It’s that time of year when the Nasibis come to life and remind Muslims worldwide that celebrating the Mawlid of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) is a Bid’ah (innovation in religion) and Shirk.
While they claim (one of the contentions) that it is a Christian custom to celebrate their Prophet’s birthday, they argue that Muslims should avoid imitating them. It’s another matter that the land of the two holiest sanctuaries in Islam now hosts lavish Halloween parties and obscene music concerts without a squeak from the clerics.
Anyway, from a historical perspective, their opinions ring hollow and it is only a feeble attempt to distance the Islamic nation from the mercy and blessings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), who incidentally was sent as a mercy for the entire universe.
Celebrating the blessed Mawlid with joy and festivity is a legitimate act as this celebration expresses love for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) and revives his memory. The observance of his birth by remembering his qualities, virtues, perfections, and greatness, and by rejoicing on the day of his birth, is among the most significant ways to express this love. It may also fall under the category of glorifying the ‘Sha’er Allah’, as Allah says in the Holy Quran:
وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ
‘To respect the symbols of Allah is the sign of a pious heart.’
Reference: Surah Hajj (22), verse:32.
There is enough historical evidence to prove the legitimacy of celebrating the Prophet’s (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) birthday. There is a hadith narrated by Muslim (3/168) that Abu Qatadah Al Ansari reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said, “…It was the day on which I was born. on which I was commissioned with prophethood or revelation was sent to me…”
Reference: Muslim, Book 13, Hadith 253
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.”
*Note: This is not a Shia belief.
Reference: Bukhari, Book 67, Hadith 39
Ibn Hajar commented on this narration in his explanation, saying: ‘Al-Suhayli mentioned that Abbas said: When Abu Lahab died, I saw him in a dream after a year in a bad state. He said, ‘I have not found any relief except that the punishment is lessened for me every Monday.’ He said, ‘That is because the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), was born on Monday, and Thuwaybah had given Abu Lahab the good news of his birth, so he freed her.’
Reference: Fath al-Bari of Ibn Hajar, volume 9, page 145
We also find in the books of Ahle Tassanun that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) used to go every new year or holiday to renew his covenant with the martyrs of Uhud in Jannatul Baqi’ and visit them and pray for them, as narrated by Abd al-Razzaq in his Musannaf 3/574, and al-Tabari in his Tafsir 13/187, and al-‘Aini in ‘Umdah al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari 8/70, and Ibn Shabbah (d. 262) in Tarikh al-Madinah 1/132, and al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, and al-Suyuti in their Tafsirs.
They said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) used to come to the graves of the martyrs at the beginning of the year and say, ‘Peace be upon you for your patience, and excellent is the final abode.’ The narrator said: ‘Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman used to do the same.’”
Reference: Kitab al-Musannaf of Abd al-Razzaq, volume 3, page 573, Hadith 6716
It’s evidently clear from these narrations that have been reported in authentic historical works that celebrating the Mawlid of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) is not a Bida’h as claimed by the Nasibis. On the contrary, it is an opportunity to earn special rewards from the Almighty.