What is our Stance on the Issue of the Mawlid? - Qari Zakaullah Saleem

What is our Stance on the Issue of the Mawlid?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and from the evils of our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him. Whomsoever He misguides, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.

O you who have believed, fear your Lord, Who created you from one soul, and created from it its mate, and spread among them many men and women. And fear Allah in Whom you ask for help and mercy. Indeed, Allah is ever watching over you.

O you who have believed, fear Allah and say the right words. He will amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great success.

Introduction: A Controversial Topic

My dear respected brothers and sisters in Islam, in today's khutbah I would like to talk about a topic that is seen as one of the most controversial topics amongst the Muslims. In fact, it is seen as a hot topic. And it is the topic of this month, the month of Rabi' al-Awwal.

And we all know the hot topic of this month, which is the celebration of the Mawlid and the birthday of our beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم. As we all know, many Muslims around the world celebrate the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in this month, the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, believing that it is permissible — rather, they see it as one of the most virtuous deeds by which they can draw closer to Allah. They seek the nearness of Allah, Dhul Jalali wal Ikram.

And on the other hand, there are many Muslims who do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, believing that it is not part of the religion that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم conveyed and delivered to his Ummah by the permission of Allah, Dhul Jalali wal Ikram.

In today's khutbah, I am not going to go into the depth and into the details of the evidences of either side, whether you celebrate or you do not celebrate. Rather, I would like to talk about this topic from a different angle. And before I make mention of that angle, I would like to clarify my position and also the position of this Masjid and the methodology that this Masjid follows. And this is the methodology of the Ahlul Hadith and the Salaf of this Ummah.

Our Position: Why We Do Not Celebrate the Mawlid

We believe that celebrating the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is not part of the religion. We do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Why? Because we believe that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself never celebrated — when he was in Madinah al-Munawwarah for the period of 10 years, he never celebrated. Before Madinah, when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم lived in Makkah al-Mukarramah for the period of 53 years, he never celebrated his birthday.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never celebrated his birthday before he was given the messengership at the age of 40, and he did not celebrate his birthday when he became the Prophet and the Messenger of Allah, Dhul Jalali wal Ikram, and he lived in Makkah al-Mukarramah after Risalah for 13 years. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never celebrated himself. He never recommended it to any of his companions. None of the companions during the life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم celebrated it. None of the successors of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, none of the righteous companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم celebrated the birthday of him صلى الله عليه وسلم.

The Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs Did Not Celebrate It

We do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم because of the fact that the best of this Ummah after Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم — Abu Bakr al-Siddiq — about whom we believe that no one can love Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم after Allah, Dhul Jalali wal Ikram, more than Abu Bakr from this Ummah. The way Abu Bakr رضي الله تعالى عنه loved Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم — we believe no one can show that type of love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله تعالى عنه was the Khalifa after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, he was a leader of the Muslims for the period of two years — he never celebrated the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

After Abu Bakr came 'Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه, the one who was given the title of Al-Faruq — the one who differentiates between the Haqq and Batil, between the truth and falsehood. 'Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه was the leader of the Muslims for the period of 10 years. He never celebrated the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

After 'Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه there was 'Uthman ibn 'Affan رضي الله تعالى عنه, who was the son-in-law of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم twice. He رضي الله تعالى عنه was the leader of the Muslims for the period of 12 years and he never celebrated the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

After 'Uthman رضي الله تعالى عنه came 'Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله تعالى عنه, the cousin of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, the son-in-law of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. He رضي الله تعالى عنه was the leader of the Muslims for around five and a half years and he never celebrated the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

The Religion Was Completed and Perfected

Because of these facts, we as Ahlul Hadith and the Salafis, we do not celebrate the birthday of Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. We believe the religion was complete, and it was completed during the time of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, within the life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. When he صلى الله عليه وسلم was standing in the field of Arafat, Allah revealed the ayah:

"Today I have completed for you your religion and I have perfected upon you my favour and I have chosen for you the religion Islam."

We do not find any evidence in the Quran, in the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, nor even in the practices of the companions of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم that the birthday is part of the religion. Because of these evidences we do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Rather, we consider it as an innovation.

The Prophet's Warning Against Innovation

It is an innovation, and our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to warn his companions, and he has warned his whole Ummah, against innovations. He صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say in his khutbahs:

"Beware of the newly invented matters."

Sometimes he صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say:

"The most evil of matters are the newly invented ones. Every newly invented matter is an innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and the end of every misguidance is the Fire." (Sahih Muslim, Book 6, Hadith 2042; Sunan al-Nasa'i, Hadith 1578)

We consider it an innovation — that is why we do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Responding to Accusations Against Ahlul Hadith

Accusation of Intolerance

But when we express our belief and our view — that we believe it is not part of the religion that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم delivered, the religion that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم conveyed and left behind until the Day of Judgement — people start accusing us of various things. One of them is people accuse us that we are intolerant, and tolerance in their view is that you stay quiet and silent, you do not express the truth, you do not convey the truth.

