Question
Assalamu alaikum.My friend made the following statement when I said Mawlid is Bidaat.”Many scholars of the past including the likes of Nawawi/Suyuti/Ibn Kathir etc and others have I am told opined in favour of Mawlid. It is best not to make categorical statements about things which pious scholars of past has had a difference of Opinion. I was a staunch opposser of Mawlid and birthdays but now am absolutely neutral having read some of the above opinions. Even Shaikh Ahmed Kutty the salafi scholar on www.islamonline.net gives fatwa favouring it. So my suggestion would be to rephrase it saying there is a difference of opinion amongst the scholar or avoid this topic completely as we are not scholars and to say something is bida’at is to accuse those scholars of that”Is this true about 3 Scholars(Allah’s mercy on them) mentioned above?If they did favour Mawlid was it just speeches on that day or having dinner/distributing sweets etc?kindly give proof as none of Sahabah or later Madhab Imam’s(Allah be pleased with them)after death of Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)celebrated.(as some say Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)was present with Sahaba(Allah be pleased with them)that they did not celebrate).Now if the above 3 Scholars(Allah’s mercy on them)said Mawlid is Bidaath could you give proof as in these days of Fitna so many rumours are spreading confusing our Ummah.Was Salaam.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
The matter is as we mentioned in Fataawa 90783, 89739, 83240 and 81804 that celebrating the birthday of the Prophet is an innovation. The evidence proving it to be forbidden is that there is no evidence which proves that it is permissible; the principle in acts of worship is that they are forbidden. It is the one who says that something is permitted who is required to provide evidence. Had the companions and those who followed them exactly in faith differed about this issue, it would undoubtedly have been reported to us in details.
Moreover, you should know that the evidence are the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophet and not the statement of any person. The scholars who held the view that it is permissible to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet applied Ijtihaad (a juristic opinion on matters which are not specified in the Quran or the Sunnah) and they will be rewarded for it even if they were wrong. Therefore, we do not say that whoever said so is an innovator, but we should not follow him in things on which he was wrong.
There is no doubt that the scholars who held the view that it is permissible to celebrate his birthday, did not mean to celebrate it in a manner that is celebrated today, which may include many evil things, like the existence of drums, Duff (a tambourine-like instrument without bells) and other musical instruments and poetry which involves associating partners to Allaah, like seeking the help of the Prophet . In addition to this, you will find that there is forbidden mixing between the two sexes, and other evil acts which are known to everyone.
As regards attributing the statement of the permissibility of celebrating the birthday of the Prophet to the scholars which you mentioned in the question, then we have not come across anything which proves this with the exception of the statement of As-Suyooti .
Allaah Knows best.