Khutba on Taking Joy in the Birth of the Prophet

الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي أنعم على هذه الأمة بإرسال حبيبه الحنيف، وألهم أمته بالاحتفال بمولده الشريف، نحمده تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهد الله فهو المهتد ومن يضلل فلن تجد له وليا مرشدا، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير،  ونشهد أن سيدنا و مولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدٌى الأمانة ونصح الأمة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحق، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.

أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم. ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما. اتقوا الله فيما أمر وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر.

Today is the third day of Rabi al-Awwal, a mighty and blessed month in the year, a month during which the greatest of all mankind’s blessings was sent down, for the vast majority of ulama and scholars of hadith and seera are in agreement that at some point during this month in the year of the elephant, the Messenger of Allah, the most beloved of all Allah’s creation and the greatest of them in His eyes, was born. His coming brought light back to a land that had been covered with darkness, knowledge to a land that had been shrouded in ignorance, and reopened the pathway to Allah that had been lost to much of mankind. Without him, not one of us sitting here, not one of the billion Muslims on the planet today, or the billions who have gone before us, could have known our Lord or lived and practiced His deen in a manner pleasing to Him. To the Messenger of Allah, we owe everything meaningful and lasting in our lives. Qadi Iyad said in his great book, the Shifa,

“What ihsan/ goodness could be worthier or of greater importance than his goodness to all the believers! What favour could be more universally beneficial and of greater use than his blessing to all the Muslims, since he is their means to guidance, the one who rescues them from blind error, and the one who summons them to success and honour? He is their means to their Lord and their intercessor. He speaks up on their behalf, bears witness for them and makes eternal life and everlasting bliss obligatory for them.”

The Messenger of Allah was mercy embodied and made flesh. Everything benefitted from his coming, from men and jinn to the plants and animals and the very atoms they were composed of. Allah says,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ

the translation of which is, “We did not send you except as a mercy to all the worlds.” And they all rejoiced at his birth, even the unbelievers and the tools and symbols of their idolatry. For in the moment of his birth, the flame of Persia, the symbol of fire worship, flickered and went out, and Abu Lahab, a man described in the Book of Allah itself as being one of the people of the Fire, a man who was to become one of the most vociferous opponents of the Prophet, felt such joy unbounded that he freed, on the spot, the slavegirl Thuwayba who had brought him the news.

What else is more worthy of being celebrated, what other event in the history of mankind or indeed in the course of our lives brought so much good into the world? If you are going to celebrate just one thing, then let it be this. Allah says,

‫قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا ‬

the translation of which is, “Say: ‘It is the favour of Allah and His rahma/ mercy that should be the cause of their rejoicing.’” His rahma is the Messenger of Allah.

This celebration, this outpouring of joy, should be constant and continuous, not limited to time or place, but that does not mean that we cannot mark the anniversary of the day he was placed among us, the day he was born. It is the way of human beings, whatever culture or society they come from, to have special days in the year that coincide with events they feel are worthy of being immortalised and remembered from their past, days to remind them and keep those events fresh in their consciousness. Many nations, for example, have independence days, many families wedding anniversaries, and many individuals birthdays. This practice existed even in the time of the Prophet and was acknowledged by him. The strongest example of this is the day of Ashura which the Messenger of Allah commanded his umma to fast after the Jews told him, “This is an immense day, for on it Allah rescued Musa and his people, and drowned Pharaoh and his people. So Musa fasted it out of thanks to his Lord and we fast it as well.” It is clear that the day they were fasting was not the actual day that those events happened but the anniversary of them happening.

It is also clear from the words and actions of the Messenger of Allah that the birth of a Prophet was an event worthy enough to make a day in the week special let alone a day in the year. For example, when he talked about the qualities that make Jumua special, he said, 

فيه خلق آدم

“It was the day Adam was created.” And when he was asked why he fasted on Mondays, he said,

فيه وُلدتُ وفيه أُنزل عليَّ

“On that day, I was born and on that day I received revelation.” So he himself celebrated his birthday and considered the birthday of other Prophets important. And even in the Next Life, in the Fire, his birthday will be marked, for Abu Lahab’s punishment will be lessened on every Monday in honour of his reaction to the birth of the Prophet. So why do some Muslims feel it is wrong to celebrate the mawlid, why do some spend the day criticising other Muslims instead and praising, remembering and doing salawat on the Messenger of Allah. Truly, their understanding of existence is faulty.

Yes, there is some difference of opinion as to the exact date of the birthday of the Messenger of Allah, but is that not true with most events that took place centuries and millenia ago. Even the date of laylat al-Qadar is not known for certain, and yet the vast majority of us look for it on the 27th night of Ramadan. Singling out a day to remind ourselves is not without precedent. And the night of the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, coinciding with next Saturday night, is chosen because the majority of the scholars of our great deen chose it. It is transmitted by Ibn abi Shaybi that both Jabir and Ibn Abbas said, 

ولد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عام الفيل يوم الاثنين الثاني عشر من شهر ربيع الأول وفيه بعث وفيه عرج به إلى السماء وفيه هاجر وفيه مات

“The Messenger of Allah was born in the year of the Elephant on Monday the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, and on that day was sent, was taken up to heaven, went on hijra and died.” The day is truly an Eid for us, so mark it as an Eid and do not let objections that have no merit keep you away. Come to the mosque on Saturday night after Maghrib and join us in remembering the Messenger and singing his praises. You will not be disappointed.

أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم.

الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، صلى الله وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وصحبه، والتابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.

أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته.

