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 ﷺ birthday, more commonly known as ‘Eed Milaad an-Nabee (12 Rabee’ al-Awwal [Thursday 21 April 2005]).
We have therefore gone as far as publishing 9 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, in shaa.-Allaah.
Considering the celebration of the Prophet’s ﷺ brithday entails an increase in worship in terms of sending salutations upon him and the like of these acts, then clearly this whole affair would be classified as an innovation.
In addition, the noble Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahima-hullaah) never celebrated the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday, as he said:
So our advice remains the same, and that is not to pollute the religion of Islaam with innovations. If you truly love the Prophet ﷺ, 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 ﷺ?
The noble Shaykh responded: Love of the Messenger ﷺ and love of Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) is actualised by following the Messenger ﷺ, and everyone who follows the Messenger ﷺ is more eligible for the love of Allaah and the love of His Messenger. Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says:
And the sign of the love of the Messenger ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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:
We ask Allaah to grant the Ummah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ proper understanding of Islaam as understood and practiced by the best of generations, namely the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, 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:
…aameen.
