💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
📜 Question: With regards to some people, there are also among them who organize their own celebration to commemorate their date of birth. What is the Islamic ruling on this?
📝 Answer: All of this is wrong and frowned upon, for a person to celebrate his birthday, his mother's, or his daughter's, or his son's etc. Such invented matters are a resemblance to the deeds of many Christians and Jews. There is no source or origin in Islam for it (to celebrate anyone's birthday). And there is no basis to support it - to celebrate "mother's day", or "father's day", or "uncle's day", or one's "birthday", or the "birthday" of one's child. All of these, birthday celebrations, are wrongdoings and innovated practices, all of them are an imitation of the enemies of Allah the Almighty. None of it is ever allowed to be put into practice.
So it is upon the Muslim to dutifully take precautions, close the doors that lead to bid'ah and be wary of newly invented matters in the religion. Nevertheless some of the people have an abundance of blessings, and they were able to accumulate a large amount of wealth (with Allah's Will) and a lot of them do not know how to spend them rightly. They did not receive guidance yet to make use of their income in obeying Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala, and in the construction of mosques/Masaajid, and in financially assisting the needy. Thus what they do instead is misusing their money on birthday celebrations and the like.
If the Muslim truly intends to revive the Sunnah of the beloved Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam, then the right way to do this isn't through celebrating birthdays but reviving his Sunnah can be done through conducting Islamic classes at schools and in the mosques, and conferences or seminars. This isn't bid'ah (innovation), but rather legislated, ordered and encouraged - to teach the Seerah (life history) of the noble Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam, and to clarify in schools or institutes whatever concerns the so-called "mawlid an-nabi" and conducting lectures or classes on why it (celebrating the "mawlid") is not from Islam.
As for specifying a particular date to celebrate certain festivals, such as in Rabee' Al-Awwal, providing special drinks and delicacies on such occasions and whatnot, then there is no basis for that, but it is rather from the innovated matters (acts of bid'ah established upon ignorance and misguidance) which we Muslims for Allah's sake must strive to avoid.
From the Fataawa of sheikh AbdulAziz Ibn Baz (May Allah have mercy on him. Ameen.)
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📖 Aisha RadhiAllahu 'anha narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah by displeasing the people, Allah will suffice him against the people. Whoever seeks the pleasure of people by displeasing Allah, Allah will leave him to the patronage of the people."
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2414
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Ibn Umar RadhiAllahu 'anhuma narrated: The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever imitates a people is one of them."
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4031
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Aisha RadhiAllahu 'anha narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever innovates into this matter of ours that which does not belong to it, it will be rejected."
In another narration, the Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our matter, it will be rejected."
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 2550
Sahih Muslim 1718
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (Authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim
https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/26374/%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AF
