Fiqh>Sunni Beliefs>Celebrating Meelad

ترجمۂ کنزالایمان: اللہ کے نام سے شروع جو نہایت مہربان رحم والا

Translation: Allah in the name of the most Affectionate the Merciful

Du’a for Reading the Book or Islamic Lesson

Read the following Du’a (supplication) before studying a religious book or Islamic lesson , you will remember whatever you study.

Translation:Ya Allah! Open the portal of knowledge and wisdom for us, and have mercy on us! O the one who is the most honourable and glorious! (Al-Mustaraf, vol. 1, pp. 40)

Note: Recite Durud Sharif once before and after the Du’a.

ترجمۂ کنزالایمان:اور اگر جب وہ اپنی جانوں پر ظلم کریں تو اے محبوب تمہارے حضور حاضر ہوں اور پھر اللہ سے معافی چاہیں اور رسول ان کی شفاعت فرمائے تو ضرور اللہ کو بہت توبہ قبول کرنے والا مہربان پائیں۔

                                                                                                      

Translation of Kanzul Iman:And if when they do justice unto their souls, then O beloved! They should come to you and then beg forgiveness of Allah and the messenger should intercede for them then surely, they would find Allah Most Relenting, Merciful (4:64)

Excellence of Durud Shareef

The Noble Rasool صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ وسلم has stated, ‘Whoever recites Salat upon me one time, Allah عزوجل sends ten mercies upon him.’ (Sahih Muslim, pp. 166, vol. 1)

Permissibility Of Celebrating Meelad-Un-Nabi

It is the belief of the Ahle Sunnah Wa Jamaat that it is totally permissible to celebrate the Maulood (Birthday) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad  since this is a means of attaining great blessings.

Almighty says in the Holy Qur’aan:

“You say, Only on the grace of Al’laah and on His mercy, and it is only on this that you should rejoice.” [Surah YunusVerse.58]

Almighty Al’laah commands:

“And publicize well the special favours of your Lord” [Surah Duha Verse.11]

From these verses it is clear that Almighty Al’laah has commanded the Muslims to rejoice on the Mercy and Grace of Almighty Al’laah and not only should they rejoice due to this, but they should also announce and publicize these favours which Almighty Al’laah has bestowed upon them. Now which Muslim is there, who does not think of and accept the Holy Prophet as the greatest favour and Mercy of Almighty Al’laah?

Actually he is Rahmatulil Alameen (Mercy unto the worlds) and the greatest blessing of Almighty Al’laah towards us. Almighty Al’laah, in the Holy Qur’aan has made us aware and informed us how great a favour He has done by sending Rasoolullah . The verse relating to this is:

“Undoubtedly Al’laah bestowed a great favour upon the Muslims, that in them, from amongst them, he sent a Prophet” [AlImran Verse.164]

Rasoolullah is that Messenger and Beloved of Almighty Al’laah, whose blessed arrival was announced and publicized by all the previous Ambia and Mursaleen. It is mentioned in the Holy Qur’aan about the statement of Hazrat Esa Ala Nabiyyina (alaihi salaatu wassalaam),

“And I give you glad tidings regarding that Rasool who will come after me. His name is Ahmad.” [Surah As Saff Verse.6]

It is Hazrat Esa (alaihis salaam) who made this dua in the Court of Almighty Al’laah,

“O Al’laah! O our Lord! Send down for us a spread of food from the sky, so that it may be a day of rejoicing for us, for the first of us and (for) the last of us.” [Surah Maa’idah Verse.114]

Hazrat Esa (alaihis salaam) says that the day on which Almighty Al’laah sent a spread of food from the skies should be a day of rejoicing for those in his era and for those who come after them. If this be the case, then why should we not celebrate and rejoice on the day that the Soul of the Universe, The Mercy unto the worlds, The Beloved of Almighty Al’laah, Hazrat Muhammad  was born. This should definitely be a day of rejoicing for the Muslims right up to the day of Qiyaamah.

Sayyidi A'la Hazrat Ash Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan  says the following poetic stanza concerning the day on which Holy Prophet was born:

“Subho Taiba me huwi batta he bara Noor Ka

Sadaqa lene Noor Ka Aaya he Taara Noor Ka

Bagh Taiba me Suhana Phool Phoola Noor Ka

Must Jo he bu bule parti he kalma Noor Ka”

Almighty Al’laah has commanded us to publicize and announce his mercy and favours and the only time that this favour can be announced is if we remember the Holy Prophet Muhammad , say verses in his praise, send salutations upon him and inform the world of the Mu’jazaat (miracles) of the Holy Prophet . If the authentic books of Seerat have to be examined, we will find such incidents concerning the Meelad of the Holy Prophet  that will strenghten our Imaan.

Almighty Al’laah states in the Holy Qur’aan,

 “And remind them of the days of Al’laah.” [SurahIbrahim Verse.5]

Concerning this verse of the Holy Qur’aan, the Mufasireen Izaam (alahimur Rahma) have stated that “The days of Al’laah” refer to those days in which Almighty Al’laah has bestowed His favours upon the believers. From this it is obvious that the Meelad of the Holy Prophet is from amongst “The Days of Al’laah” and Al’laah commands concerning His days, “And remind them of the days of Al’laah.”

One of the best and appropriate ways of remembering the birth of the Holy Prophet  is to celebrate the Meelad-un-Nabi  which Alhumdulillah is a practice amongst majority of the Muslims. Those who go against this practice and give fatawas of shirk and Bid'at against it should learn a lesson from those who celebrate this occasion.

Allama Ismaeel Haqqi in Tafseer Roohul Bayaan states the following, while commenting on the verse: “Muhammad is the (Chosen) Prophet of Al’laah”

“To celebrate Meelad Shareef is to show respect to him (Prophet) as long as it is free from any wrongdoings. Hazrat Imam Suyuti says that it is desirable for us to show our appreciation on the Birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad .” [Tafseer Roohul Bayaan Pg.56 Vol.9]

Hazrat Ismaeel also states in Tafseer Roohul Bayaan as follows,

“And Haafiz ibn Hajar and Hafiz Suyuti (radi Al’laahu anhuma) have proven the originality of Meelad Shareef from Sunnah and they have refuted those who forbid Meelad by saying that it is a Bid’ ate Sa'iya (Bad Innovation).” [Tafseer Roohul Bayaan Pg.57 Vol.9]

Imam-ul-Muhaditheen Muhammad bin Ismaeel Bukhari  quoted the following narration:

“When Abu Lahab died then one of his families saw him in their dream and he was in a bad condition. He was asked about what had happened. He said, ‘By being away from you I have not gained anything beneficial but for freeing Thuwaiba, with this finger (shahaadat finger), I gain water, since it is the very finger which I used to point to her when freeing her.” [Bukhari Shareef]

Hazrat Allama Ibn Hajar Asqalani  while commenting on the above mentioned narration of Bukhari Shareef says,

“Hazrat Suhaili  mentions that Hazrat Abbas  says, 'one year after the death of Abu Lahab I saw him in my dream and he was in a terrible condition and he was saying, After separating from you, I did not gain any peace and comfort but every Mondays my punishment is reduced.' (Hazrat Abbas  says that) the reason for this is because the Holy Prophet Muhammad  was born on a Monday and it was on his birth that out of joy, Abu lahab freed Thuwaiba (his female slave) who gave him this good news.” [Fathul Baari Pg.145 Vol.9]

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