The Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet's Birthday (the Mawlid)

The answer is that it is not permitted to celebrate the birthday of the Messenger ﷺ, nor the birthday of anyone else, because that is among the innovations introduced into the religion. The Messenger ﷺ did not do it, nor did his rightly guided successors, nor the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor those who followed them in good conduct in the best generations, though they were the most knowledgeable of people about the Sunnah, the most complete in their love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and in following his law, more so than those who came after them. It is authentically established that the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَٰذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ “Whoever introduces into this affair [religion] of ours something that is not part of it, it is rejected.”

Meaning, it is rejected. And he said in another hadith:

عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ مِنْ بَعْدِي، تَمَسَّكُوا بِهَا وَعَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ “Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors after me. Cling to it and bite onto it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.”

In these two hadiths is a severe warning against inventing innovations and acting upon them. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said in His clear Book:

وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا “And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).” — Sūrah al-Ḥashr (59:7)

And He, Mighty and Majestic is He, said:

فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ “And let those who oppose the Messenger’s commandment (i.e. his Sunnah - legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements) (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.” — Sūrah al-Nūr (24:63)

And He, Glorified is He, said:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا “Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allâh and the Last Day, and remembers Allâh much.” — Sūrah al-Aḥzāb (33:21)

And He, Exalted is He, said:

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ “And the foremost to embrace Islâm of the Muhâjirûn (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansâr (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhâjirûn) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allâh is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” — Sūrah al-Tawbah (9:100)

And He, Exalted is He, said:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion.” — Sūrah al-Māʾidah (5:3)

The verses on this meaning are many. Inventing celebrations such as these Mawlids implies that Allah did not perfect the religion for this nation, and that the Messenger ﷺ did not convey what the nation ought to act upon, until these later people came and introduced into the law of Allah what He did not permit, claiming that it brings them nearer to Allah. There is no doubt that this holds great danger, and it is an objection against Allah, Glorified is He, and against His Messenger ﷺ, for Allah has already perfected the religion for His servants and completed His favour upon them.

The Messenger ﷺ conveyed the message clearly and left no path leading to Paradise and keeping away from the Fire except that he made it clear to the nation. It is confirmed in the authentic hadith from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَدُلَّ أُمَّتَهُ عَلَى خَيْرِ مَا يَعْلَمُهُ لَهُمْ، وَيُنْذِرَهُمْ شَرَّ مَا يَعْلَمُهُ لَهُمْ “Allah never sent a prophet except that it was a duty upon him to guide his nation to the best that he knew for them and to warn them of the worst that he knew for them.” — reported by Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ

It is known that our Prophet ﷺ is the best of the prophets and their seal, and the most complete of them in conveying and sincere counsel. So had celebrating birthdays been part of the religion Allah is pleased with, the Messenger ﷺ would have made it clear to the nation, or done it in his lifetime, or his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would have done it. Since none of that happened, it is known that it is no part of Islam at all. Rather, it is one of the newly invented matters that the Messenger ﷺ warned his nation against, as in the two preceding hadiths, and others carry the same meaning, such as his saying ﷺ in the Friday sermon:

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ، وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ “To proceed: the best of speech is the Book of Allah, the best of guidance is the guidance of Muḥammad ﷺ, the worst of affairs are the newly invented ones, and every innovation is misguidance.” — reported by Imām Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ

The verses and hadiths on this subject are many. A number of scholars have plainly rejected the Mawlids and warned against them, acting on the evidence mentioned and other evidence. Some later figures differed and permitted it provided it does not contain any of the evils, such as exaggeration about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the mixing of women with men, and the use of instruments of amusement, and other things the pure law rejects, and they supposed these to be a “good innovation.”

The legislated rule is to refer whatever people dispute about back to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muḥammad ﷺ, as Allah said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا “O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger, and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger, if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.” — Sūrah al-Nisāʾ (4:59)

And He, Exalted is He, said:

وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ “And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allâh (He is the ruling Judge).” — Sūrah al-Shūrā (42:10)

We have referred this matter, celebrating the Mawlid, back to the Book of Allah, and we found it commanding us to follow the Messenger ﷺ in what he brought and warning us against what he forbade, and informing us that Allah has perfected this nation’s religion. This celebration is not among what the Messenger ﷺ brought, so it is not part of the religion Allah perfected for us and commanded us to follow the Messenger in. We also referred it back to the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ and did not find in it that he did it, or commanded it, or that his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did it. So we know by that it is no part of the religion, but rather one of the newly invented innovations, and a resemblance of the People of the Book among the Jews and Christians in their festivals. By that it becomes clear to everyone who has the least insight, a desire for the truth, and fairness in seeking it, that celebrating the Mawlids is no part of the religion of Islam. Rather, it is one of the newly invented innovations that Allah, Glorified is He, and His Messenger ﷺ commanded to be left and to be warned against.

