3. The Claim that the Prophet Celebrated His Birthday

This is from the far-fetched claims wherein the text says one thing and the deduction made from the text is something else altogether and is nowhere to be found in the text all. It is claimed that the Prophet () venerated his own birthday by fasting on the day he was born. Muslim reports in his Ṣaḥīh that the Prophet was asked about his fasting on Mondays and he replied, "It was the day I was born and it was the day on which revelation came to me."102 The argument is that fasting is a means of celebration. The answer to this is from numerous angles. Firstly, the Prophet () did not fast on the 12th of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, the alleged date of his birth, but he fasted every Monday.

Hence, to apply this text to the 12th Rabīʿ al-Awwal is to criticize the action of the Prophet (). in light of what follows. Secondly, the Prophet never singled out Monday for fasting, he would also fast on Thursdays, giving the reason that "The good deeds are presented on Mondays and Thursdays and I love that my action is presented whilst I am fasting."103 Hence, there are additional combined reasons for fasting on Monday (the Qurʾān being revealed, presentation of good deeds) and it is not unique to one affair exclusive to another. Thirdly, the Prophet did not add to his fast on Mondays that which is found with the Innovators who oppose his command and engage in parties, celebrations, free-mixing, singing and dancing. Fourthly, and this ends the matter decisively, it is unlawful to fast on the days of ʿĪd. Both al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate from Abu ʿUbayd the mawlā of Ibn Azhar The Messenger of Allāh () prohibited fasting on these two days, the day of Fiṭr after your fasting and on the other day [of ʿĪd] you eat who said, "The Prophet () forbade fasting on the day of Fiṭr and 102 103 Reported by al-Tirmidhī (no. 747). 104 Reported by al-Bukhārī (no. 1990) and Muslim (1137). bidah.com  page 76 the [day] of slaughter."105 In light of this, if it is prohibited to fast on a day of ʿĪd, then this excludes the Prophet's fast on Mondays as being a means of celebrating his birthday - after we have already explained that he fasted every Monday and not the 12th Rabīʿ al-Awwal which proves that singling out his birth date was not the intent.

Also, if one was truly acting upon this ḥadīth, he would do the same as what the Prophet did, which is to fast every Monday. When they do not do this, it is a proof that they are lying in their use of this ḥadīth and are twisting and distorting the action of the Prophet in order to do what neither he nor his in order to make fools out of the Sunnī Muslims in their wider agenda of 4. Argument Through Remembering the Prophet and His Teachings, Giving Charity and other Deeds of Goodness The argument is that in the mawlid celebration the Prophet's () biography and his teachings are remembered. This is in fact from the greatest of disrepect to the Prophet () in that a day is needed to remind a person about the Prophet () in which he and others can sing, dance and recite poetry106 so that his heart can be stirred. It means that the Prophet () has otherwise been forgotten and parties and celebrations are needed to revive remembrance of the Prophet () just like the disbelievers have Mother's Day and Father's Day.

This is from the greatest of disrepect and sidelining of the Prophet from the lives of the people. Rather, in the perfect Sharīʿah of Islām lies the greatest of remembrance and respect of the Prophet and which suffice a Muslim. There is no Muslim who prays five times a day except that he mentions 105 Reported by al-Bukhārī (no. 1991) and Muslim (827). 106 Most of which contains such exaggerations that the Prophet () would be harmed by it. bidah.com  page 77 lofty station (al-maqām al-maḥmūd) which is the permission to intercede on the Day of Judgement, then in the prayer he sends salām upon the Prophet and asks for mercy and blessings upon him and then asks for ṣalāt upon the Prophet (). A Muslim who establishes the prayer does this 1800 times a year at least - just on account of the prayer alone. Then there are many other instances in which sending ṣalāt and salām upon the Messenger () is legislated and one can refer to the excellent book by the Salafī Scholar, Ibn al-Qayyim, "Jalā al-Afhām Fī Faḍl al-Ṣalāt wal-Salām ʿalā Muḥammad Khayr al-Anām"107 in this topic.

In the third chapter of this book, Ibn al-Qayyim outlines forty-one (41) situations in which it is legislated either by obligation or commendation for a person to send ṣalāt upon the Messenger of Allāh (). Those who accuse the ones who correctly state that celebrating the mawlid is a bidʿah of hating the Prophet () are indeed liars. On the contrary, those who honour and respect the Prophet by following his Sunnah are the greatest of lovers of the Prophet (), they are those who remember him the most and are not in need of yearly parties and celebrations for their hearts to be stirred with love. The Sunnah can be observed from them, in their appearance, in their worship and thus the Prophet () is in their lives, on a daily basis. Indeed the Prophet () is only forgotten amongst a people who do not venerate His Sunnah and who do not restrict themselves to it.

You will not find the Sunnah in their homes, in their children, in their worship. In fact, you the Sunan in their homes, but you will often find the books of the Ṣūfīs with fabrications, exaggerations, distortions and fairy-tale stories all of which provide the lure of cheap and easy salvation and save a person from the hardship and toil of following the Sunnah and implementing it in one's home, in one's appearance, upon one's children and in one's worship and behaviour! 107 Refer to Jalāʾ al-Afhām (Dār ʿĀlam al-Fawāʾid, pp. 380-520) bidah.com  page 78 As for the other affairs mentioned: Reading and studying his biography should be part of the curriculum in all Muslim schools and institutions starting from an early age right through to university. As for reciting the Qurʾān, then there ought to be no day except that a Muslim recites his share of the Qurʾān. As for feeding others, it is from charity and acts of charity are done on every day of the year through whatever means each person has at his disposable. Thus, it is from miserliness that Muslims specify a day just for the Prophet () to be remembered and it is an evil type of position to take with respect to the Prophet ().