Therefore the sign of loving the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ  is through following him ﷺ with complete submission and compliance with that which he ﷺ was sent with peace and blessings be upon him. And it is not through the bringing of matters that of which Allāh has sent no authority.

Some people may make light of newly invented matters in the Religion by saying I only intended good and that my intention is good. And that I only do this thing with a good intention. It is imperative that the good intention is (for a matter that is) in accordance with the Sunnah. It is a must that a good intention coincides with being in accordance with the Sunnah.

And from these matters that are newly invented matters in the Religion that have afflicted many people is the celebration of the Mawlid, the birthday of Prophet ﷺ. For verily, it has no basis in the religion. And the evidence that it has no basis is that none of the three best generations (The Companions – the Sahabah, the Students of Companions – at-Tabi’un and the Followers of the Students of the Companions –  at-Ba’a at-Tabi’in) رضوان الله عليهم    all of them came and passed away and it was never heard from them anything called Mawalid (celebration of the birthday of Prophet  ﷺ. Never! Three generations, 300 hundred years elapsed completely and you can’t find in them the celebration of Prophet’s birthday ﷺ. The Messenger ﷺ did not celebrate his own birthday. Nor did he ﷺ point to celebrating his birthday ﷺ. The Companions, the Righteous Caliphates, رضي الله عنهم the foremost of all people for every good, and the most eager of the people for every good, did not celebrate the Prophet’s birthday. And such is the case for all the Companions, their era passed and it was not found anything like that (that any of them celebrated the Mawlid). And the Tabi’un (the Students of the Companions) as well, their era passed and it is not found anything like that. Subsequently after them at-Ba’a at-Tabi’in (Students of the Tabi’in) رضوان الله عليهم أجمعين   era elapsed and it is not found anything like that. 300 years (elapsed) completely and it is not found in them anything that has to do with celebrating the Mawlid. On no account at all! And if it was good then the righteous predecessors would have already preceded us in the good.  And if this case and this is the reality that 300 years elapsed completely and it is not found in them anything of this nature. Then how is that they have come upon something that the Sahabah missed, and they did not come upon and did not do. Nor the Tabi’un , nor at-Ba’a at-Tabi’in. رضوان الله عليهم أجمعين Verily this indicates, without a doubt, that this action is not correct. And that if it was good then Sahabah رضى الله عنهم would have preceded in it, for they preceded us in every good, and they are the most eager for every good.

Al-Mawalid was founded in the 4^th Century (301 – 400 Hijri). Before the 4^th century there did not exist anything with the name al-Mawalid. Rather it emerged in the 4^th century in the Hijri calendar. The ones that innovated it were the al-Ubaydiyoon (upon the creed of the Raafidah, an extremist sect from the Shi’a that believe the majority of the Sahabah رضوان الله عليهم  are disbelievers). Those that ruled over Egypt. They innovated several newly invented matters in the Religion, and from them is the Mawalid. As stated by al-Maqrizi (a prominent Egyptian Historian who detailed the history of Egypt) in his book al-Khutab wa al-athaar (al-mawa’idh wa al-i’tibaar fi dhikr al-khutab wa al-athaar it is well known by name al-khudhad al-maqriziyah) where he stated they innovated 6 Mawalid celebrations:

1) Mawlid of the Messenger ﷺ

2) Mawalid Fatimah رضي الله عنها

3) Mawlid of Ali ibn Abi Taalib رضي الله عنهما

4) Mawlid Hassan ibn Ali رضي الله عنهما

5) Mawlid Hussein ibn Ali رضي الله عنهما

6) The birthday of the current ruler from their rulers.

These were all innovated in the 4^th century in the Hijri calendar and those that originated it were the Raafidah al-Ubaydiyoon.

Furthermore, what is the source for bringing it into existence? Imitating the Christians. The source for bringing it into existence was imitating the Christians. The Christians celebrate the birth of E’sa عليه السلام and we don’t celebrate the birth of Muhammad ﷺ?? Consequently, they innovated this matter that has no basis in the Religion.

And the Prophet ﷺ when he was asked about fasting on Mondays he said that is day I was born on. And what is intended by this is any Monday in the year as fasting it is recommended and legislated. And whoever wants to get closer to Allāh with his (Sunnah) fasting, for verily from the best of that is fasting on Mondays; the day the Prophet ﷺ  was born on. And thus is not one day rather it can be everyday of the year; that one strives to fast on Mondays and on Thursdays as has also been reported from the Prophet ﷺ  regarding the merit of fasting Mondays and Thursdays. Verily one should strive upon this. And from what is known about those that celebrate the Mawlid is that they do not fast on Mondays. Rather they prepare foods, let themselves unwind and relish their enjoyments and they do not fast. That which the Prophet ﷺ advised, they do not do. On the contrary they do that which the Prophet ﷺ did not do nor advise to do, nor the Rightly-Guided Caliphates, nor his Sahabah, nor the Tabi’un, nor the at-Ba’a at-Tabi’in. Rather it is something that was originated in the 4^th century in the Hijri calendar.

