Articles

Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet`s Birthday
Author : Dr Noah Ali Salman
Date Added : 21-12-2015

Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet`s Birthday

 

On the twelfth of Rabi` al-Awal of each Hijri year, the Muslim World celebrates the birthday of Prophet Mohammad(PBUH). The General Iftaa` Department is pleased to congratulate the Muslim and Arab Nations on this happy occasion, and prays that at the same date of next year Allah would have favored them with peace, stability and honor.
We call on all Muslims in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to participate in this celebration to show their love and high regard to our Prophet Mohammad(PBUH), remembering his words: "None of you is a believer till I am dearer to him than his child, his father and the whole of mankind."{Agreed upon}.
On this happy occasion, Muslims gather to recite the Quran, read the biography of the Prophet(PBUH) and chant Madih to honor him as well as to rejoice at his birth(Mawlid). These acts are amongst the good practices referred to by the Prophet(PBUH) where he said," Whoever introduces a good practice that is followed after him, will have a reward for that and the equivalent of their reward, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest"{Muslim}.
The permissibility of celebrating this happy occasion is indicated by many pieces of evidence, some of these are:
First: Abu Qatadah Al-Ansari (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah (the 9th of the month of Dhul Hijjah). He replied, "Fasting on the day of Arafah is an expiation for the preceding year and the following year.” He was also asked about fasting on the day of Ashura (the 10th of the month of Muharram). He replied, “Fasting on the day of Ashura is an expiation for the preceding year.” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was also asked about fasting on Monday, and he replied, "This is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was sent (with the Message of Islam) and the day on which I received revelation." Related by Muslim. In this Hadith, the Prophet clarifies that he Fasted on Monday because it is his birthday which distinguishes that day from the rest of the days, and a Muslim should be keen on receiving as many rewards from Allah as possible during this blessed day.
Second: Allah, The Almighty, said, " and teach them to remember the Days of God."{Ibrahim/5}. i.e. teach them to remember the favors that Allah has bestowed upon them, as interpreted by Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Qotadah, and the Prophet`s birthday is undoubtedly the greatest favor that Allah has bestowed upon the whole World; therefore, celebrating it means complying with the commands of Allah by remembering His favors and blessings.
Third: Allah, The Almighty, said, "Say: "In the bounty of God. And in His Mercy,- in that let them rejoice": that is better than the (wealth) they hoard"{Younis/58}. Ibn Abbas said, "The bounty of Allah is knowledge and His mercy is Prophet Mohammad(PBUH)." Moreover, Allah, The Almighty, said, "
We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures."{Al-Anbiya`/107}. Therefore, celebrating the birthday of the master of all creatures(PBUH) is one aspect of the prescribed rejoice.
Fourth: When the Prophet (PBUH) came to Medina, he found (the Jews) fasting on the day of 'Ashura' (i.e. 10th of Muharram). They used to say: "This is a great day on which Allah saved Moses and drowned the folk of Pharaoh. Moses observed the fast on this day, as a sign of gratitude to Allah." The Prophet (PBUH) said, "I am closer to Moses than they." So, he observed the fast (on that day) and ordered the Muslims to fast on it."{Bukhari}. Therefore, thanking Allah, annually, for bestowing a favor or removing an affliction is permissible, and amongst the greatest blessings and favors on that day is the birth of Prophet Mohammad(PBUH).
We should remind ourselves and our Muslim brothers to follow our role model Prophet Mohammad(PBUH) in terms of his manners, words and deeds. Allah, The Almighty, said, "Verily there is for you a good example in the Messenger of God for whoever hopes for [the encounter with] God and the Last Day, and remembers God often."{Al-Ahzaab/21}.
We beseech Allah, The Almighty, to protect our country, favor it with peace and security along with the rest of the Muslim countries.

 

 

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on reciting aloud (*jahr*) in a silent (*sirriyyah*) prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Reciting aloud (jahr) in the Fajr prayer, in the first two rakʿahs of Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ, and reciting silently (isrār) in the Dhuhr and ʿAṣr prayers is a sunnah. If the worshipper recites aloud where silence is prescribed, or the reverse, his prayer is valid, although it is better to follow the sunnah, in imitation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “In every prayer there is recitation. What the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) let us hear, we let you hear, and what he concealed from us, we conceal from you. If you add nothing to Umm al-Qurʾān (al-Fātiḥah), it suffices, and if you add to it, it is better.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
Shaykh al-Islām Imam al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmūʿ (Vol.3/389): “The sunnah is to recite aloud in the two rakʿahs of Ṣubḥ (Fajr), Maghrib, and ʿIshāʾ, and in the Friday prayer, and to recite silently in Dhuhr, ʿAṣr, the third rakʿah of Maghrib, and the third and fourth of ʿIshāʾ. All of this is by the consensus of the Muslims, together with the mutually reinforcing authentic ḥadīths on the matter. This is the ruling for the imam. As for the individual worshipper (munfarid), it is sunnah for him to recite aloud according to us and according to the majority… If he recites aloud where silence is prescribed, or the reverse, his prayer is not invalidated, nor is there a prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) for it, but he has committed something disliked (makrūh).” And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on forgiving a tenant next month's rent, with the intention of counting it toward zakāh al-māl?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It does not fulfill the obligation to count the rent owed on a house, or a portion of it, in lieu of zakāh. Rather, it is necessary to first transfer ownership of the zakāh amount to the poor person directly; only afterward may he be asked to pay the rent [from that money].
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 112): "If someone gives [money] to a poor person, stipulating that the recipient return it to him in payment of a debt owed to him, or says, 'I am making what you owe me into zakāh, so take it [as such]' — this is not valid. But if he gives it to him with the [unstated] intention that the recipient will use it to repay him, or says, 'Repay what you owe me, so that I may [then separately] give it to you as zakāh,' or the debtor himself says, 'Give it to me, so that I may [then] repay you with it' — this is valid, and there is no binding obligation for the recipient to actually fulfill this [informal understanding]."
We would also remind [the reader] of the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ: "The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim: he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him [to harm]. Whoever attends to the needs of his brother, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will attend to his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection." (Agreed upon). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Is it permissible for a praying person to make supplication in each Sajdah (a prostration) of obligatory prayer?

It is permissible for a praying person, whether praying individually, or in congregation, to make supplication during Sujood (prostration) in obligatory, or voluntary prayers. However, it is disliked for the Imam to do so since he is required to spare the prayer performers any sort of hardship, unless he is leading a certain group who don`t mind him extending the prayer.

Is it permissible for a woman to wear underwear while performing Umrah?

Yes, it is permissible for a woman to wear underwear while performing Umrah. This is because she should keep her regular clothes that cover all her body while being in a state of Ihram (ritual consecration) for Hajj, or Umrah. However, she should uncover her face and hands, but it is permissible for her to let her head-covering garment drape from her head down over her face when non-Mahram (i.e., marriageable) men pass by her. And Allah Knows Best.