Shariah ruling about celebrating the Milad of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

Fifty-five days after the incident of Abraha, in the city of Makkah, on the 12th of Rab’ee ul Awwal, which corresponds to the 20th of April, at the crack of dawn, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) arrived in this world.  His radiance illuminated the world for posterity and happiness descended over the world.

 

The animals of jungle congratulated each other on His birth.  For 3 days the Ka’aba kept swaying in ecstasy.

 

Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib (May Allah be well pleased with him) saw it.  On that day, there was a special radiance in this world.  There was a surge of happiness everywhere.  On that day, the angels were ordered to open all the doors of the skies and the heavens and to gather on the earth.  All the devils were imprisoned.  All the idols fell flat on their faces.  The holy fire of Persia got extinguished.  An earthquake shook the palaces of the Khosrau.  A river called “Saawa” suddenly dried up.  (Khasais Kubra, Vol 1, Pg No: 47)

 

This is a part of the arrangements made by Allah Most High for the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 

Proof from the Holy Quran

 

The birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is the greatest bounty of Allah Most High for the whole world.  Allah Most High says:

 

Say: “In the Bounty of Allah and in His Mercy― in that let them rejoice”: that is better than the (wealth) they hoard.  Surah Yunus (10:58)

 

To celebrate and express one’s happiness on this great bounty of Allah Most High is but natural.  The person who celebrates Milad and expresses happiness on the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is given great reward by Allah Most High.

 

Proof from Hadith

 

The following Hadith is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari and many other books of Hadith with a slight change in wording.  Some Hadith are brief and some are detailed.  The Hadith in Sahih Bukhari is:

 

Translation:  Hadhrat ‘Urwah says: Thuwayba was the slave of Abu Lahab.  Abu Lahab had set her free to nurse the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  After Abu Lahab died, some of his family members saw him in a dream in the worst possible state.  He was asked: What did you get?  Abu Lahab said: After separating from you, I never got any peace, but only because of setting Thuwayba free, I am refreshed through this (his finger).  (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab Un Nikah, Vol. 2, Pg No. 764)

 

In the explanation/commentary of this Hadith the Imams, Hadhrat Allama Badruddin ‘Aini and Imam Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani, narrate other lengthy versions of this Hadith on the authority of other books.  Here we present what our Imam, Hadhrat Badruddin ‘Aini Hanafi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him), writes in his famous commentary on Sahih Bukhari, ‘Umdatul Qari, Vol. 14, Pg No. 45:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) says: I saw Abu Lahab in a dream 1 year after his death.  I saw him in the worst possible state.  He said: I didn’t get any relief after I separated from you.  However every Monday, my punishment is lightened.  Hadhrat Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) says: That is because the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was born on this day and Thuwayba had given this good news to Abu Lahab and he had set her free.  (‘Umdatul Qari, Vol. 14, Pg No. 45)

 

With a slight change in wording, this Hadith is present in the following books of Hadith:

 

Sunan Kubra, Hadith No: 14297

 

Musannaf Abdur Razzaq, Vol. 7, Hadith No: 13456

 

Jame’ Ul Ahadith Wal Maraseel, Hadith No: 43545

 

Kanz Ul Ummal, Hadith No: 15725

 

Among the pious predecessors and the scholars of the Ummah, Hafidh Shamsuddin Ibn Al Jazri and Hafidh Shamsuddin Bin Nasiruddin Dimashqi (May Allah shower His Mercy on them) have taken this Hadith as the proof of the celebration of Milad and expressing happiness on it.

 

Hafidh Shamsuddin Bin Nasiruddin Dimashqi says:

 

Translation: This Hadith is rigorously-authenticated that because of being happy and setting Thuwayba free, the punishment of Abu Lahab is reduced.  Then he writes some couplets:

 

Summary of the couplets: When this non-believer Abu Lahab, in whose condemnation the Surah “Tabbat Yada” was revealed and he is to live in Hell eternally, his punishment is reduced every Monday because of celebrating the Milad of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), then what do you think about that person who celebrated the Milad of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) for the whole life and died with Iman?

 

It is also mentioned in Sharh Mawaahib Ladunniya, Vol. 1, Pg No. 261 and Subul Ul Huda War Rashad, Vol. 1, Pg No. 367.

 

Celebrating the day of birth is established by the practices of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) himself.  There is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

 

Translation:  It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Qatadah Ansari (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was asked about the fast of Monday.  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: This is the day of my birth and the Holy Quran was revealed to me on this day.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No: 1978)

 

Excellence of spending in Rab’ee Ul Awwal

 

The month of Rab’ee Ul Awwal is the month of the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and Muslims spend free-handedly in this month.  There is a Hadith about spending in this month, which the great Imam Ibn Hajr Haithami recorded in his book: Muneef Un Ni’mah, Pg No. 817:

 

Translation:  Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (May Allah be well pleased with him) says: The person who spends 1 dirham in reciting the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), will be my friend in paradise.  Hadhrat Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) says: whoever spends 1 dirham in celebrating the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), will get the reward as if he (or she) had participated in the battles of Badr and Hunayn.

 

This shows that spending money in celebration of the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is a source of blessings.

 

The Companions would also talk about the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  There is a Hadith in Mustadrak ‘Alas Sahihain of Imam Hakim, Mo’jam Kabeer of Imam Tabarani and in Majma ‘Uz Zawaaid of Imam Haithami that Hadhrat Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) asked the Holy Prophet’s permission to praise and extol Him: I want to glorify and praise you.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: You praise me.  May Allah beautify your face.  Hadhrat Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) recited some couplets.  Some among them are:

 

When you were born,

 

The earth became illuminated and radiant

 

and with your Noor,

 

the very horizons were illuminated.

 

(Mo’jam Kabeer Tabarani, Hadith No. 4057; Mustadrak Alas Sahihain, Hadith No. 5426)

 

When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) listened to these couplets and blessed Hadhrat Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him), then these do not remain mere poetry and become the Shariah itself.

 

We should follow the rules of the Shariah in celebrating the blessed birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Feeding people, reciting Durud and Salaam and organizing celebrations are all permissible.