Let's discuss the mawlid
Mawlid is an Arabic word that literally means (the birth or the birthday). In Islamic tradition, this word has been widely used for the birthday of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is Mawlid an Nabi ﷺ (the birth of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). It is often termed as Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ.
In this article, we will try to discuss the things regarding Mawlid an Nabi ﷺ.
Let's have a look at what the Quran says about this: there are numerous references which we can use to understand the concept of Mawlid, but let's simplify this in this way:
Allah says in the Quran, "And as for the favour of your Lord, report [or proclaim] it(93:11 )" and at another place Allah says: "Indeed, Allah has conferred a favour upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves (3:164)"
Beloved Prophetﷺ is the greatest favour of Allah, and proclaiming the favours of Allah is the command of the Quran, so cherishing and Proclaiming every aspect of the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s life, whether the arrival, migration and their entire life, is obligatory to every believer.
As Muslims, we shouldn’t be specific to Mawlid only; rather, we should proclaim the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s existence like the companions were doing. Why the current Muslims are being specific to Mawlid is discussed later….
Is it permissible to be grateful on birthdays and celebrate birthdays in Islam?
There is a narration in Sahih Muslim which we will use to understand this concept,
Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said, "That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received Revelation."
The Book of Virtues - كتاب الفضائل » Hadith 1255 [Muslim].
let's examine the mentioned narration:
Did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ celebrated his Birthday?
The answer is yes, because Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were used to have fast on Mondays, so observing a day is proven; how to celebrate and did the companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ celebrated? that is point of discussion here.
Firstly, we should know what does the celebration means in islam; celebration is just being joyful and being grateful to God.
When it comes to Mawlid, being obedient to the prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his sayings and sending plenty of blessings (Salwat) preferably conducting the “ziker, seerah and Salwaat” gatherings are the best ways of celebration but expressing joy and happiness depends on the era we are living in, in today's era hosting flags, doing rallies, etc are the ways of celebration, as even the Islamic schools & countries celebrate in this way whether the national days or foundation days etc., so these are non-contradictory ways of celebration and it is necessary to be with the current non-contradictory trends just to Spread the love of beloved Prophetﷺ and proclaim the greatness of greatest of blessings/favors of Allah that's the prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
2) Did the companions celebrate the Mawlid days specifically? The answer is no.
But here we have to understand the amount of glorification and proclamation the majority of Muslims do on the mawlid day's is not even equal to the 0.01% of companions proclamation of the beloved prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s existence, as for companions every day was full of love for prophet ﷺ so if any person can love the prophet Muhammad ﷺ as much as companions did, he/she doesn't need specific days like Mawlid to celebrate the prophets ﷺexistence, as he/she is already at the greatest level of Love.
So the question is: why was the special glorification and proclamation introduced on Mawlid days?
Muslims started losing the connection of love and affection for the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the world started developing and the materialistic world started dominating.
So the ancestral Islamic rulers like Muzaffar ad-Din Gökböri started Celebrating the Mawlid days and scholars like Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH / 1201 CE), Imam Abu Shama (d. 665 AH / 1267 CE),Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH / 1373 CE), Imam al-Qastallani (d. 923 AH / 1517 CE), Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 AH / 1505 CE), Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852 AH / 1449 CE): didn't called it biddah or haram rather they called it a good tradition and Ottoman started Celebrating it grandly just to transmit the love and affection of the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to the next generations.
Here, the concept of innovation is crucial, as Prophet Muhammad ﷺhas said, "every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Hellfire Source: Sunan al-Nasā’ī 1578"
Firstly we should know any innovation within the basic principles, rules and regulations of Islam are misleading but any of good tradition which isn't contradicting with the principles of Islam rather are benefiting the basics of Islam are beneficial like in an narration, Narrated Ibn Jarir bin 'Abdullah: from his father that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever starts a good tradition which is followed, then for him is a reward, and the likes of their rewards of whoever follows him, there being nothing diminished from their rewards. ( Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2675.)
The same narration is mentioned in Sahih Muslim: He who introduced some good practice in Islam which was followed after him (by people) he would be assured of reward like one who followed it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect (muslim 1017)
Mawlid was started as a good tradition to enhance love and affection for the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ among believers and bring believers close to himﷺ. During the Mawlid days, believers feel abundant love and affection for the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; Mawlid celebrations act as a reminder of the heartfelt bond between believers and the beloved Prophet ﷺ. Believers should feel an intensified love for the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ every day, but due to sinfulness and Prioritization of worldly affairs, people lack that kind of love and affection for the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That's why Mawlid plays a crucial role in reminding the believers what prophet Muhammadﷺ means to them, and it should be appreciated.
And imagine if any of the companions living in this era had seen the non-contradictory traditions of the current era, like hosting flags, doing rallies,etc. wouldn't they have glorified the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not only on Mawlid day's but every day,more than the way the trends of this era are being used by the followers of today's worldly leaders?
Why is Mawlid called Eid?
There are only two eids mentioned in Islamic legality, which are eid al-fitr and eid al-adha.
But the linguistic meaning of the word Eid is "The day of happiness", so wherever there is a day of happiness and joy, that is termed as Eid, like in the Quran
رَبَّنَآ أَنزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًۭا
"O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a repast from heaven which may be happy occasion for us" (5:114)— T. Usmani
This is the Dua of Prophet Isa (a.s) for food; in this verse, Prophet Isa (a.s) uses the Word "eid" for the occasion when God will bless them with the meal of the heavens.
ِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًۭا(the ocassion of happiness)
So the concept here is that the birth (Mawlid) of the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the greatest of joy for believers, so that day is termed as EID ( the occasion of happiness)
And also, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the reason behind the creation of this universe like normal humans are the noblest of all creatures (أشرف المخلوقات), and prophet Muhammad ﷺis the greatest and noblest among all humans so he is the reason behind Allah's each and every blessings , so we can say the blessings of eid al-fitr and Eid al-Adha are because of prophet Muhammad ﷺ, so his existence is greatest of Eid.
So, terming it as eid, isn't wrong.
There is also a point of discussion here: is it necessary to be happy on the arrival of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?
A real believer shouldn't even have thoughts like this, but still, let me mention a verse from the quran in which Allah says: "Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “In Allah’s grace and mercy let them rejoice. That is far better than whatever ˹wealth˺ they amass.” (10:58), so the command is from the quran to rejoice in Allah's grace and mercy, and beloved prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the supreme among
Allah's grace and mercy.
There is a narration as well from the most famous scholar accepted by the majority of muslims, Imam Ibn Kathir (r.a). He narrates in his book Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah ( Volume 2, Page 166.)
“Iblis cried out loudly four times: first when Allah declared him as cursed, second when he was thrown out (of Paradise), third when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was born, and fourth when Surah al-Fatihah was revealed.”.
So, being sad on the arrival of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is from the devil; that's why the true believers should be full of joy and happiness on the Prophet ﷺ's whole existence, especially on his arrival.
Hope this discussion will benefit you.
And Happy Mawlid to All! ❤️
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