Milad-un-Nabi or Moulood-un-Nabi or Mawlid is the Birth Celebration of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
Some people have declared Milad-un-Nabi to be Haraam & an evil Bid'at because they say that the celebration of birthdays & anniversaries have no connection with Islam as this is an exclusive custom of the Kuffaar. They say: "in upholding these innovatory customs, Muslims are in fact imitating the Kuffaar & this our Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has strictly forbidden".
What takes place in a Milad celebration? In such a celebration a session of Naats (Poems in praise of Rasoolullah - sallallahu alaihi wasallam) recitals take place, people are fed & a sincere effort is made to fill the hearts of Muslims with the love of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). The miracles, excellences & the character of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) are mentioned in Milad gatherings. The Milad functions presents one with one of the best means of learning about Rasoolullah's (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) life.
The gatherings of Milad-un-Nabi are a great means for calling people towards Allah Ta'ala. To mention the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) in the month of his birth should be increased so that the people could arrange gatherings & congregations to refresh the memories of the Nabawi period.
It is a requirement of the Holy Quran to show respect on the Milad of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Allah Ta'ala says: "In the bounty of Allah Almighty & His Mercy, in that, let them rejoice, that is better than the wealth they accumulate". (Surah Yunus: 58) Almighty Allah had ordered us to rejoice on His Mercy & Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is the greatest Mercy of Allah Ta'ala to all the Worlds.
In the time of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), the period of the Sahabah & in the period of the Tabi'in, Milad was not celebrated as it is done in the present form. But the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), Sahabah or Tabi'in did not prohibit it as well. This is an accepted principle of Shari'ah that the performance of something is proof of Jawaaz (permissibility) & not doing it is NOT the proof of it's prohibition.
The Milad celebration is not compulsory. It is Mustahab (recommended). Imam Jalaaluddin Suyuti (radi Allahu anhu) said that it is Mustahab for us to celebrate Milad of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) as to thank Allah. (Ruh-ul-Bayaan)
All the Ulama & Muslims of all the countries have regarded Milad as Mustahab (recommended). According to the Hadees of Sayyiduna Ibn Masood (radi Allahu anhu), whichever deed is regarded as good by Muslims is good by Almighty Allah as well & whichever deed is regarded as evil by Muslims is evil by Almighty Allah as well. Imam Ahmed (radi Allahu anhu) has narrated this Hadiees Shareef.
Although the present form of Milad is a Bid'ah (innovation) (Bid'ah Hasanah or Good Innovation), but the origin of Milad is found in the time of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) himself made mention of his own Milad by saying, "I am the Du'a of my father Sayyiduna Ebrahim (alaihis salaam), I am the good tidings of 'Isa (alaihis salaam) & I am the son of the two slaughtered ones (Sayyiduna Ismail - alaihis salaam & Sayyiduna Abdullah - radi Allahu anhu)."
The Holy Prophet's (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) uncle & an arch enemy of Islam, Abu Lahab, set his slave Thuwaiba free being happy for the Milad of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Abu Lahab's punishment is made light every Monday as a reward of his act, i.e. of expressing happiness for the birth of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). (Bukhari Shareef)
When the assembly of Zikr of the beloved Rasool (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) takes place, a Muslim is happy & joyful, therefore, he invites people to partake in the food provided, he gives charity & distributes sweatmeats. To feed people after an important or virtuous deed is the practice of the Sahaba.
It is Sunnah to commemorate happiness. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was asked about fasting on a Monday. He replied, "I was born on that day & Wahi (Revelation) began upon me on that day." (Mishkat) It is now proven that to keep fast on a Monday is Sunnah because Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was born on that day.
Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to respect the day of his own Milad. He used to thank Allah Ta'ala for that great favour. He used to fast in order to respect that day.
Milad celebration causes the recitation of Durood & Salaam. Durood & Salaam are required by Shari'at.
When certain of the Sahabah used to recite the praises of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) in poetry form, Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to rejoice & reward those Sahabah. In the Milad function, the character & virtues of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) are explained & his praises are recited in poetry & prose form.
To mention the miracles & character of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) leads towards love & the completion of Iman with him, which is required by the Shari'at.
Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) expressed the virtues of Jummah (Friday) by saying that Sayyiduna Adam (alaihis salaam) was born on that day. Therefore, imagine the virtue of that day when Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was born!
Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said that anyone who invented a good deed & people later practiced upon it, they will be rewarded. Milad is a good deed.
Allah Ta'ala says in the Holy Quran: "& all that We relate to you of the tiding of the Messengers is for the purpose of strengthening your heart therewith". (Surah Hud: 20) We are in need of strengthening our hearts with the mentioning of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) & other Prophets (alaihihimus salaam) & the Meelad gives us this opportunity.