The most common criticism we hear of the celebration of the Mawlid is that it is a bid’a, an innovation, something that did not take place in the lifetime of the Prophet, and on that basis it is reprehensible and misguided. 

كل بدعة ضلالة وكل ضلالة في النار

“Every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance is in the Fire.” These are words, I am sure every Muslim has heard. And when we hear these words, it definitely gives us pause. That is, until we hear what the great ulama of this great umma have said concerning this matter. For this hadith, like many others, is open to misinterpretation, and that is why we take our deen from our teachers and not directly from books, that is why we leave interpretation of the Book of Allah and the statements of the Prophet to those who have the tools and knowledge to understand them. The great scholar and contemporary of Malik, Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, said,

“Hadith are a source of misguidance except for the fuqaha.”

A literal reading of this hadith, kullu bid‘atin dalaala, would seem to suggest that any new practice whatsoever done after the death of the Prophet takes a person to the Fire, but that is not its meaning according to the ulama. Rather, this is an example of elision of what is understood by the listeners. The audience knew what type of innovation the Prophet was talking about and so he did not have to explain it in full. kullu bid’atin means:

كل بدعة مخالفة لكتاب الله وسنة رسوله

“Every bida’ that goes against the teachings of Book of Allah and the Sunna of His Messenger.” If an innovation does not go against them, then it is fine. Imam ash-Shafi’i said,

ما أحدث وخالف كتاباً أو سنة أو إجماعاً أو أثراً فهو البدعة الضالة، وما أحدث من الخير ولم يخالف شيئاً من ذلك فهو المحمود

“Whatever is innovated and goes against the Book or Sunna or consensus or traditions of the Companions is misguided innovation. But as for what is innovated and is good, not contradicting any of the things we have mentioned, that form of innovation is praiseworthy.”And the famous Andalusi mufassir, al-Qurtubi, said,

“Any innovation brought forth by a created being must either have some basis in the Law or none. If it has some basis, then it automatically falls under the category of what is liked by Allah and encouraged by His Messenger, making it praiseworthy, while if it goes against what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, then it is blameworthy and repugnant.” This is why the Messenger of Allah said,

من سنَّ فِي الإِسلامِ سُنَّةً حسنةً فلـه أجرُها وأجرُ مَن عمِلَ بها بعدَه مِن غيرِ أن ينقُصَ مِن أجورِهم شيءٌ، ومَن سنَّ في الإسلامِ سنةً سيئةً كان عليه وزرُها ووزرُ مَن عمِلَ بها مِن بعدِه مِن غيرِ أن ينقُصَ مِن أوزارِهم شيءٌ.

“Anyone who introduces a good sunna into the deen of Islam will receive the reward for doing that sunna and the reward of everyone else who puts that sunna into practice without lessening from their reward in any way. And anyone who introduces a bad sunna into the deen of Islam will bear the wrong for doing it and the wrong of everyone who puts that sunna into practice without lessening from their wrong in any way.”

If we were to understand bid’a as those who constantly remind us about it would have us do, then we would be obliged to pray tarawih at home, not do adhans from minarets, not read from mushafs and fight with only swords, spears and bows and arrows even when our enemies attack us with rockets and guns.  For all of those practices were innovations not done in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah. And that would clearly be absurd.

Celebrating the mawlid most certainly involves and combines many things liked and encouraged by Allah and His Messenger. Indeed, many of them are commanded by Him, such as salawat, for Allah says,

يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً

the translation of which is, “You who believe, call down blessings on him and ask for complete peace and safety for him.“ 

And dhikr, for the Messenger of Allah said when asked what the meadows of the Garden were, 

حلق الذكر

“The circles of dhikr,”; And recounting the events of the life of the Prophet and details of his character, a process which strengthens the hearts of the believers. Allah says, 

وكلاًّ نقصُّ عليك من أنباء الرسل ما نثبّت به فؤادك

the translation of which is, “We have given you all this news about the Messengers so We can make your heart firm by means of it.” And on that basis, the mawlid cannot be anything but praiseworthy. 

And that is to say nothing of the fact that since the day it first started being celebrated, almost all the ulama have expressed their support for it and come out in favour of it, including such luminaries as adh-Dhahabi, as-Suyuti, Ibn Kathir, as-Sakhawi, al-Qastalani and many others. Indeed Imam an-Nawawi, the renewer of the Shafi’i madhhab, called it, min ahsani ma-btudi‘a, one of the best things to have been innovated. And as the Prophet said,

ما رآه المسلمون حسناً فهو عند الله حسن، وما رآه المسلمون قبيحاً فهو عند الله قبيح

“What the Muslims view as good is good in the eyes of Allah, and what the Muslims view as ugly is ugly in the eyes of Allah.” So hurry to what is good in the eyes of your Lord. Set aside your reservations and embrace this great day. Use it to strengthen and renew your connection to your guide and intercessor, and through him your connection to all his followers. Use it to increase your love for him and your love for his people, and your knowledge of his character and teachings, thereby enabling you to bring them to life in the here and now.

We ask Allah to fill our hearts with love of His Messenger and make him more dear to us than our families, our possessions and ourselves. And we ask Him to make this coming mawlid a time of great joy and togetherness for the Muslim umma, a time when we remember what links and connects us and forget our differences.

إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً. 

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ  أَجْمَعِينَ. وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله في سورة النور أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ. 

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شَيْخِنَا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ. 

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ. 

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ، وَاخْذُلِ الْكُفْرَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ، وَانْصُرِ المُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ. وَاجْعَلْ كَلِمََتَكَ هِيَ العُلْيَا وَكَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ هِيَ السُّفْلَى. 

رَبَّنَا ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقَِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ. 

إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