratitude and praise to Allah. And also remember the things mentioned above like reading the Quran, plying people with food, almsgiving, chanting verses praising the Prophet (PBUH) or speaking about asceticism, keeping distant from worldly matters and urging hearts to do good for the sake of the next life (Al-Hawi fil-Fatawa, vol. 1, p. 188).
In the book As-Sirra al-Halabiya an outstanding scholar Abu al-Faraj Nuruddin Ali ibn Ibrahim wrote: “It is quite good for the most people to stand up when the birth of the Prophet (PBUH) is described on the celebration of Mawlid, thus showing respect and glorifying the Prophet (PBUH). This kind of standing up is an innovation having no grounds. But it is a good innovation, as not all the innovations are hateful.
Truly it was the great scholar of our Ummah Imam Takiyuddin as-Subky, whose devotion and understanding of religion are followed by theologians and who stood up at the mention of the Prophet’s birthday (PBUH). And as-Subky’s contemporary ulama took after him”. “Once many ulama and Imam asSubky came together.
A chanter of the verses in the honour of the Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘And the noble raise and draw up in straight lines when hearing praises to the Prophet (PBUH) or kneel down if they are on horseback!’ Imam as-Subky, may Allah have mercy on him, heard these words and rose! And also everyone present stood up and had peace of mind.
And this is already enough for us to take after them.” (See vol. 1, p. 123). One chanted a poem (qasida) in front of well-known Islamic judges (qadis) right after the lesson of Sheikh al-Islam al-Hafiz Takiyuddin asSubky. When the chanters said, “Rise the noble when hearing the praises of the Prophet!... ” Sheikh al-Islam asSubky stood up in complying with the text of as-Sarsari’s qasida.
It was this moment when everyone got peace of mind. The son of Imam as-Subky Sheikh al-Islam Abu an-Nasr Abu alWahab retold this story in At-Tabaqat al-Qubra (vol. 5, p. 345). He wrote the biography of the father in this book. Here is a quote, “The Al-Umawiya mosque in Damascus brought together the great ulama and Islamic judges of the city. Imam as-Subky sat in the mihrab of the Prophet’s companions.
And someone chanted Imam asSarsariya’s poem (qasida) which starts with the words, ‘Even the praises of the Prophet (PBUH) written in golden letters are not worth him!’ And when the chanter came to the words ‘Rise the noble when hearing the praises of the Prophet (PBUH)!’ Imam as-Subky stood up and everyone followed him and they got exceptional peace of mind” (AtTabaqat al-Qubra, vol. 5, p. 345).
In the book I’anatu at-Talibin (vol. 3, p. 123) Abu Baqr Uthman ibn Muhammad al-Baqry gives a quote from the book As-Sirra an-Nabawiya. The Mufti of Mecca Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Zayni Dahlan, who knew Allah, mentions rising during Mawlid, “That is a really beneficial action and it is a custom to stand up when hearing [during Mawlid] the description of the Prophet’s birth (PBUH). This is considered an approved action, because thus people show respect to the Prophet, (PBUH).”
Many ulama of authority in our ummah have performed this action. Sheikh Ahmad ibn Muhammad alQastalani affirms in Al-Mawahibu alLadunya bi minahi al-Muhammadiya, “[Allah] sent a sura which mentions Abu Lahab (the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who openly opposed the Prophet. Abu Lahab interfered with the Prophet (PBUH) and was damned forever as well as his wife. Someone dreamed of Abu Lahab after his death and saw him in Hell.
They asked him what his condition was and the answer was “I am in hellfire! But every Monday night the punishment becomes easier. Once a week I can suck water between two fingers”. And he nodded to them. “I get this relief for the manumission of Suwayba. I gave her freedom for bringing the message about Muhammad’s birth (PBUH) and being his wet-nurse.”
The Quran reader Imam al-Hafiz ibn Jawzi said: “This kafir who is mentioned in the Quran gets a relief in hellfire just for rejoicing at the Prophet’s birth (PBUH). Then what is the condition of the Muslim, who is a member of the Muhammad’s ummah and believes in the only God, if his heart fills with joy on the day of Mawlid and he spends funds on this day for the Prophet’s sake?! Truly I believe he will get his reward from Allah the Merciful, who will lead him to the Heaven.” (See vol. 1, p. 89). Ibnu Kathir writes quoting Imam as-Suhayli that it was ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who dreamed of Abu Lahab. ‘Abbas is another uncle of the Prophet (PBUH) and he is the brother of Abu Lahab.
MUHAMMAD MAGOMEDOV
