NEWS\ Monday 21 May 2001
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In the Name of Allaah, All Compassionate, All Merciful
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Sincere advice...

al-Hamdu-Lillaahi Rabbil-'Aalameen was-Salaatu was-Salaamu 'alaa Ashrafil-Anbiyaa.e wal-Mursaleen, wa ba'd:

Once again, the time has come for the ritual celebration of the Prophet's (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) birthday, more commonly known as 'Eed Milaad an-Nabee.

We have therefore gone as far as publishing at least 7 to 8 fataawa outlining the prohibition of 'Eed Milaad an-Nabee; Keeping in mind that the strength of Fatwa-Online lies in publishing fataawa and statements from only the major scholars of the Muslim world, both living and dead.

Our intention is merely to drive home the point as to the prohibition of this innovation and to encourage its cessation, inshaa.-Allaah.

It therefore saddens us when we continue to see many Muslims who are ignorant of the basic obligations of their religion, yet they excel in outdoing themselves and others in this innovated celebration in the name of their "love" for the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam).

Our sadness was struck a severe blow when a certain individual from South Africa who promotes himself as a "mufti" incorrectly wrote to us in this regard as follows:

((To gather on the night of Meraj, Shabe Baraat etc. is Mubaah (permissible). The general principle of Mubaah is one should not regard the act as compulsory and should not reproach people who do not participate in the Mubaah act))

He further went on to say:

((In principle everything is Mubaah until there is a Daleel [evidence] of Hurmat [prohibition]))

Our response to this final statement of his, and the likes of him who claim to follow the Qur.aan and Sunnah as understood by the noble Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahima-hullaah) is:

From the fundamentals of Usool al-Fiqh is that with respect to 'ibaadah (worship), everything is impermissible until evidence exists to establish its permissibilty. So, if I am overjoyed today and wish to exceed in my worship of Allaah and pray 4 raka'aat for the Salaat al-Maghrib instead of the obligatory 3, then this would be impermisisble and unacceptable. In short I would have to repeat my prayer and conform to the required 3 raka'aat only.

Further, with respect to our worldly affairs, everything is permissible until evidence exists to establish its impermissibility. So we know alcohol is impermissible because its prohibiton occurs both in the Qur.aan as well as the Sunnah. Likewise, the case is the same with pig meat. Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) has given us the basic rule in the Qur.aan where He says:

{Lawful unto you are at-tayyibaat [the good things]}, [Soorah al-Maa.idah, Aayah 4]

{Permisisble for them are at-tayyibaat [the good things], and prohibited for them are al-khabaa.ith [the evil things]}, [Soorah al-A'raaf, Aayah 157]

{Eat of the good things with which We have provided you}, [Soorah al-A'raaf, Aayah 160]

The full explanation of these verses occurs in the Sunnah of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam).

Therefore, unless mention has been made of specific items (with respect to our worldly affairs), then everything is permisisble. However, if any doubt still exists, then Allaah has commanded us as follows:

{Then ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know}, [Soorah an-Nahl, Aayah 43 and Soorah al-Anbiyaa., Aayah 7].

Considering the celebration of the Prophet's (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) brithday entails an increase in worship in terms of sending salutations upon him and the like of these acts, then clearly, from what has preceded, this whole affair would be classified as an innovation.

In addition, the noble Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahima-hullaah) never celebrated the Prophet's (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) birthday, as he said:

((Adhere to the athar (narration) and the tareeqah (way) of the early generations and beware of newly invented matters for all of it is innovation)), [Reported by As-Suyootee in Sawn al Mantaq wal-Kalaam - Page 32].

So our advice remains the same, and that is not to pollute the religion of Islaam with innovations. If you truly love the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam), then do as he has commanded. The following fatwa deals with this important issue succinctly:

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (rahima-hullaah) was asked [Fataawa Noorun 'alad-Darb - Volume 2, Page 522, Question 414]: How can one actualise (their) love for the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam)?

The noble Shaykh responded: Love of the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) and love of Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) is actualised by following the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam), and everyone who follows the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) is more eligible for the love of Allaah and the love of His Messenger. Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) says:

{Say: "If you (really) love Allaah then follow me (Muhammad), Allaah will love you}, [Soorah Aal-'Imraan, Aayah 31].

And the sign of the love of the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) is that a person inquires about his Sunnah and then follows it and does not add nor take anything away from that. Based upon this, then those who innovate in anything related to the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) and state that this is from their love and honouring of him (the Prophet) then in reality they do not love him and nor honour him. And that is because true love and honouring of him is to follow his sayings and not to add to his Sharee'ah and nor to take away from it.

And indeed whoever desires to innovate in the Sharee'ah of Allaah that which is not from it, then his love of Allaah and His Messenger is limited without doubt, because completeness of manners and honouring is not to extend oneself before Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) said:

{O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) forward before Allaah and His Messenger, and fear Allaah. Verily! Allaah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not}, [Soorah al-Hujuraat, Aayah's 1 and 2].

...........

We ask Allaah to grant the Ummah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) proper understanding of Islaam as understood and practiced by the best of generations, namely the companions of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam), then those who followed them from the at-taabi'oon, and those who followed them from the atbaa' at-taabi'een, as occurs in the authentic hadeeth:

((The best of my Ummah is my generation, then the generation that follows them [at-taabi'oon], then the generation that follows them [atbaa at-taabi'een]...))

...aameen.

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