By: Maulana Abul Hasan Mubashir Ahmed Rabbani
Question:
Some people justify Eid Milad-un-Nabi using certain verses from the Quran. How accurate is their effort? Please clarify.
Answer:
Muslims are required to rejoice in the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) mission, migration, preaching, jihad, compassion for the ummah, and other aspects of his life. This joy should not be limited to just one day or night of the year, but rather should be present at all times, in every situation. It is excessive for us, as Muslims, to celebrate only one day a year, while the rest of the year we neither remember the sayings and actions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) nor see his exemplary character in our lives. Instead, every aspect of our lives becomes a reflection of the customs of Jews, Christians, and Hindus, and we observe only one day in the name of the Prophet (peace be upon him), resembling the practices of non-Muslim nations, which goes against the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
✿ Quranic Verse:
"Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy, in that let them rejoice."
[Yunus: 10:58]
↰ Using the phrase "let them rejoice" to justify celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is actually a distortion of the Quran. In which lexicon does "let them rejoice" mean celebrating? Tell us which interpreter or translator has written that it means to organize processions, dance, play music, decorate vehicles, create a dome resembling the Green Dome, roam around on camels, and sing polytheistic songs?
↰ Sayyidna Abu Saeed Khudri, Sayyidna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), Hilal bin Sayyaf, Qatadah, Zayd bin Aslam, Al-Dahhak, and others have interpreted this "bounty and mercy" as referring to Islam and the Quran, supported by the preceding verse. Imam Ibn Jarir, Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam Baghawi, Imam Qurtubi, Ibn Arabi, and many other commentators have made the same interpretation. None of the interpretations from the scholars suggest that this mercy refers to the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is clear that the true mercy for the people is the mission and prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
✿ Allah's Command:
"And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds."
[Al-Anbiya: 21:107]
↰ This verse explicitly states that the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood is a mercy to the worlds. Furthermore, in a hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim, Sayyidna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked to curse the polytheists, he replied:
"I was not sent as a curser, but I was sent as a mercy."
[Muslim, Book of Righteousness, Keeping Good Relations with Relatives: Prohibition of Cursing Animals and Others 2599]
↰ Both this verse and the hadith clearly establish that the mercy to the worlds is the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) mission. The argument made from the narration in Sahih Bukhari is also invalid. The first reason is that the belief of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah is that Islam is established only through revelation, and the matter mentioned in the Bukhari narration is a dream. It is not the dream of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which is considered revelation, but rather the dream of Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), which occurred before he accepted Islam. How can a religion be established from the dream of a disbeliever, and narrated while still in disbelief? The second reason is that a disbeliever does not receive a reward for his good deeds after death.
✿ Allah's Command:
"And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed." [Al-Furqan: 25:23]
✿ Another verse states:
"Those are the ones who disbelieved in the signs of their Lord and in the meeting with Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any weight."
↰ Even if Abu Lahab rejoiced at the news of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) birth, it was a natural happiness, as everyone feels joy at the birth of a relative's child. Joy that is not for Allah's sake does not earn any reward. Also, did he celebrate every year, or was it only once? The Quran clearly states that there will be no reduction in the punishment for disbelievers.
✿ Allah's Command:
"But those who disbelieved will have the fire of Hell; death is not decreed for them so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We recompense every ungrateful one. And they will cry out therein, 'Our Lord, remove us; we will do righteousness other than what we were doing.' [But it will be said], 'Did We not grant you life long enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste [the punishment], for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper.'"
[Fatir: 35:36]
✿ Another verse states:
"Indeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally. It will not be lightened for them, and they will be, therein, in despair."
[Az-Zukhruf: 43:74]
↰ If someone truly believes that these evidences establish the legal ruling to rejoice and celebrate the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), then why did the leader of the Prophets and his over one hundred thousand Companions not understand this? If they understood it, why did they not celebrate it? Moreover, the narration says that Abu Lahab said, "I suck water from my finger." The finger is part of his hands, and Allah has said in the Quran:
"May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he."
[Al-Masad: 111:1]
↰ This Quranic verse contradicts Abu Lahab's statement. Should we accept Abu Lahab’s claim or the Quran? Decide and remember! Rejoicing in the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) does not mean incorporating practices into Islam that have no relevance to it, as that would imply the Prophet (peace be upon him) betrayed the mission of delivering the religion (Allah forbid).
↰ Instead, true rejoicing means firmly adhering to the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) without adding anything to it, and sincerely accepting the commands of Islam. This is the true expression of love, obedience, and following of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Question:
Some people justify Eid Milad-un-Nabi using certain verses from the Quran. How accurate is their effort? Please clarify.
