الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد
With regard to the innovated practice of celebrating the day of the birth of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), as well as other innovations of taking certain days as days of celebration and festivity, Shaikh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) stated:
“As for taking up a festive season – other than the festive seasons that are legislated, such as some of the nights of the month of Rabee’ al-Awwal regarding which it is said that: it is the night of the birth, or some of the nights of (the month of) Rajab. Or the eighteenth of Dhil-Hijjah and the first Jumu’ah of Rajab, or the eighth of Shawwaal which the ignoramuses refer to as: ‘Eidul Abraar, then they are from the innovations which the Salaf did not deem agreeable, nor did they carry them out, and Allaah, The Glorified, and Most High, knows best.”[1]
What are Such Innovated Practices Based Upon?
Shaikh Muhammad bin Ibraheem aal-ash-Shaikh (rahimahullaah) said:
“There is no doubt that the celebrating of the day of birth of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is from the newly concocted innovations subsequent to the spread of ignorance in the Islamic world. Hence it became a domain for a means of leading astray and for misguiding and for erroneous notion and delusion by way of which the visions became blinded, whilst within it the reign of blind following became stronger.
Indeed, they then refer back to that which was stated by so and so and that which pleases so and so. So for this reprehensible innovation there is not to be found a report which has been mentioned upon the companions of the Messenger of Allaah, nor upon the Taabi’een and those who followed them.”[2]
Whatever was Not Deemed to be Religion on That Day – Then it Cannot be Deemed as Religion Today
Shaikh al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) said:
“This is the Imaam of Daarul Hijrah (Imaam Maalik), he states in clear Arabic language that:
‘Whatever was not deemed to be religion on that day, then it cannot be deemed as religion today.’
Today the celebration of the Prophetic day of birth is taken as religion, and were it not for that, then this dispute would not have arisen between the scholars who hold on firmly to the Sunnah, and the scholars who make a defence of innovation.
How can this be from the religion, and yet it was not present in the time of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), or in the time of the companions, or in the time of the Taabi’een, or in the time of the followers of the Taabi’een?!
Imaam Maalik is from the followers of the Taabi’een, and he is likewise from those that are incorporated in the hadeeth:
((The best of generations is my generation, then those that come after them, then those that come after them.))[3]
Imaam Maalik stated: ‘Whatever was not deemed to be religion at that time, then it cannot be deemed as religion today, and there is nothing that will rectify the latter part of this Ummah (nation) – except by way of that which rectified its first part.’”[4]
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[1] Majmu’ Fataawa vol 25 p.298
[2] Fataawa ash-Shaikh Muhammad bin Ibraheem vol 3 p.54
[3] The hadeeth is reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.2652) and Muslim (no.2533) with the wording: ((The best of the people is my generation…)), and this is the correct wording of the hadeeth as stated by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in Silsilah al-Huda wan-Noor tape no.396.
[4] Silsilah al-Huda wan-Noor tape no.94
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