Eid milad un Nabi
ميلاد النبي صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم
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Every nation remembers birth or death of their guide/leader and arranges public meetings / gatherings so that successive generations of their people become aware of their leader and benefit from his life, personal traits and achievements. Such occasions help people in many ways, particularly in doing good deeds and remain united.
People also celebrate and remember important events of their history and show happiness and pride for their past achievements. The annual pilgrimage of Hajj is also a remembrance and celebration for all Muslims of the world who gather at Makka al-Mukarrama, Muna, Arafat and Madina al-Munawwara and show their solidarity towards Islam.
Quran and Ahadith are full of the remembrance of the births of Prophets like Adam ( علیھ السلا م ), Moses ( علیھ السلا م ), Jesus ( علیھ السلا م ), Yahiya ( علیھ السلا م ), etc.
Similarly, we have been commanded by Quran and Ahadith to celebrate Miladun Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم).
It is in Quran - اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَاءَ (Meaning - Remember and express with gratitude the gracefulness of Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) that He sent Prophets among you (Al-Maa'ida - 20).
In the above Quranic verses Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) has commanded people to celebrate the births of Prophets who were sent for the guidance of their nations. Therefore, the celebration of the birth of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), as a show of gratitude and happiness towards Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) is mandatory by the whole world as he was sent as mercy for all the worlds in this Cosmos.
It is in Quran - وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ [ Meaning - We have not sent you (O'Prophet - صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) except for the mercy on all the worlds] (Al-Anbiya-107).
It is in Quran - قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا [Meaning - Say O'Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) for Allah's (سبحانہ و تعا لی) mercy and beneficence (O'believers) you celebrate the happiness. (Younus -58)
It is in Quran - وَسَلَامٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا ( Meaning - And Salaam is on Him the day when he was born and the day when he will die and the day when he will be raised alive." (Al-Maryam - 15).
In the above verse, Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) has mentioned the complete Milad of Prophet Yahya ( علیھ السلا م ).
It is in Hadith, narrated by Hazrat Ibn Abbas (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) that when Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) heard from Jews that the day of Aashoora (the tenth day of Moharram) is the day of 'deliverance of Moses (علیھ السلا م )' (Najat-e-Moosa - علیھ السلا م from Fir'awn), he said "Nahnu ahaqqu bi-Moosa minkum" (Meaning - In comparison with Jews, we Muslims deserve Moses (علیھ السلا م) more. Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) kept fast on that day and asked others to follow'. (Bukhari)
The above Hadith confirms that we must also celebrate the salvation of the entire world (Najaat-e-Insaani) because Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) was sent down as Rahmatul lil Aalameen.
The above Hadith shows that keeping fast was the way Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) used to celebrate the birth days of Prophets.
Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) celebrated his own Milad by having fast every Monday - the day of his birth.
It is in Hadith - Waliuddin wrote this narration with reference to Sahee Muslim. When Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) was asked about his fasts on Mondays, he said "I was born and the Qur'an was revealed to me on this day." [Mishkat - Page 179]
It is in Hadith that when the slave girl of Abu Lahab gave the good news of Prophet's (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) birth to him, he freed her with the gesture of his right finger. Therefore, every Monday night the torment (Azaab) to him is reduced to a certain extent".
It is in Hadith - "Ala bizkris saliheena tanzilul barakatuh" (Meaning - Yes, the remembrance of virtuous people brings abundance of good (barakah) from Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی). Therefore special remembrance of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) on his Milad day brings abundance of virtue from Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی).
It is in Hadith - Abul Khattab Umro Bin Wahia Kalbi (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) has narrated this Hadith in his book 'At tanweer fi Mauludil basheer an-nazeer'. Also, Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti has narrated this Hadith in his book "Siblul Huda fi Mauludil Mustafa (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) " that Hazrat Abu Darda (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) narrates that "I went to the house of Aamer Ansari (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) along with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). Hazrat Abu Aamer (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) was narrating the events of the birth of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) to a gathering of his relatives and children and was repeating; "this was the day and this was the day". The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said, O'Aba Amer(رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ), Allah (سبحانہ و تعا لی) has opened the doors of His mercy (Rahmah) for you and the angels are praying for your absolution (Maghfirah). Whoever does this act of yours, he would also get the Salvation like yours".
