Q. Please advise. Is the practice of celebrating the birthday-Maulood of Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) a Bid’ah as I was taught in Madrasah? Can you please tell me what the correct Shariah ruling is? A. What you were taught as a child is correct. Celebrating the birthday of Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is an innovation and a bid’ah in Islam.
Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) instructed us with many injunctions pertaining to his noble self. He instructed us to recite Durood and Salaam upon him. He condoned praises of him and poems said in praise of him. He permitted the keeping of his hair and other personal items for the sake of barkat or blessing. In spite of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) encouraging and allowing his Ummah a number of deeds related to his honourable and blessed self, yet he did not mention anything about celebrating his birthday. This should be adequate testament to Meelaadun Nabi being a bid’ah.
Then, his close and dear companions, the Noble Sahaabah who were his true devotees never ever celebrated his birthday. Only centuries down the corridor of Islam the bid’ah of meelaad was inaugurated. Those who celebrate and advocate this bid’ah wish to supersede all the pious predecessors and, in fact, wish to supersede the teachings of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) himself. We ask Allah Ta’ala protection from the evil of bid’aat in the Deen. It is tantamount to declaring that the Deen was left incomplete by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and hence the need for meelaad and the other concomitant futilities and absurdities associated with it.