No sensible person should be deceived by the great number of people who do it in every land, for the truth is not known by the many who practice something; it is known by the legislated evidence, as Allah said of the Jews and Christians:

وَقَالُوا لَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَنْ كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَىٰ تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ “And they say, ‘None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.’ These are their own desires. Say (O Muhammad ﷺ), ‘Produce your proof if you are truthful.’” — Sūrah al-Baqarah (2:111)

And He, Exalted is He, said:

وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ “And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allâh’s Path.” — Sūrah al-Anʿām (6:116)

Then, most of these Mawlid celebrations, on top of being an innovation, are not free of other evils, such as the mixing of women with men, the use of songs and instruments, the drinking of intoxicants and drugs, and other harms. Something even greater than that may occur in them, which is major shirk, through exaggeration about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ or about others among the righteous, calling upon him, seeking his aid, asking him for help, and believing that he knows the unseen, and similar acts of disbelief that many people commit when they celebrate the Prophet’s birth ﷺ, or the birth of others whom they call “Awliyāʾ.” It is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْغُلُوَّ فِي الدِّينِ، فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمُ الْغُلُوُّ فِي الدِّينِ “Beware of exaggeration in the religion, for those before you were only destroyed by exaggeration in the religion.”

And he ﷺ said:

لَا تُطْرُونِي كَمَا أَطْرَتِ النَّصَارَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، إِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدٌ، فَقُولُوا: عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ “Do not extol me as the Christians extolled the son of Mary. I am only a slave, so say, ‘The slave of Allah and His Messenger.’”

Reported by al-Bukhārī from the hadith of ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him.

Among the strange things is that many people are energetic and strives to attend these innovated celebrations and defend them, yet they fall short in what Allah has obligated upon them, such as attending the Friday and congregational prayers, paying no heed to it and not seeing that they have committed a grave wrong. There is no doubt that this is from weakness of faith, little insight, and the great extent to which sins and disobedience have covered their hearts. We ask Allah for well-being for us and for all the Muslims.

Part of this is that some of them think the Messenger of Allah ﷺ attends the Mawlid, so they stand for him in greeting and welcome. This is among the greatest of falsehoods and the ugliest of ignorance, for the Messenger ﷺ does not come out of his grave before the Day of Resurrection, does not make contact with anyone, and does not attend their gatherings. Rather, he remains in his grave until the Day of Resurrection, while his soul is in the highest place (ʿIlliyyīn), with his Lord in the abode of honour, as Allah said in Sūrah al-Muʾminūn:

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ ۝ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ “After that, surely, you will die. Then (again), surely, you will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection.” — Sūrah al-Muʾminūn (23:15-16)

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

أَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الْقَبْرُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ شَافِعٍ، وَأَوَّلُ مُشَفَّعٍ “I will be the first from whom the earth splits open on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession is accepted.”

Upon him be the best of prayers and peace from his Lord.

This noble verse, this noble hadith, and the verses and hadiths that carry their meaning, all show that the Prophet ﷺ and the rest of the dead only come out of their graves on the Day of Resurrection. This is a matter agreed upon among the scholars of the Muslims, with no dispute between them. So every Muslim should be alert to these matters and beware of the innovations and superstitions that the ignorant and their like have introduced, for which Allah has sent down no authority. Allah’s help is sought, upon Him is the reliance, and there is no might nor power except by Him.

As for sending prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, it is among the best acts of nearness to Allah and among the righteous deeds, as Allah, Exalted is He, said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا “Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ), and also His angels (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salât on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad ﷺ), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic way of greeting (salutation i.e. As-Salâmu ʿAlaikum).” — Sūrah al-Aḥzāb (33:56)

And the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ وَاحِدَةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْرًا “Whoever sends a single prayer upon me, Allah sends ten prayers upon him for it.”

It is prescribed at all times, and stressed at the end of every prayer; rather it is obligatory, according to a group of the scholars, in the final tashahhud of every prayer. It is a Sunnah Muʾakkadah (strongly emphasized) in many places, among them after the adhān, when he ﷺ is mentioned, and on the day of Jumuʿah and its night, as many hadiths have indicated.

We ask Allah to grant us and all the Muslims understanding of His religion and firmness upon it, and to bestow upon everyone adherence to the Sunnah and wariness of innovation. He is Generous, Noble. And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muḥammad and upon his family and his companions.

Source: issued within a treatise printed by the General Presidency for the Departments of Scholarly Research, Iftāʾ, Daʿwah, and Guidance (printed in several editions).