The above Hadith confirms the following.
- Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) has declared that whoever celebrates his (Prophet's - صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) birth day will get salvation on the Day of Judgment.
- Whoever celebrates the birthday of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), the doors of Allah's (سبحانہ و تعا لی) mercy are opened for him.
- Whoever celebrates the birthday of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), the angels pray for his absolution (Maghfirah).
It is in Hadith - Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) said that "one day at my home I had gathered people and was describing about the birth of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and the people were feeling over joyous and were invoking the praise of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) (meaning - reading Durood-e-Sharif) and Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) himself came to our gathering and said "My intercession (hallat lakum Shafa'a) for you has become legitimized.
The above Hadith is narrated by (i) Imam Suyuti in his book "Siblul Huda", (ii) Ahmad Bin Hujr Al-Makki (the famous Jurist of Shafi'i school of thought) in his book "Maulud al-Kabeer", and (iii) Abul Qasim Mohammad Ibn Osman in his book "Addurul Munazzam".
Ibn Taymiyyah in his book "Majma' Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya", Vol. 23, p. 163 and his book "Iqtida' al-sirat al-mustaqim", p. 294-295 wrote as follows.
QUOTE "To celebrate and to honor the birth of the Prophet(صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and to take it as an honored season is good and in it there is a great reward, because of their good intentions in honoring the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم)."UNQUOTE
Ibn Taymiyyah in his book "Necessity of the Right Path", p. 266, 5th line from the bottom of that page, published by Dar Al-Hadith, has written the following :
QUOTE - "As far as what people do during the Milad, either as a rival celebration to that which the Christian do during the time of Christ's birthday or as an expression of their love and admiration and a sign of praise for the Noble Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), the angels pray for their absolution (Allah Almighty will surely reward them for such Ij'tiha)" UNQUOTE.
The above Quranic verses, Ahadith and quotes confirm that arranging peoples' gatherings, describing events of Prophet's (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) birth and showing happiness and greeting each other on the birth day of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) is Sunnah and practice of Sahabah.
Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) has confirmed that those who arrange nativity gatherings on his birth day, his (Prophet Mohammad's - صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) intercession for them becomes legitimized.
There are no limitations on showing happiness during the celebration of the birth day of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). Muslims all over the world have different customs in celebrating Eids and important national/Islamic occasions. Muslims can wear new clothes, lighten their homes and mosques, distribute sweets, greet each other in their traditional styles, take out Milad processions, arrange gathering of people, feed people, conduct Sama, Salam, Durood Mehfils and inform people about the Seerah of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). No bars, anything can be done to show your love of Prophet Mohammad(صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم)within the ambiance of Sharia.
Salafis and their like minded groups confuse innocent Muslims about the Birth Day celebrations of Prophet Mohammad(صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم).
When you question them about the legitimacy of their self concocted beliefs, they try to confuse you by their lengthy explanations. They cannot deny the birth day celebrations of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) as it is proved by Quran and Ahadith; therefore, they try to confuse innocent Muslims by their unfounded explanations.
Whenever a person talks of praise of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) or any happiness related with him, his family or Sahabah, a sea change of disrespect appear on the faces of Salafis and the like minded groups. They are displeased to hear anything in praise of Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). They spend their life times in research to degrade the status of prophets, particularly the status of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) in order to equate him with sinful human beings. They try to prove the Ahadith narrated in praise of prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) as Da'eef and make all out effort to downgrade his importance in religious issues. But when the mention of founders of their sects comes, they start showering all possible respects for them. This shows their hidden rebellion and hatred towards Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). They run away even from the thought of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم).
This attitude is similar to the attitude of Munafiqun (hypocrites) of the time of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم).