✍️ Written by: Sahibzada Shahid Siddiq
(Anjuman Gulzar-e-Madina International)
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Introduction
Mawlid un-Nabi ﷺ means to express happiness on the blessed birth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, to narrate his Seerah, and to spread the news of his coming. This is a fundamental part of the faith and love of the Ummah.
An objection is raised that: “The Companions (Sahaba) did not celebrate Mawlid, so we too should not celebrate it.”
This objection is academically and historically weak. Let us see in the light of the Qur’an, the Ahadith, and the practice of the Sahaba that Mawlid is in fact their Sunnah and way of life.
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The Basis of Mawlid in the Qur’an
Allah Almighty says:
Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.
(Yunus: 58)
“Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice, it is better than all that they gather.”
The Mufassireen (commentators) state that the greatest bounty and the greatest mercy of Allah is the Noble Prophet ﷺ himself.
As the Qur’an says:
And We did not send you except as a mercy to all the worlds.
(Al-Anbiya: 107)
Therefore, the Qur’an commands us to rejoice at the coming of the Prophet ﷺ. This is the true foundation of Mawlid.
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The Blessing of Mawlid in the Ahadith
1. The virtue of the day of birth:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about fasting on Mondays, and he said:
That is the day on which I was born, and the day on which I was sent, or the day on which revelation was sent down to me.
(Sahih Muslim)
Meaning, he ﷺ declared his day of birth as a blessed day.
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2. Abu Lahab’s joy and reduction of punishment:
It is in Sahih Bukhari that Abu Lahab, upon the birth of the Prophet ﷺ, expressed happiness and freed his slave-girl Thuwaibah. Because of this happiness, Allah reduces his punishment every Monday.
(Bukhari, Kitab an-Nikah)
If even a disbeliever can be rewarded for expressing joy at the birth of the Prophet ﷺ, then how much greater reward will a believer receive!
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The Practice of the Companions (Sahaba)
1. The announcement of Mawlid and the glad tidings
Wherever the armies and caravans of the Sahaba went, their very first message was:
“Our Prophet ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah, born in Makkah, migrated to Madinah, and upon him the Qur’an was revealed.”
That is, the Sahaba would first announce the birth and Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This was the very essence of Mawlid.
• When Hazrat Mu’adh ibn Jabalؓ went to Yemen, his very first message was that “Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah.”
• When Hazrat Bilalؓ went to Sham (Syria), he too made this announcement through Adhan and the remembrance of Mustafa ﷺ.
• In Egypt, Iraq, and Persia, this glad tidings was spread.
Thus, wherever Islam reached, the fragrance of the Mawlid of Mustafa ﷺ spread.
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2. The collective celebration upon the arrival of the Prophet ﷺ
When the Noble Prophet ﷺ migrated to Madinah, the Ansar recited poetry:
Tala‘a al-badru ‘alayna min thaniyyati al-wada‘
(Seerah Ibn Hisham)
This was a collective celebration and joy upon the arrival of the Prophet ﷺ. This too was a form of Mawlid.
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3. Gatherings of Seerah and Mawlid
The Sahaba would gather people and narrate the incidents of the Prophet ﷺ’s birth and Seerah:
• Hazrat Ibn Abbasؓ would narrate the incidents of the birth and childhood of the Prophet ﷺ.
• Hazrat Anasؓ would narrate the household events and miracles.
• Hazrat Hassan ibn Thabitؓ would recite poetic verses (Na‘at) on the birth and Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ.
All of these gatherings were in fact the basis of Mawlid.
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4. The life of the Sahaba – Mawlid every moment
It is absolutely correct that for the Companions, Mawlid was not the name of a single day or a single gathering. Rather:
• Whenever they saw the Prophet ﷺ, their hearts would be filled with joy.
• Whenever his name was mentioned, tears would flow from their eyes and their tongues would be filled with Salat and Salam.
• Whenever they heard the Qur’an, they would declare that this Book was revealed upon that Prophet ﷺ who was born in Makkah and resides in Madinah.
Thus, the entire life of the Sahaba was a living reflection of Mawlid.
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The Condition of Muslims Today
We are weak people, we do not have the same constant love and remembrance that the Sahaba had.
That is why we hold gatherings of Mawlid once a week, or once a month, or once a year in Rabi‘ al-Awwal, so that despite our weakness, we may keep this Sunnah alive and announce our joy at the coming of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
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Summary
• The Qur’an and the Ahadith prove the foundation of Mawlid.
• The Sahaba first spread the message of Mawlid throughout the world – by announcing the birth and Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
• They celebrated Mawlid every day and every moment.
• We, being weak, hold Mawlid gatherings weekly, monthly, or yearly to keep alive this great Sunnah.
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Conclusion
Mawlid un-Nabi ﷺ is not a new invention but is in fact the Sunnah of the Companions.
It was they who first announced and spread the news that the Beloved of Allah ﷺ had come into this world.
Today, when we hold gatherings of Mawlid, we are in reality repeating that very announcement and reviving the Sunnah of the Sahaba.
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Was-Salaam
Sahibzada Shahid Siddiq
Anjuman Gulzar-e-Madina International