The Ruling on Celebrating the Prophet's Birthday

Question :

Is it permissible for Muslims to celebrate in the mosque, in order to remember the noble Prophetic Seerah on the night of the twelfth of Rabi' Al-Awwal on the occasion of the birthday of the noble Prophet, without turning the day into a holiday, like the 'Eid? We are in disagreement over it; some say it is a good innovation and some say it is a bad one.

Answer:

It is not permissible for Muslims to organize celebrations for the birthday of the Prophet on the night of the twelfth of Rabi' Al-Awwal, nor on any other night. Neither is it permissible for them to organize celebrations for any other person's birthday, because celebrating a birthday is ant innovation in the religion, for the Prophet did not celebrate his birthday at any time in his life, and he is the conveyor of the religion and the dispenser of the Law from his Lord, the Most Glorified. Nor did he order others to do it, and neither did his righteous caliphs, nor any of his Companions, nor the Tabi'in who followed them well, in the best (early) generations (of Islam). Therefore, it is known to be a innovation. He said:
"Whoever innovates in this matter of ours that which is not from it, will have it (his innovation) rejected.»

And in Muslim's version, and a version (also) reported by Al- Bukhari in a Mu'allaq form:
"Whoever performed a deed which is not in conformity with this matter of ours, will have it rejected.»

Celebrating his birthday is not in conformity with his religion on the contrary, it is one of the things people have innovated in his religion in recent times, and is therefore rejected. He used to say, during his Friday sermon:

"As for what follows: Verily, the best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (), and the most evil of (religious) matters are the newly invented, and every innovation is a misguidance."

An-Nasa'i added, with an authentic chain of narrators:

... and every misguidance is in the Fire.»

Studies of Hadith related to his birth, studies connected with his Seerah, the history of his life - both before and after Islam - as taught in the schools and mosques and other places should be free from any birthday celebrations, since there is no need for innovating celebrations which have not been legislated by Allah or His Messenger, nor has a legal evidence been established for it... And Allah answers the one who asks Him, so we ask Allah on behalf of all of the Muslims that He guide them and grant them success in sufficing themselves with the Sunnah and abstaining from all innovations.