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– We have sent you as a mercy to all the worlds. [21:107]
– And as for the bounty of the Lord, make it known! [93:11]
Introduction
In the Arabian Peninsula, in the 6th century, Christian and Jewish tribes were waiting for a new prophet. Their holy scriptures contained signs of his advent, and their scholars proclaimed his imminent arrival. Each generation hoped to experience him, and they prayed that the wait would soon end.
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was born in Mecca in the year 570 AD. Most scholars agree that it was a Monday, 12 Rabi al Awwal according to the Islamic calendar.
Acknowledging blessings by expressing joy is intuitively understood by most as an expression of gratitude and love for Allah. However, there is a theological determination that the act is both permissible and recommended according to Islamic jurisprudence and tradition. This article is an attempt to justify the validity of expressing joy on the Prophet’s birthday in organized gatherings and celebrations known as Milad un Nabi (the birth of the Prophet), peace be upon him, or simply as Mawlid.
Meaning of Muhammad, peace be upon him
It is said that no one truly understands the rank of prophets (peace be upon them all) with Allah. They are Allah’s chosen ones from all creation, and He has a special love for them. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is for Muslims the foremost of all prophets. Just being associated with him, being in his ummah, is considered one of the greatest gifts one can receive from Allah.
People used to come to the Prophet in anger. Full of critical questions. But a sight of him used to change them and give them peace and complete conviction – a rationalization of faith in the heart that the intellect could not always translate into words (Al-Ghazali). Others were convinced by miracles, still others by his teachings and logical reasoning.
In Islamic theology, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the chosen and beloved of Allah. The Prophet will also come between people and the wrath of God on the Day of Judgment, and pray for their forgiveness. God’s wrath will then be transformed into mercy for the believers, and countless people who would otherwise have deserved punishment will be forgiven.
Monotheism (Tawhid) was made known through the Prophet and millions have since then treaded the path that has led them to certain faith, experience and knowledge of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had the best behavior and manners. He is the absolute role model of Muslims. The perfect human being. The one who is most like the Prophet is the most good. It is the arrival of this person, one whom one holds dearer than oneself, that is marked with mawlid gatherings.
Mawlid
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is thus a great gift and blessing from Allah. Muslims celebrate the day this blessing was bestowed upon mankind. “Indeed, God bestowed favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His verses, and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom. Before that, they were in clear error.” [3:164]
Elsewhere, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is described as an illuminating light (Yashubi) “A light has come to you from God and a clear scripture” [5:15] “Say: “In the grace of God let them rejoice. It is better than all that they amass!” [10:58] “We have sent you as a mercy to the worlds.” [21:107]
Imam ibn al-Jawzi, Imam Jalal al-Din Suyuti, and Allama Alosi and others believe that these verses refer to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The scholars find a number of evidences from the Quran and Sunnah that authorize the celebration of the day the Prophet was sent to earth.
It is narrated that Muhaddith Dehlvi and Imam Shahab-ud-din Abul Abbas al-Qastalani considered the night of Mawlid more sacred and religiously important than the Night of Decree itself which is worth more than 1000 months [97:3] (Ilyas, Qastalani). Imam Qastalani is recognized across the schools of law and sects within Sunni Islam.
Abu Lahab, who is known as one of the foremost opponents of Islam, was also the uncle of the Prophet. To express his joy, he gave back the freedom of the slave girl who brought the news of the Prophet’s birth with a sign. Later after his death, his family dreamed that in his grave he had his punishment mitigated because of that one deed (Razzaq, Umda tul Qari). When the Prophet, peace be upon him, returned home from Tabuk, the Prophet’s uncle Abbas recited a qasida in the mosque. The Prophet attended this gathering along with many of his companions.
A passage begins as follows: “Dear Prophet of God. The whole earth was illuminated when your highness was born. Even all the corners of the sky were illuminated….” (Zia-un-Nabi, Ibn Kathir Sharah al Mawahib al Ladunniya). This can be seen as a mawlid in the Prophet’s Mosque, which the Prophet and his companions themselves attended.
Mawlid is a bida hasana
Islamic law serves as the final authority for determining the moral value of an action. The law divides all actions into five categories: obligatory, recommended, permissible, objectionable, and forbidden. The majority of actions fall into the middle category.
The Quranic verse, “He has created for you all that is on earth” [2:29] establishes the principle that all things are permissible unless the contrary is indicated in the texts. The fact that the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not practice an action does not prove that the action is forbidden for his followers. On the contrary, it proves that the specific action is not obligatory.
Therefore, when Islamic jurists refer to «bid`a», they do not refer to the lexical meaning of the word, which is novelty or innovation, but rather to blameworthy innovations in religion (Keller 2011). For all actions are, in principle, permissible. Although the narration from the Prophet, peace be upon him, which states that «the worst of matters are those that are new, and every bid`a is misguidance (Muslim 2.592:86), has a general wording, Islamic jurists have interpreted its meaning to apply to all disliked and blameworthy innovations.
Imam Shafi`i explains this by giving the example of Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, when he saw a group of people praying together in the mosque in Ramadan other than the five obligatory prayers. He stated that this was a great bid`a. Omar is considered one of the greatest jurists among the companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him (Shafi`i).
Likeså har Izz ibn Abd al- Salam delt bid`a i fem kategorier. Det finnes bid`a som er uakseptable, og noen som er akseptable og nødvendige.
1) Nyvinninger som er obligatorisk å ta vare på, som for eksempel grammatikk.
2) Anbefalte innovasjoner, som for eksempel at kallet til bønn blir ropt ut fra et tårn.
3) Honnørfrie innovasjoner, som for eksempel design av klær, finne opp nye matretter osv.
