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Attending Mawlid and Khaddaats

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Fatwaa.com

Asalaamu alikum wa rahma tullahi wa barakatu

I follow the hanafi madhab. My neighbour often invites me to mowloods and khadats. I am 18 and has never been to these gatherings. My parents always say that we do not go to these things but I would like to know the story behind these events. Is it okay to practice such things? Is there some sort of reward or is it bid’ah?

I attended a muslim school and no such practices were encouraged. However, we were too young to ask why people practice such acts.

shukran wa ahsan uljazaa

Answer

Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

The celebration of the Mawlid is an innovation in religion. Neither was it the practice of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself, nor did the companions or Tabi’een celebrate the birthday of the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Scholars state that the first person to introduce the innovation (bid’ah) of celebrating the Milad was the ruler of Irbil, Muzaffar ad-Din ibn Zain al-Din. This was six centuries after the period of prophethood.

The great scholar, ‘Allamah Anwar Shah Al-Kashmiri (may Allah be pleased with him) has said,

وأحدثه صوفي في عهد سلطان إربل سنة ( 600 ) ، ولم يكن له أصل من الشريعة الغراء (العرف الشذي شرح سنن الترمذي – (2 / 82 مؤسسة ضحى للنشر والتوزيع)

“A Sufi innovated it in the era of Sultan Irbil around the year 600 A.H, and it does not have any basis in our pure Shari’ah.” (Al-‘Arf ash-Shadhi, 2/82)

‘Allaamah Mu ‘izz ad-Din Hasan Khwaarzimi (may Allah be pleased with him) states in his book, al-Qawl al-Mu’tamad,

“The Ruler of Irbil, King Muzaffar Abu Saeed Kaukari, was an irreligious and prodigal king. He ordered the scholars of his time to act according to their opinions and discard the practice of following any school of law. A group of learned men inclined towards him. He (this king) organized Mawlid sessions during the month of Rabi al Awwal. He was the first king ever to introduce this practice.”

A so-called ‘scholar’ by the name of Abul Khattab Umar bin Hasan bin Dihya al-Andalusi supported and assisted the king in this innovation.

Regarding this person, ‘Allamah Ibn Kathir (may Allah be pleased with him) has reported on the authority of As-Sabt,

قال السبط: وقد كان كابن عنين في ثلب المسلمين والوقيعة فيهم، ويتزيد في كلامه فترك الناس الرواية عنه وكذبوه )البداية والنهاية – (13 / 169دار إحياء التراث العربي)

“Ibn ‘Unain (Ibn Dihya) used to insult the Muslims and vilify them. He would make additions in his report and exaggerate. The people stopped narrating traditions from him and falsified him.” (Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, 3/144-146)

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah Ta’ala have mercy on him) commented on him saying,

وكان ظاهري المذهب كثير الوقيعة في الأئمة وفي السلف من العلماء خبيث اللسان أحمق شديد الكبر قليل النظر في أمور الدين متهاونا (لسان الميزان – (4 / 296 مؤسسة الأعلمي للمطبوعات – بيروت)

“He was a follower of the Zahiri school of thought and often slandered the scholars and the scholars of the past. He possessed an evil tongue and was stupid, self-conceited, lacked insight and took religious matters lightly.” (Lisan al-Mizan, 4/296)

The afore-mentioned clearly illustrate that the Mawlid was innovated by irreligious people with ulterior motives. The companions loved the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the most and yet they did not celebrate the Mawlid. They lived on for at least a century after him, but despite their unparalleled and profound love towards the holy prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), they never celebrated his birthday. If the Mawlid was a meritorious and divinely inspired act, then surely the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would have commanded the Ummah to celebrate it, or at least, either he or his noble companions would have practiced on it. Since it cannot be substantiated by any action of theirs, it becomes crystal clear that celebrating the Mawlid has absolutely no relationship with Islam and it is Bidáh (innovation).

Furthermore, there are numerous other vices which take place at a Mawlid. Music, intermingling of sexes, squandering of wealth, omitting compulsory prayers etc. are just few of the many wrongs which happens on such occasions.

Moreover, the Celebration of the Mawlid is an imitation of the Christians, who celebrate the birth of the Messiah (peace be upon him).

In light of the above, it will not be permissible to celebrate the Mawlid even if a person beliefs that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is not present. Muslims should rather strive to revive the Sunnah and put an end to bid’ah (innovation). Likewise, they should not do any action until they know the ruling of Allah concerning it.

If gatherings are conducted at a random in which the love of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is discussed and people are encouraged to follow the Sunnah, then that is permissible on condition there is nothing un-Islamic in such gatherings.

This ruling is derived from the following narration of Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim,

قال الإمام البخاري حدثنا عمرو الناقد وإسحاق بن إبراهيم وابن أبى عمر كلهم عن سفيان قال عمرو حدثنا سفيان بن عيينة عن الزهرى عن سعيد عن أبى هريرة أن عمر مر بحسان وهو ينشد الشعر فى المسجد فلحظ إليه فقال قد كنت أنشد وفيه من هو خير منك. (متفق عليه)

Abu Hurairah narrates, “Umar once passed by Hassaan who was saying poetry in the Masjid. He glanced angrily towards Hassaan. Hassaan responded, “I used to say poetry and in the Masjid there used to be one who is greater than you (meaning Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم).” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The above rulings apply to Khaddaats as well.

And Allaah Ta’aala knows best

Wassalaam,

Ismail Moosa (Mufti)

This answer was collected from Fatwaa.com which is an excellent Q&A site managed by Mufti Ismail Moosa from South Africa. .

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