The celebration of Mawlid an-Nabawi - is it Khayr (good) or

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From As-Sunnah Newsletter (issue9)

Shaikh al-Albanee: The celebration of Mawlid an-Nabawi is it Khayr (good) or evil?

The opponent: Khayr.

Shaikh al-Albanee: So, were the Messenger of Allah and his Sahabah unaware of this Khayr (good)?

The opponent: No.

Shaikh al-Albanee: I am not convinced with your saying, 'No' because it is impossible that this Khayr if it is Khayr - be concealed from the Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) and his Sahabah because we do not know Islam and Eeman except through Prophet Muhammad (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam). So, how do we know a Khayr (deed) that he did not know of? This is impossible.

The opponent: Establishing Mawlid an-Nabawi is reviving his (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) memories and is a tribute to him (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam).

Shaikh al-Albanee: This is a philosophy that we know of, and have heard from many and read in their books, but when Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) invited the people (to the Deen of Allah), did he call them to Islam as a whole or he invited them to Tawheed?

The opponent: Tawheed.

Shaikh al-Albanee: First, he invited them to Tawheed, next the Salaat was made obligatory, then Siyam, later the obligation of Hajj, and so on. So, you follow this Sunnah of the Sharee'ah, (and discuss the matter) step-by-step.
We have now agreed that it is impossible that there could be a Khayr with us which the Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) did not know of.

(Because) we know all the Khayr through the Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam).… and I believe that anyone, who doubts in this matter, is not a Muslim.

From the Ahadeeth of Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) that support this statement is, 'There is nothing that will take you closer to Paradise but that I have enjoined it upon you, and there is nothing that will take you closer to Hell but that I have warned you of it.' [Musnad ash-Shafa'ee and others]

So, if Mawlid was Khayr and something that could bring us closer to Allah, then Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) would have guided us to it. Right or wrong?

I don't want you to agree with me except if you are convinced of every word I say. You have complete freedom to say, 'Please, I do not agree with this point.' So, do you stop at some point from what I have just said, or are you with me completely?

The opponent: I am with you totally.

Shaikh al-Albanee: Jazak Allah Khair.

We say to everybody who approves of this celebration; (if) Mawlid is Khayr in your opinion - so, did the Messenger of Allah (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) guide us to it or did he not.
If they say, 'He guided us to it'

We say to them, 'Produce your Proof (Burhaan) if you are truthful.' [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 11] and they can never bring a proof of it. We have read books of Ulwi and others on this issue and they have no proof or argument except (saying), 'This is a Bidah Husna (a good innovation)!!' 'This is a Bidah Husna!'

Everybody; those who approve of Mawlid and those who forbid it, are agreed upon that this (celebration of) Mawlid did not exist at the time of Allah's Messenger nor at the time of the Sahabah…

However, the supporters of Mawlid say, 'What is (evil) in Mawlid? It is remembering the Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam), sending blessing upon him and similar acts.'

We say, 'If it was Khayr, there would have been precedence in it (by the Salaf as-Salih). You know the Hadeeth of Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam), 'The best of my ummah is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them.' This is an agreed upon Hadeeth.

His (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) generation was in which he (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) and Sahabah lived, then those who followed them were the Tabi'oon, and then those who followed them were the followers of Tabi'oon. This again is an agreed upon matter.
So, do you think that there could be any Khayr in which we could excel them in terms of knowledge and actions? Is it possible?

The opponent: Concerning knowledge - if the Messenger had informed someone at his time that the earth rotates.

Taken from As-Sunnah Newsletter - http://www.qsep.com

Active Member

I also want to add to your topic after your permission Mr.Nor

The celebration of Mawlid an-Nabawi in all its different forms is a
rejected Bidah which the Muslims are required to refrain from and warn
others from it. (The Muslims should) engage in reviving the Sunnah and
holding firmly to it, and not support and defend those who spread this
Bidah, because this action would be reviving Bidah more than reviving
the Sunnah or may be that they are not concerned with the Sunnah in the
first place. So, whoever possesses such traits should not be followed
even if such people are the majority and those who follow the Sunnah
are few because the truth is not known by men, but the men are known by
the truth.
Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) said,
'Whoever amongst you lives (for a long time) will see many differences.
I urge you to follow my Sunnah and the way of the rightly-guided
khaleefahs who come after me. Hold on to it firmly. Beware of
newly-invented matters, for every innovation is going astray.' [Musnad
Ahmad (4/164) Tirmidhee (2676)] In this Hadeeth, Allah's Messenger
(sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) has explained to us whom we should follow
at the time of difference, just like he explained that everything that
contradicts the Sunnah whether in statement or action is a Bidah and
every Bidah is misguidance.
If we analyze the celebration of Mawlid
an-Nabawi, we do not find any basis for it, neither in the Sunnah of
Allah's Messenger (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) nor in the Sunnah of
Khulafa ar-Rashideen (the Rightly Guided Caliphs), so it is from the
newly invented matters of misguided Bidah. Based on this reason, the
following verse is suitable in this regard, 'if you differ in anything
amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (r), if you
believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable
for final determination.' [(4): 59]
Returning to Allah is going back
to His Book and returning to the Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam)
is referring to his Sunnah after his death. So, the Book and the Sunnah
are the authority at the time of conflict and differing. So, where in
the Book and the Sunnah is a reference to the permissibility of
celebrating Mawlid an-Nabawi? Thus, it is required from him, who does
such an action or considers it good, - to repent to Allah from it and
other innovations. This is from the characteristics of a Mu'min that he
seeks the truth, and whosoever is stubborn and proud after the Hujjah
(proof) has been established then his reckoning is with His Lord.
We
ask Allah to bestow us with strong following of His Book and the Sunnah
of His Prophet (sallalalhu alaihi wa-sallam) until we meet Him and may
He send peace and blessing upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and
companions.