Sayyiduna Imam Shafi'i (alaihir rahmah) said: "Any thing which opposes (or changes) the Quraan, Sunnah, Ijma (consensus) or the sayings of the Sahabah is Bid'ah. Any good deed which is not opposed to them is praiseworthy". (Milad celebration does not oppose any of them)
As in the practices of Hajj, the running between Safa & Marwa are legal in order to refresh the remembrance of pious people. Similarly, the celebration of Milad-un-Nabi is also legal to refresh the remembrance of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
Sayyiduna Moulana Abdus Sammi' (alaihir rahmah) has counted 73 names of great scholars of Islam who wrote about the validity of Milad celebrations. (Anwaar-e-Saati'a)
Allama Jalaaluddin Suyuti (alaihir rahmah) writes: "The Shari'at commanded Aqeeqah on the birth (of a child). This is a way to thank Allah & rejoice, but on the time of death no such commandment has been given. In fact, mourning & grieving is prohibited. The same principle of Shari'ah demands that happiness & the joy should be expressed in Rabi-ul-Awwal on the birth of the beloved Rasool (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) & not grieve on his Wisaal (Departure from this world)". (Husn-ul-Maqsad Fee Amalil Moulid Al Haawi Lil Fatawa)
Imam Suyuti (alaihir rahmah) writes about Milad: "According to me, gatherings, recitations of the Quran, mentioning incidents of the holy life of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) & mentioning those signs which appear at the time of his birth are amongst the good innovations in which a person is rewarded because in this there is respect, love & expression of happiness for the arrival of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)". (Al-Haavi Lil Fataawa)
Imam Qastalaani (alaihir rahmah) writes: "In the month of the birth of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) Muslims always had assemblies. In the nights of that month they gave charities & expressed happiness. They always increased good deeds in those nights. They always made arrangements to read the Milad of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) with the auspicious (hope) that Allah Ta'ala showers His blessings upon them. One of the experienced Barakah (blessing) of Milad is that the year passes upon them peacefully. May Allah Ta'ala send His Blessings & Favour upon that person who took Milaad-un-Nabi as Eid, so this Eid should become reason of hardness upon that person who has disease in his heart". (Mawahe bul Le Dunya)
Sayyiduna Sheikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddis Dehalwi (alaihir rahmah) writes: "All Muslims have always celebrated Milad functions in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. They always gave charities in the nights of that month and expressed their happiness. This is a common practice of Muslims that they particularly make mention of those incidents which are related to the birth of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)". (Ma Sabata Bis Sunnah)
Mullah Ali Qari (alaihir rahmah) writes: "Firstly, we see that it is permissible to arrange an assembly of Milad. It is permissible to participate in that assembly for the purpose of listening to the praises and character of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Inviting people and expressing happiness is permissible. Secondly, we do not say that it is Sunnah to celebrate Milad on any fixed night. Anyone who believes that it is Sunnah to celebrate Milad on any fixed night (and not in any other night) is a Bid'ati because the Zikr of Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is required all the time. Yes, in the month in which Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was born, has more preference". (Al Mourid-ur-ravi fil Moulid-in-Nabi)
Allama Ibn Abideen Shami (alaihir rahmah) writes: "Every person who is truthful in the love of Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) should express happiness in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. He should arrange an assembly for the Milad of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) in which the incidents of his birth are explained with correct Ahadees. There is a strong hope from Allah that such a person will be included in the group of pious people with the intercession of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)". (Jawahi Rul Bihaar)
We do not fix a particular day or night for the Milad & believe that Meelad is not Ja'iz (permissible) on any other date. It is our view that whosoever does such an act does so out of ignorance because the love & the relation to the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) demands that one should always mention him continuously.
No Muslim ever regards the Milad function as being more important than Salaah. Music or Qawwali is not sung at a Milad. If anyone has Qawwali with music in a Milaad function then he or she should be stopped & told that it is not correct. If Na-Baligh (immature) boys & girls read in Milad functions, there is nothing wrong with that. Baaligha (mature) girls do not read at all in Milad functions. If in any function a Baaligha girl reads a Naat in front of the audience, that will not make the Milad Haraam. Rather, people should be told about the illegitimacy of this act. The reading of Baligh boys in front of an audience is Ja'iz (permissible). There is no proof in Shar'iat against it unconditionally.
Women sit in Milad gatherings separate from men with necessary Shari' Hijab. The Shari' limit of Hijab for women is that they must cover the whole body besides the face, both hands & feet. Their hair must be covered & the clothes must not be so thin that the colour of the body may be seen. In the light of the Holy Quran, Hadees & Fiqh it is not compulsory for woman to cover the face, hands & feet from a Ghair Mahram. (N.B.: It is Mustahab for women to cover the whole face & not Waajib)
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