The Issue Of Mawlid

Time to Stop the Mawlid Wars – المولد النبوي

There is a valid difference of opinion (خلاف معتبر) among the jurists about the Prophets Birthday.

Many CLASSICAL SCHOLARS supported it if certain conditions are met, such as:

– IMAM AL-SUYUTI
– IMAM AL-SAKHAWI
– IBN HAJAR AL-ASQALANI
– IMAM AL-QASTALANI

Other CLASSICAL SCHOLARS opposed it, such as:

– IMAM AL-SHAATIBI
– IMAM AL-FAKIHANI
– IMAM IBN AL-HAAJJ

GIANTS on each side of the spectrum.

Stop fighting and respect each other:

Those who oppose MAWLID are NOT Wahabis who hate the Prophet.

Those who support MAWLID are NOT Sufis who worship the Prophet.

This dispute goes back to the split of innovations into praiseworthy (بدعة محمودة) and blameworthy (بدعة مذمومة) – which is also a valid difference of opinion.

The Qur’an says about the People of the Book:

وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا فَآتَيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُون

“And they INNOVATED (ibtada’u – ابْتَدَعُو – bid’ah) Monasticism , – We did not prescribe it for them – THEY WERE SEEKING GOD’S PLEASURE BY IT.
But then, they did not observe it the way it should have been observed.
SO WE GAVE THE BELIEVERS AMONG THEM THEIR REWARD.
And many of them were depraved.” [Qur’an 57:27].

So those people innovated رهبانية – Monasticism – seeking Gods pleasure and the believers among them were rewarded for their faith.

Imam Ibn Aashur al-Maliki says in his Tafsir (27/424):

وَفِيهَا حُجَّةٌ لِانْقِسَامِ الْبِدْعَةِ إِلَى مَحْمُودَةٍ وَمَذْمُومَةٍ

“This verse contains evidence for splitting innovations into praiseworthy innovations and blameworthy innovations.”

End quote.

The scholars who allow good innovations (this is the majority opinion) generally tend to say that Mawlid is a good innovation because it does not clash with the principles of religion.

The scholars who consider all innovations bad (this is a minority opinion), tend to oppose Mawlid because it was not explicitly prescribed.

The dispute will continue – but consider this:

Our youth are rotting away on the streets, on sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Is it better that the youth remain in NIGHT CLUBS on this night or that they come to Masajid and listen to the Seerah of the Prophet?

اللهم صل وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين