Birthday: celebrate or not to celebrate

Is celebrating birthdays forbidden? Why is it frowned upon in Islam? Isn’t it just simple fun and enjoyment?

We only invite friends and have a meal. Aren't we even allowed to celebrate anything? We only exchange gifts! Is exchanging presents improper?

We always encounter these types of questions in our day today life. Most of people argue that neither celebrating a ‘birthday’ is neither mentioned in the Koran nor did our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ever express anything about? So what is wrong with it?

Anyway, the real question is why do we celebrate birthdays? And therein lies the real discussion. As it has now become a custom and everybody is doing it, we feel socially obliged to follow it.

And what do we do on the occasion? Bake a cake, place candles for every year of the child's age, blow out the candles and make a wish. Are any of these acts unIslamic?

In fact, the history of birthday observance can be traced back before the rise of Christianity. In pagan culture it was believed that evil spirits visited people on their birthdays. To protect the person having a birthday from the effect of evil, people used to surround him and make merry. A lot of noise used to be created during such parties to scare away the evil spirits.

Some of the popular birthday traditions and symbols that we see today originated thousands of years ago. Some believe the tradition of the birthday cake was started by early Greeks who used to take round or moon-shaped cakes to the temple of Artemis the Goddess of the Moon.

Greeks used to light candles on the cake because of a religious belief that Gods lived in the sky and lighted candles helped to send a signal or prayers to the Gods.

Germans are said to have placed a big candle in the centre of the cake to symbolize the light of life. It was believed that blowing out all candles in one breath brings good luck.

In ancient Egypt the pharaohs ordered businesses to close on their birthdays and gave enormous feasts for hundreds of servants.

Further, in ancient Greece wealthy males joined birthday clubs composed exclusively of men who shared their birth date.

In Persia noblemen observed their birthdays by barbecuing an ox, a camel and a donkey and serving hundreds of small cakes to the celebrants.

In ancient Rome the emperor gave huge parties in honour of his own birthday, which included parades, circuses and gladiatorial combat.

But have we ever heard or read that our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or anyone in Islamic history celebrated their own or their children’s birthdays?

It is a well established fact that neither did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) celebrate his birthday at all during his lifetime nor did he ever ask that it be observed. Neither did he ever teach such a custom to his Companions nor did he ever care to practice it himself.

They were also the keenest to follow whatever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) brought to them. Thus, if one is supposed to celebrate one’s birthday, this would have been made evident during their time. Similarly, neither did any of the scholars of the best generations celebrate their birthday nor did they indicate that this be followed.

Modern birthday celebrations are a continuation of those of earlier times. In fact, a birthday cannot be imagined without cake and candles. Friends and relatives sing the birthday song with the name of the person before blowing out the candles and slicing the cake.

Well, people with good income can afford all such expenditures, but what happens when one whose provisions are strained borrows money or throws a grander party than he can afford.

Everybody also tries to give or preparing the best gift within his capacity, but there are those who cannot afford to do so at all and either hide away from the invitation, do not attend or go beyond their means to purchase a present.

Islam does not permit extravagance. It is stated in a hadith that the worst festive gathering is one in which the poor and deprived are left out and the wealthy are only invited.

Contrary to the prescriptions of Islam, music, singing, video filming and other un-Islamic and forbidden acts take place in these gatherings.

Celebrating birthdays is not a big sin in Islam. The only question to be answered here is who we are following: Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) or the traditions of the nonbelievers?

As the latter could not be part of religion or of a wholesome Islamic life, as the Koran clearly states:

“O Prophet! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and do not comply with (the traditions of) the unbelievers and the hypocrites; surely Allah is Knowing Wise” (Sura Al Ahzab, ayah 1).

One needs to reflect upon the age old pagan tradition that continues to be followed and decide if the celebration of birthdays fits logically or morally into the scheme of your life. Is a birthday something to be happy about?

When it is someone's birthday, one year of his or her life has decreased, rather than increased. What intelligence is there in celebrating and showing happiness when a year has decreased in one's life?

Obviously if we look at the beauty of Islam, every day is a great day and a blessing from Allah. Subhanallah. So celebrate every day and always say Alhamdulillah.

MARYAM HEDAYAT