Whereas I can say open-heartedly, Alhamdulillah, and I can even challenge — no one has ever heard from this mimbar that we ever called any one single individual a Kafir, or Fasiq, or Fajir. This is not our manhaj. We are the most tolerant people. We are the ones who have opened the doors of our masjid and our centres for every single Muslim. We welcome every single one of them. We do not discriminate and we do not make any difference based on ethnicity, race, colour of skin, or any background. We are the most tolerant people.

But unfortunately, just because of this very issue, people accuse us of being intolerant. Why? Because in their view, tolerance is that you never refute the Batil and you stay quiet whenever you see any evil going on in the society, in the community. You stay quiet. As soon as you highlight the falsehood, as soon as you highlight the Batil, you become intolerant in their sight.

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, Wallahi, if you were to search on the internet, on YouTube and social media, and you want to find the truth about this accusation, you will come to know that the other side of the people — they are the ones, unfortunately, who are not tolerant. They are the ones who do not only accuse us of being blasphemers, they accuse us of insulting the Prophet, they accuse us of disrespecting the Prophet. Why? Because we do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet. In their sight, not celebrating the birthday of the Prophet is one of the biggest sins. And they are the ones who call us Ahlul Hadith, they accuse us and they give us the title of "Wahabi," and they say, "You are the ones who are out of the fold of Islam." They are the ones who say to their congregation, their followers, that you are not even allowed to enter into the masjid of the Salafis and the Wahabis and the Ahlul Hadith. And you make the decision — who is intolerant?

Accusation of Causing Disunity

People accuse us, when we express our belief and our view, that we are causing disunity. Why? Because we highlight that this is an innovation, that is an innovation. Why is it an innovation? Because there is no basis in the Sunnah of the Prophet. As soon as we highlight the innovations, people accuse us of causing disunity. And in their view, unity is that you stay silent and quiet on the Batil and the falsehood, and as soon as you tell the truth, you are accused of causing disunity in the community.

Whereas on the other side — as I just gave you the example — they are the ones who actually cause the disunity in the community. They are the ones who encourage their congregation to stay away from these type of people who do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet. They accuse us and give us the titles of, unfortunately, Shaytan and Iblis and you don't know what type of words they use. Yet they are seen by these type of people as the most beloved ones, and for those who highlight the evil and the innovation, then they become the causers of disunity in the society.

Accusation of Calling Others Kafir or Mubtadi'

People accuse us that we call them Mubtadi' and Kafir. As I said, my dear brothers and sisters, Wallahi, this is not our manhaj — that we call anyone Mubtadi', or Fasiq, or Fajir, or Mushrik, or Kafir. No. None of the scholars of Ahlul Hadith have encouraged calling any individual a Kafir or Mubtadi' unless they find a clear proof from their own actions. All we do is warn the people against one of the biggest evils in the religion of Allah, because this is what our Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم said — the most evil of matters are the innovations.

You think adultery is the evil? You think stealing is the evil? Backbiting is evil? Yes — all these evils come after bid'ah, after innovation. And don't also accuse us that we call every single act an innovation — this is another misconception about Ahlul Hadith, that these people are very strict and harsh, and that anything you want to do with the intention of seeking reward from Allah, Dhul Jalali wal Ikram, they call it an innovation. No, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, Wallahi, this is not true. We call innovations only the acts that are not proven from the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and for which we do not find any evidence from the Quran and from the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Because this is what Allah has taught us in the Quran:

Whatever the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم gives you, you must take it, and whatever the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has prohibited from you, you must refrain and abstain from it. This is our manhaj. This is our belief. This is our methodology.

The Obligation of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

Warning the people against the innovations — we believe that it is our duty, it is our core responsibility, and especially for anyone who stands on this mimbar, Wallahi, the responsibility is bigger. As I said a few weeks ago, in joining the good and forbidding the evil — it is the responsibility and the duty of every single Muslim. Every single Muslim, young and old, male and female — every single Muslim has this obligation. But as for those who stand here to guide the community, their responsibility is greater and they must be clear when they deliver the message of Allah.

As Allah said in the Quran, you must be explicit, you must be clear when it comes to delivering the truth and telling the truth. Allah said in the Quran:

"O Messenger, convey and deliver whatever Allah has revealed to you. And if you try to hide anything from what Allah has revealed to you, then it is as if you have not delivered the message of Allah." And the 'Ulama and the scholars — they are the inheritors of the Prophets, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said.