4) Mislykt bid`a som innlemmes inn i religionen. Overdrevet dekor av moskeer ansees som en av dem.
5) Bid`a som klassifiseres som haram (forbudt og syndig). Det er nye ideer og invensjoner i kjernen av tro og religiøs praksis (Zia-un-Nabi, Keller 1995). Det er for eksempel fem daglige obligatoriske bønner. En endring av dette antallet vil være en haram bid`a.
It is hard to understand why some radicals insist on placing the celebration of Mawlid, without reservation, in the latter two categories. It is also easy to see that this can arouse strong emotions and create debate. When a small minority believes that Mawlid should not be celebrated because such festivals were not formally organized by the first generations, it is based on their totalitarian interpretation that absolutely no new innovations can be allowed in Islam. However, this is a wrong understanding of the concept of “bid`a”. Such an interpretation is not compatible with an Islam that claims to be valid for all cultures and times.
The Prophet’s, peace be upon him, practice was to recognize newly initiated actions and measures that he himself had not suggested or ordered, as long as they did not conflict with the law he preached (Keller 1995). The Prophet, peace be upon him, is reported to have explained, “Whoever initiates a good practice in Islam has a reward for it and for all who practice it after him, without their own reward being diminished in the least. And whoever introduces an evil act is guilty of its burden and bears the burden of all who practice it after him, without their own mind being diminished in the least. [Muslim]
The argument of the forerunners of literal interpretation can refer to the Quranic verse “We hear, and we obey” [2:285], when they proclaim their literal interpretation of the hadith that prohibits bid`a. The scholars believe that before one can obey, one must understand an order. This understanding comes from knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the Prophet’s custom, peace be upon him, not a context-free literal interpretation of the texts.
There is little doubt that resentment or bitterness over the Prophet’s birth is a sign of disbelief and hypocrisy, and the opposite is a sign of sincere faith. Abu Shama, who was Imam Nawawi’s teacher, writes in his exegesis of Sahih Muslim that the best bid’a in our time is the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday, peace be upon him. Alms are given, lights are lit in homes, and roads are decorated (Halbiah).
The celebration of Mawlid has never really led to a divergence among Muslims. In all Muslim cultures and times, Mawlid celebrations have taken place since the King of Arbal initiated the holiday (Zia-un-Nabi), early in Islamic history.
Imam Jalal al-Din Suyuti has issued a writing in which he points out that arranging a gathering where food and drink are served, the Quran is recited and the Prophet is praised is a bid`a hasana, and the one who arranges this will receive a reward (Suyuti).
Ibn Hajar Asqalani points out that celebrating Mawlid is an innovation that was not practiced by the first generations of Islam. But he adds that this, like everything else, becomes praiseworthy if all the parts of which it is made up are praiseworthy and recommended in the Sharia (Asqalani).
Besides the above, the following scholars have recognized the celebration of mawlid:
– Ibne Jawzi (Al Milad un Nabi),
– Shamsuddin al Juzri (Husnul Maqsid fi Amalil Mawlid),
-Abu Shama (Al Baais Ala inkaril Bada val Hawadis),
– Zahbi (Sayer ul A’alam van nubala),
– Ibn Kathir (Al Bid`aya wan Nihaya),
– Shamsuddin bin Naseeruddin Damashqi (Mawridul Saadi fi Mawlidil Haadi),
– Qastalani (Al-Mawahib al-Ladunniya),
– Ibn Hajar Makki (Fatawa Haadisia),
– Zarqani (Sharah Mawahib)
– Abdul Hay Lakhnawi (Fatawa Abdul Hay).
Mufti Taqi Usmani and several other Deoband scholars agree that the mawlid festival will be a blessed arrangement as long as none of the components of the gathering are against the Sharia (Usmani). Other scholars believe that this condition is not necessary to point out in connection with the mawlid, as the condition of being within the limits of the Sharia is a matter of course. Sheikh Gibril Haddad has commented on the fatwa of Mufti Taqi Usmani and concludes that the mufti’s general caution is a mistake (Haddad).
Other scholars do not urge caution in celebrating Milad un Nabi. Just like all other acts, it is a matter of course and understood that the celebration takes place within the Islamic law. Islamic law is substantial and tolerant. Mullah Ali al-Qari, for example, is of the opinion that singing that is considered permissible (mubah) can be included in Mawlid celebrations to increase the joy of those present (Qari).
References
Al-Ghazali, A. H. On the boundaries of theological tolerance in Islam. Oxford,Published in 2003.
Asqalani, I. H. Husn al-Maqasad fi amal al-Mawlid.
Haddad, S. G. F. “Fatwa on Mawlid.” http://www.livingislam.org/n/tufm_e.html.
Halbiah, A. S. u. (p.80).
Ilyas, M. The Dawn of Blessings. Karachi, Pakistan, Dawate Islami.
Imam Shafi Siyar al nubala. 10.70.
Keller, N. H. M. (1995). “The Concept of Bid’a in the Islamic Shari’a.” www.masud.co.uk.
Keller, N. H. M. (2011). Sea without shore – a manual of the Sufi Path.
Qari, M. A. Mawlid al-Nabi, Page 17.
Qastalani, I. al-Muwahib.
Razzaq, A. Musannaf
Suyuti, A.-. al-Hawi lil Fatawa. Beirut, Lebanon, Maktaba al Asriy.
Umda-tul-Qārī. Ḥadīš 5101.
Usmani, M. M. T. “What is the truth about Milad?” from http://al-mustaqeem.tripod.com/id40.html
Yahsubi, Q. I. I. M. a.-. Muhammad – Messenger of Allah (Ash – Shifa).
Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari, Zia-un-Nabi, Zia ul Quran. Publication. Karachi.
