Milad Ul Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ و علیٰ آلہ و صحبہ وسلّم

Milad Ul Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ و علیٰ آلہ و صحبہ وسلّم

وَسَلٰمٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوْتُ وَيَوْمَ يُـبْعَثُ حَيًّا

So peace on him (Yahya Alaihissalam) the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)! [Surah Maryam, 15]

وَالسَّلٰمُ عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدْتُّ وَيَوْمَ اَمُوْتُ وَيَوْمَ اُبْعَثُ حَيًّا

So peace is on me (Eesa Alaihissalam) the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)! [Surah Maryam, 33]

This proves that the birthdays of Prophets (peace be upon them) are declared blessed days by Allah and Prophets themselves. It is for this reason that Prophets’ birthdays are very important and significant days.

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”.

Volume 7, Book 62, Number 38: (Sahih Bukhari)

Narrated ‘Ursa; Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahb whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, “What have you encountered?” Abu Lahb said, “I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba.”

Abu Lahab freed Thuwaiba on joy at birth of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam), even the worst of Kufaar and greatest of enemies is given relaxation in his Adhaab due to freeing Thawaiba by pointing with his finger, so Imagine the situation of a momin who rejoices on Mawlid, detailed explanation of this hadith shall be given in the last section of Verdicts from classical scholars.

This Hadith is also Mentioned in these words in with these chain of narrations:

Narrated Um Habiba: (daughter of Abu Sufyan) I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Marry my sister. the daughter of Abu Sufyan.” The Prophet said, “Do you like that?” I replied, “Yes, for even now I am not your only wife and I like that my sister should share the good with me.” The Prophet said, “But that is not lawful for me.” I said, We have heard that you want to marry the daughter of Abu Salama.” He said, “(You mean) the daughter of Um Salama?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Even if she were not my step-daughter, she would be unlawful for me to marry as she is my foster niece. I and Abu Salama were suckled by Thuwaiba. So you should not present to me your daughters or your sisters (in marriage).” Narrated ‘Urwa:Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahb whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, “What have you encountered?” Abu Lahb said, “I have not found any rest since I left you, except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba.”

This hadith is also recorded in these (Takhrij-Zarbehaq 1/11/2014 updated)

Masnad Ahmed : Hadith 25953 under the heading of لو كانت تحل لي لما تزوجتها قد أرضعتني وأباها ثويبة مولاة بني هاشم فلا تعرضن علي أخواتكن ولا بناتكن and again in Hadith 26865 with matan of

ابنة أخي من الرضاعة وأرضعتني وأبا سلمة ثويبة فلا تعرضن علي بناتكن ولا أخواتكن

Al-Sunnan Al Kubra (li Nisai): Hadith 5394/5395

Al Nisai’ al-Sughra : Hadith Nob 3287/3284/3285/3286

Sunnan Ibne Majah: Hadith 1939 Under the heading of ( ابنة أخي من الرضاعة أرضعتني وأباها ثويبة فلا تعرضن علي أخواتكن ولا بناتكن)

Sahih Muslim: Hadith Nob.1451(2634), 1451(2635) under the same matan

Sahih ibne Hibban: Hadith Nob, 4110 (4199), 4111(4200), the matan of hadith is إن زينب تحرم علي وإنها في حجري وأرضعتني وإياها ثويبة فلا تعرضن علي بناتكن ولا أخواتكن ولا عماتكن ولا خالاتكن ولا أمهاتكن

اطراف الحدیث

Sahih al Bukhari Sharif : 2644/2645/2646/3105/4796/5099/5100/5101/5103/5106/5107/5124/5133/5239/5372/6156/

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 very rare that a leader will ask his followers to celebrate his birth day? Did our grand father or father ever asked us to celebrate his birth day? It is the children or the grand children who show a lot of enthusiasm and make arrangements for the birth days of their father/mother or Grand parents. However, the parents or grand parents feel happy when their children or grand children show love and care for them. Celebration of one’s birthday is just a show of care, love. Where is Shirk in it?

In the following we have provided Ahadith when Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) happened to visit the places where people were celebrating his birth day (on his Milad day). He showed a lot of happiness on that gathering and also told them that they will get salvation in Hereafter for their act.

The kind of Milad-un-Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) celebrations we see now-a-days have developed over a period of time. In the times of Sahabah, we find sketchy record if big celebrations were organized on Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) birth day. However, we do find individual, small gatherings about Miladun Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), as we have quoted in the following Ahadith in which Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) himself attended such gathering.

With time, our living styles change as many comforts of worldly living are made available to us by scientific and technological development. Today we have very tall buildings, which were not there in the times of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). We are traveling by Air planes, we have TV, Internet and many other things which were not there earlier. Similarly, celebration of Milad as we see today was done differently earlier. But, everyone, including Sahabah, Imams and all Muslims did show happiness on the day of birth of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and celebrated it as per the norms prevailing during their times.

If some one does not want to show happiness on this important occasion, giving absurd excuses, it shows that his claim of love of Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) is not real; it is only on his lips. Meaning, he belongs to the category of Munafiqoon.

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.

(1) 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.

(2) 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.

(3) 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. (see the scans in Scans library or in the end of this article)

Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (1817-1899) is the Grand Super Shaikh of most of the prominent Deobandi scholars (Akabir) like Rashid Gangohi, Qasim Nanotwi, Ya’qub Nanotwi, Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Mahmood-ul-Hasan, Husain Ahmad Tandvee, etc. etc. It is written in his books “Shama’em Imdadiyya” and “Haft Masala” that:

QUOTE “Miladun Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) is celebrated by everyone, including the Arab scholars of Haramain Ash-Sharifain. This is sufficient proof for us to celebrate Miladun Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). Also, how could someone say that the remembrance and narration about Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) is not appropriate? As far as I am concerned, I take part in Milaad functions; rather I consider it the source of Barakah and I also arrange Miladun Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) gatherings and functions every year and I feel a lot of satisfaction and happiness in doing so” UNQUOTE

(Imdadullah Muhajir Makki – Shama’em Imdadiyya – 87-88, and ‘Haft Masala’ – 9) Shahwaliullah

In further aHadith says: Abu Qatada al-Ansari narrates in Sahih Muslim, Kitab as-siyam, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about the fast of Monday, and he answered: “That is the day that I was born and that is the day I received prophethood .Dr Faiz Ahmad Chishti .