Furthermore, some people may say what has pushed me to do this is my love for the Prophet ﷺ and as we said before the love of Prophet ﷺ is obligatory to be greater than any love, the love of one’s parents, the love one’s child, than all the people in totality. Rather more so than the love one has for his own self. As has been authentically reported in the hadeeth of Umar رضي الله عنه. That the Messenger ﷺ was beloved to him than his own self. That (the love for the Prophet ﷺ ) is greater than the Muslim love for his own self. As has also been authentically reported in Hadeeth Umar from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. The love of the Prophet ﷺ is not (shown) through making claims and innovating or performing innovations. Rather it is through following the Sunnah and following the Straight Manhaj (methodology) that the Noble Prophet ﷺ was upon.

And Umar when he kissed the black stone (on the first corner of the Ka’bah) wanted to make clear the authority why he kissed it and verily the foundation of it was to follow the Messenger ﷺ. He said, “Verily, I know you are only a stone with no power to harm or benefit me. Were it not that I saw the Prophet ﷺ, kiss you, I would not have kissed you.” “Were it not that I saw the Prophet ﷺ, kiss you, I would not have kissed you.” And when Umar al-Khattab رضي الله عنه made tawaf (circumambulation- walking around the  Ka’bah) and with him was Ya’la ibn Umayyah رضي الله عنه  and he (Ya’la ibn Umayyah) said when went past the black stone and they faced the corner (that is close to the door (of Ka’bah) in the direction of Hijr and it the first corner after the black stone. He (Ya’la ibn Umayyah) رضي الله عنه wanted to take his (Umar ibn al-Khattab’s) hand رضي الله عنه in order touch the corner, one of two corners facing the direction of Sham. He (Ya’la ibn Umayyah) رضي الله عنه said Umar رضي الله عنه looked upon me and said have you performed tawaf with the Prophetﷺ ? He (Ya’la ibn Umayyah) رضي الله عنه said, yes. Did you see him ﷺ touch it? He (Ya’la ibn Umayyah) رضي الله عنه said no. He (Umar ibn al-Khattab) رضي الله عنه said then go on (without touching it – found in Musnad Imam Ahmad volume 2 hadeeth 167). This is Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه . He kissed the black stone and said, “Were it not that I saw the Prophet ﷺ  kiss you, I would not have kissed you.” And when he reached the 2 pillars facing the direction of Sham he didn’t touch them because the Prophet ﷺ did not do so. So it is upon the Muslim to be adherent (to the Sunnah) and not to innovate (in the Religion). And loving the Prophet ﷺ  is shown through following him ﷺ and it is not through these types of innovated matters that were not known by the Sahabah and were not proceeded by the Predecessors رضوان الله عليهم.

Some people say my intention is pure and I only do this matter, while my aim is good. And that this good aim is what I hope from Allāh will benefit me with it with Him. And from what is known is that a good intention must be also in accordance to the Sunnah. That a good intention must coincide with being in accordance to the Sunnah. And it is not enough that one just has a good intention and performs an act that has no basis in the Religion. And from what will illustrate this is when one of the Noble Companions  رضي الله عنهم performed a sacrificial slaughtering before the Eid prayer on Yaum an-Nah’r (Day of Sacrifice, the 10^th Dhul-Hijah). His intention was good. He wanted to the Prophet ﷺ the Sahabah that came for Eid Prayer, that if his sacrifice was made ready, it would be the first to be eaten from the sacrifices. The Messenger ﷺ when he found out that he (this Sahabi) sacrificed before the Eid Prayer he said, “Your (slaughtered) sheep is like mutton” (any other meat not a sacrifice). “Your (slaughtered) sheep is like mutton” (any other meat not a sacrifice). It is not a sacrifice as it don’t take place in it’s time. The time for sacrifice is after (Eid) Prayer is completed and not before the Prayer. And the Prophet ﷺ only used sacrifice after the Eid Prayer. For this one that wanted to sacrifice before the (Eid) Prayer his aim was pure and intention was good and even that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Your (slaughtered) sheep is like mutton” (any other meat not a sacrifice). It is like any other meat you slaughter in any month Muharram, Safar, Rabi, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan and in anytime people slaughter and eat meat. Slaughtering to eat, as for a sacrifice that is for specific appointed time for sacrifices it has specific times for they are not brought (for the one seeking to do sacrifices) except in their specific appointed times.  And it is the reason the Prophet ﷺ said “Your (slaughtered) sheep is like mutton” (any other meat not a sacrifice while the one did this his intention was good. And he ﷺ did not say since your intention was good then in that case… Rather he ﷺ said, “Your (slaughtered) sheep is like mutton” (any other meat not a sacrifice. Then this he (Sahabi) wanted to seek a substitute and said I  have a young she-goat. So the Prophet ﷺ ordered him to sacrifice it in it’s place. And if good intention was sufficient without coinciding with being in accordance with the Sunnah and the Messenger ﷺwould allowed this Sahabi whose intention was good and his intention was from the best of intentions, so his sacrifice could be the first of what is eaten and the people come (to the Eid Prayer) and they are in need of meat after the Eid Prayer.

Furthermore, Hafidh ibn Hajr said in his explanation of this hadeeth in his book Fath’ul al-Baari after he recounted some different transmissions from Scholars, he said this (hadeeth) is proof and that verily a deed must be in accordance to the Sunnah and it is not enough the good intention of it’s doer. Verily it is not enough the good intention of doer, rather the deed needs to also be in accordance to the Sunnah so that it can be accepted and be a benefit for it’s doer.

Translated by: Abu Uwāis, Muhammad Abdullahi Elmi

Audio Source: https://youtu.be/JacRhGxkjho