Answer:
Muslims are required to rejoice in the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) mission, migration, preaching, jihad, compassion for the ummah, and other aspects of his life. This joy should not be limited to just one day or night of the year, but rather should be present at all times, in every situation. It is excessive for us, as Muslims, to celebrate only one day a year, while the rest of the year we neither remember the sayings and actions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) nor see his exemplary character in our lives. Instead, every aspect of our lives becomes a reflection of the customs of Jews, Christians, and Hindus, and we observe only one day in the name of the Prophet (peace be upon him), resembling the practices of non-Muslim nations, which goes against the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
✿ Quranic Verse:
قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّـهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا
"Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy, in that let them rejoice."
[Yunus: 10:58]
↰ Using the phrase "let them rejoice" to justify celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is actually a distortion of the Quran. In which lexicon does "let them rejoice" mean celebrating? Tell us which interpreter or translator has written that it means to organize processions, dance, play music, decorate vehicles, create a dome resembling the Green Dome, roam around on camels, and sing polytheistic songs?
↰ Sayyidna Abu Saeed Khudri, Sayyidna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), Hilal bin Sayyaf, Qatadah, Zayd bin Aslam, Al-Dahhak, and others have interpreted this "bounty and mercy" as referring to Islam and the Quran, supported by the preceding verse. Imam Ibn Jarir, Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam Baghawi, Imam Qurtubi, Ibn Arabi, and many other commentators have made the same interpretation. None of the interpretations from the scholars suggest that this mercy refers to the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is clear that the true mercy for the people is the mission and prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
✿ Allah's Command:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ
"And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds."
[Al-Anbiya: 21:107]
↰ This verse explicitly states that the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood is a mercy to the worlds. Furthermore, in a hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim, Sayyidna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked to curse the polytheists, he replied:
"I was not sent as a curser, but I was sent as a mercy."
[Muslim, Book of Righteousness, Keeping Good Relations with Relatives: Prohibition of Cursing Animals and Others 2599]
↰ Both this verse and the hadith clearly establish that the mercy to the worlds is the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) mission. The argument made from the narration in Sahih Bukhari is also invalid. The first reason is that the belief of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah is that Islam is established only through revelation, and the matter mentioned in the Bukhari narration is a dream. It is not the dream of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which is considered revelation, but rather the dream of Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), which occurred before he accepted Islam. How can a religion be established from the dream of a disbeliever, and narrated while still in disbelief? The second reason is that a disbeliever does not receive a reward for his good deeds after death.
✿ Allah's Command:
وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًا
"And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed." [Al-Furqan: 25:23]
✿ Another verse states:
أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا
"Those are the ones who disbelieved in the signs of their Lord and in the meeting with Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any weight."
↰ Even if Abu Lahab rejoiced at the news of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) birth, it was a natural happiness, as everyone feels joy at the birth of a relative's child. Joy that is not for Allah's sake does not earn any reward. Also, did he celebrate every year, or was it only once? The Quran clearly states that there will be no reduction in the punishment for disbelievers.
✿ Allah's Command:
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَهُمْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُوا وَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ مِنْ عَذَابِهَا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي كُلَّ كَفُورٍ ٭ وَهُمْ يَصْطَرِخُونَ فِيهَا رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُمْ مَا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَنْ تَذَكَّرَ وَجَاءَكُمُ النَّذِيرُ فَذُوقُوا فَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ نَصِيرٍ
"But those who disbelieved will have the fire of Hell; death is not decreed for them so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We recompense every ungrateful one. And they will cry out therein, 'Our Lord, remove us; we will do righteousness other than what we were doing.' [But it will be said], 'Did We not grant you life long enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste [the punishment], for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper.'"
[Fatir: 35:36]
✿ Another verse states:
إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ * لَا يُفَتَّرُ عَنْهُمْ وَهُمْ فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ
"Indeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally. It will not be lightened for them, and they will be, therein, in despair."
[Az-Zukhruf: 43:74]
↰ If someone truly believes that these evidences establish the legal ruling to rejoice and celebrate the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), then why did the leader of the Prophets and his over one hundred thousand Companions not understand this? If they understood it, why did they not celebrate it? Moreover, the narration says that Abu Lahab said, "I suck water from my finger." The finger is part of his hands, and Allah has said in the Quran:
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
"May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he."
[Al-Masad: 111:1]
↰ This Quranic verse contradicts Abu Lahab's statement. Should we accept Abu Lahab’s claim or the Quran? Decide and remember! Rejoicing in the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) does not mean incorporating practices into Islam that have no relevance to it, as that would imply the Prophet (peace be upon him) betrayed the mission of delivering the religion (Allah forbid).
↰ Instead, true rejoicing means firmly adhering to the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) without adding anything to it, and sincerely accepting the commands of Islam. This is the true expression of love, obedience, and following of the Prophet (peace be upon him).