° Celebrate Birthdays?

The questions is: Is it allowed for Muslims to celebrate birthdays? Perhaps, if we elaborate on a few words it will give us the answer.

Muslim: (in general terms) a person who accepts Islam and Islam is the way of life founded on the Quran and the authentic Sunnah (exemplary practice of the prophet) that is perfect and complete and needs no alternations and to make sure that these sources of Islam are understood and practiced correctly a Muslim is to refer to scholars, especially the first three generations, particularly the Companions.

Celebrate: Two of its definitions are: 1. to observe in some special way (as merrymaking) and 2. to observe a special day or even (as a holiday or anniversary) with festivities. [webster’s new ideal dictionary]

Birthday: the day or anniversary of ones birth. [ibid]

Since Islam is based on revelation [the Quran and the Sunnah] we should see what revelations states: Anas imparted that when the prophet (salallahu alaihi wasalam) came to Madinah the people had two days of holiday celebrations. So he asked them about their significance and they replied it was merriment from Jahiliyah. Then the prophet [salallahu alaihi wasalam] rejoindered, “Allaah has replaced them with something far much better: Eid Ul-Adha and Eid Ul-Fitr. This hadith in itself is enough to answer the question concerning Muslim celebrating Birthdays. However, some Muslims asked for further evidence therefore we’ll give some.

Precedents:

Allaah told the prophet [salallahu alaihi wasalam} to say:

Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Let us make note that Allaah loving us is conditional. He only loves us if we follow the Prophet [salallahu alaihi wasalam]; and if you do not follow the prophet then you do not love Allah and He doesn’t love you. As is presently known, there is not place where it is recorded (not even unauthentically) that the prophet [salallahu alaihi wasalam} celebrated birthdays. He did not celebrate the birthday of Khadijah or Fatimah or Abu Bakr or Zayd or his grandchildren, etc. So if he did not celebrate birthdays, why should we??

The companions who are and for ever will be the best generation throughout humanity due to faith, belief, piety, practice, sacrifices, etc never celebrated anybody’s birthday – not even the prophet’s birthday – and thi sis the man whom they fought for, killed close relatives for, and died for. So it would have been nothing for them to say “Oh Messenger of Allaah, Happy Birthday!” The reason why they did not do this could not have possibly been because it was not a part of their culture. Before Islam, the Arabs appreciated any opportunity to party. The companions did not celebrate birthdays due to their knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of the guidance. We must emulate them for Allah says:

“Whomever opposes/contradicts the Messenger after the Guidance has been made clear and follows a way different than that of the believers, I allow him to continue with what he has chosen and cast him to Hell – an unfortunate circumstance.”

And non of the trustworthy scholars from the past or present who follow the way of the righteous predecessors have condoned the celebrating of any body’s birthday.

“Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know” (Quran: 21: 7)

Based in Polytheism:

The celebration of birthdays is something that doesn’t come from Islam. It comes from Jahilayah (non-Islam: lit. Ignorance) and has origins in Shirk. There were people who thought that the giving of gifts to a person on one’s birthday would prevent the Jin from attaching the person. This is shirk in Roboobeeyah because it is thinking that something other than Allah has authority in His dominion to prevent harm and bestow benefit. The original purpose of the gifts is no different than believe in charms and omens. The prophet said “Know that if the whole world were to gather to benefit you, it would only happen because Allah had it pre-ordained for you. Likewise if the whole world were to gather to harm you, it will only happen because Allah has it pre-ordained for you”. Furthermore, the lighting of candles came about because some people thought that they would take one’s dua’ “Wishes” to Allah. This is shirk in Ulooheeyah because Allah doesn’t need intermediaries.

Following and Imitating the Disbelievers and Being Different from Them

Birthday celebrations are observed around the world. This celebration is done differently based on culture and/or geographics. For example, in china they are celebrated every ten years while in the United States they are celebrated every year. Unfortunately, we are following the disbelievers. The prophet [salallahu alaihi wasalam] said, “You will follow the Sunnah of the people before you, foot by foot, and inch by inch. So much so that if they crawled into a lizard’s hole you would do it also!!” Wouldn’t it be better to follow the prophet’s Sunnah so that Allah will love us?

The celebration of birthdays by Muslims – particularly that of the Prophet’s – is an imitation of the disbelievers. Some Muslims try to argue the point that the prophet Muhammad’s birthday has more right to be “so-called” honoured than that of the prophet Jesus as the Christians do. This point that they tender is an admission that they are following and imitating the disbelievers. The prophet said, “Anyone who imitates a people is one of them”

Additionally, the prophet has warned us on several occasions to be different from the disbelievers.

Some people also try to argue that celebrating the prophet’s birthday will help them remember the prophet. This is really interesting because the people who usually say this are people who do not remember the prophet almost every other day of the year. They harbour misconceptions in Aqeedah, don’t establish Salah regularly, dress provocatively, and do several other things that show that they don’t really care to remember [follow the Sunnah is what we hope they mean by remember] the prophet, and just want to have a day of merriment that gives them a psuedo-sense of esteem and love of Islam. If these Muslims really did want to remember the prophet they would implement his Sunnah everyday of their lives.

Perform Ibadah

Being Muslims we should be extremely proud of Islam. Why have a party? We have been given something better: the aqeedah for our children. The only thing a Muslim could do on a birthday is fast for this is what the prophet did on his. Notice what is said is birthday and not birthdate. The prophet was born on a Monday and he did not – nor did his companions or any of the trustworthy scholars – do anything on the 12th of Rabi Al Awal. “…he was asked about fasting on Mondays to which he responded: it was the day I was born on and the day I became a prophet because revelations was given to me…”

Aside: we should research to find out what our real birth dates are on the Hijree calendar which is based on revelations) and stop thinking we were born on the dates from a synthetic man made calculations.

Conclusion:

Muslims do not celebrate the birthday of anybody regardless of who it is. If we were to celebrate anybody’s birthday it would be that of the prophet and he and so many better Muslims than us did not do such and the companions loved him immensely. So if his birthday is not celebrated why should we celebrate someone’s of lesser worthiness? To celebrate birthdays is heresy. The prophet said: “Anyone who introduces something into the affairs of ours (Islam) will have it rejected”

By: Sister Asiyah S.