True Love for the Prophet Means Following His Sunnah

We ask Allah to give us tawfiq and ability to understand our religion. And may Allah give us tawfiq and ability to stay united on the Sunnah of Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. By Allah, unity is not possible without believing in the Oneness of Allah and without following the Sunnah of Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

We leave this matter between them and Allah. Allah is the best of judges. But what we know from the evidence of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is that you cannot show, you cannot express, and you cannot even claim the love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in whatever way you think is best. Rather, if you truly want to express your love and you have to show your love for Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, then the way Allah has taught us in the Quran — this is the only way.

And in fact, by Allah, we believe that love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is part of our Iman — it is the core of our belief. And we openly say that no one is a mu'min and believer unless and until he loves Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم more than he loves his children, more than he loves his parents, more than he loves his relatives, more than he loves his wealth, his business, his job, his status, his position — anything and everything that he has in this dunya. You cannot be a true believer unless and until you love Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم more than you love your own body and your own soul.

This is our belief. And by Allah, it is only the love of Allah and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم that prevents us, that stops us from celebrating the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, because we know from the Sunnah, from the hadith, from the saying and statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in which he said:

"Whoever loves my Sunnah has indeed loved me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Paradise." (Reported by Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه; collected by Imam al-Tirmidhi in his Jami', Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2678)

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: whoever loves my way, whoever loves my Sunnah, whoever loves my practice — he is the one who truly loves me. And whoever loves me this way, he will be with me in Paradise.

Before the love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, we also believe that we must love our Creator, our Khaliq, our Malik, our Lord, Allah, Dhul Jalali wal Ikram:

"Those who believe are the strongest in love for Allah."

And Allah has taught us in the Quran:

"Say, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم: if you people truly love Allah" — Allah did not say show and express your love for Muhammad by celebrating his birthday. No. Because simply showing and expressing and claiming your love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is not the way of salvation. It is not the way of protection from the Fire of Hell. The mere claim of love for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم cannot save you from the Fire of Hell unless and until you follow the footsteps of Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Otherwise, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam — by Allah — his own uncle Abu Talib loved Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. He loved his nephew more than his own children. He loved him صلى الله عليه وسلم until the last breath of his life. But this very love did not benefit him and it is not going to benefit him on the Day of Judgement, because mere love and the claim of love is not enough.

فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ — if you truly love Allah, then you have to follow Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. This is the way that we think is the right way. خَيْرُ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلم — the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم.

The Lesson of Surah Al-'Asr: Do Not Stay Silent on the Truth

Lastly — last but not least — I would like to request anyone and everyone who holds the opinion that we should stay quiet on this topic. Because, as I said at the beginning, it is one of the most controversial topics and it is seen as one of the hottest topics. And many of us who do believe that it is not part of the religion think that if we do mention it, it is going to cause fitna and disunity and problems amongst our relatives, our society, our community. This is not right, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam.

I would like to conclude with this surah of the Quran. Let me simply translate it and I leave it for you to go back and check the tafsir and the opinions and statements of the scholars in this surah. Allah takes the oath of time and He says:

By time — indeed, without any doubt, the mankind is in great loss. The whole mankind is in a great loss, except those who have these four qualities. This is for me and you to judge ourselves — whether we have these qualities or not:

First — except those who believed. Second — those who do the righteous deeds. Third — they recommend, they advise one another of the truth; they tell the truth, they explain the truth, they explicitly explain and deliver and convey the truth, وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ. Fourth — وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ — they advise one another to remain patient. Because when you deliver the truth, when you tell the truth, you will be accused, you will be abused, you will be harmed, you will be hurt, and you will be given strange titles. You will be seen as a stranger. People will accuse you, people will insult you, people will disrespect you. But nonetheless, وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ — you advise one another to remain patient. Because this is the path of the Anbiya', this is the path of the messengers, this is the path of the prophets. Every single prophet, every single messenger of Allah — when they told the truth to the mankind, to their nations, they became enemies.

And Allah said in the Quran, particularly regarding Sayyiduna Saleh — when he told his people, when he advised his people, they did not like his advice. And he said: "I advise you, but the truth is that you people do not love those who advise you."

Closing Du'a

May Allah give us tawfiq and ability to be clear in our 'aqeedah, in our manhaj, in our path. And may Allah give us tawfiq and ability to follow the Sunnah of our beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم, so that we can prove to Allah that we truly love our Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم, and as a result of this love, Allah can unite us and gather us with our Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم in Paradise.

"O Allah, we ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and sufficiency. O Allah, we ask You for health, integrity, trustworthiness, and good character. Our Lord, accept from us — indeed You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing — and turn to us in repentance, indeed You are the Oft-Returning, the Most Merciful. And may Allah send His blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions."