Sheikh Ibn Bayyah on Mawlid

Every now and again, you will hear the voice clamouring for the prohibition of the Prophet's birthday or mawlid celebration, denouncing it as one of the many blameworthy newly-innovated matters. I was told by a friend of mine that recently he had heard the Imam of our Wahhabi-funded mosque here in Edinburgh condemning the mawlid. It is very frustrating to witness all this bashing again and again crops up every year, as if Muslims have no other more fruitful things to do apart from discussing issues which our past scholars have already agreed to disagree.

According to the former minister of state of Kuwait, Sayyid Yusuf Hashim al-Rifa'i in an interview with the Kuwaiti daily al-Siyasa 29 RAbi' al-Akhir 1427/27 May 2006, a well-known Saudi mufti declares 'whoever celebrates mawlid is a mushrik'. That is the extreme this mawlid issue could lead one to. And I am sure not many people are aware of this extreme fatwa from one of the leading figures of the bigoted group of Wahhabis.

I am tired of presenting the arguments from both sides, but those who have spare time and wish to know more about this issue can look up the following links and find out yourself whose arguments are profound.

Against Mawlid:

-Sheikh Saleh ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan of Saudi (Arabic)

For Mawlid:

-Dr. Isa al-Mani al-Humayri of Dubai (English)

(Arabic version)

-Sheikh Gibril Haddad's rebuttal (English)

But of all, I, for one feel that another scholar and the teacher of Sheikh Hamzah Yusuf, Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah -- who is perhaps one of, if the not the most knowledgeable scholar on earth, according to some scholars, has done great service to Muslim Unity when giving his ruling, a reconcialitory one indeed, as follows:

"Indeed, whoever wants to celebrate the Prophet's (saw) birthday should celebrate it and avoid doing any action contrary to Islamic Law. In addition, this act should be done with an intention that it is not a sunna nor an obligatory act. If these conditions are observed, and one is careful not to contradict Islamic Law, out of sincere love for the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah upon him), then, Allah willing, there is nothing wrong with this action and this person will be rewarded. Commenting on this, the Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (May Allah have mercy upon him) said, "Indeed, such a person will be rewarded because of his intention." Likewise, for the one who shuns this celebration, seeking to cling to the sunna out of fear of falling into innovation, then this person will also be rewarded, Allah willing. It is important to note that this is not a big issue. Nor is it necessary to give it more attention then it deserves."

read more of his statement here.

If everyone follows Sheikh Bayyah's (may Allah preserve him) ruling, we won't waste time quarreling over petty issues, such as the mawlid again.