ON ISSUES OF MAWLŪD
AL-NABĪ
SHAIKH Dr A K TOFFAR (Dean, Faculty of Islamic Studies, IPSA)
The issue of commemorating the birth of our nabī (s.a.w) has, of late, become some form of a controversial subject primarily due to ideological currents having reached our shores and having been infused into our community. The community had been ill-prepared for this phenomenon with a leadership that had not properly understood or expected the fallout to be what it eventually was or became.
In essence, it is not nor should it be a problem as it can be accommodated, after analysis, within the Sunnī sphere as a valid point of disagreement.
In my personal view, there are three factors which affect and shape the life of a person and these are language, religion and culture. The sustaining process and refinement of a given civilization depend on these factors in varying degrees.
Throughout history, with its plethora of civilizations, individuals either founded civilizations or were prime instruments in the founding thereof. The former is usually the non-religious based civilization while the latter is that of religious based civilizations.
While cults developed around leaders or are founded by them and developed by their chosen circle, the religious based model has a divine process of gradual growth to leadership position. Such leaders have to conform to a specific pattern with which they have to lead and found believing communities by necessity and in relation to the age and human development of their time.. The Qur’ān confirms this when it says: “To you (Muhammad) We have sent the Scripture in truth confirming the Scripture that came before it and guarding it in safety; so judge between them by what Allāh has revealed and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that came to you.”[1]
This process had to be multi-faceted and varied with a staggered growth pattern fitting each era and age. This the Qur’ān also confirms: “To each among you have We sent prescribed Law and a way f life.”[2]
Within this milieu of divinely inspired and chosen leadership, our nabī Muhammad (s.a.w) was born, not only to carry a divine message , but to seal the long process of revelation for all time. Allāh Himself state his (s.a.w) status when He says: “And We have not sent you save as a mercy to all”[3] and “We have truly sent you as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings and as a warner.” [4]
Great indeed is the blessing of the Creator to all His creation in blessing them with the key to salvation and success in this world and the Hereafter.
Mindful of such magnanimity of the Creator to all in finalising His Risālah with nabī Muhammad (s.a.w), Muslim `ulamā’ throughout the later era especially, thought it good (istihsana) the commemoration of his birth (s.a.w) as a way of expressing thanks and gratitude for such a magnanimous divine gift and blessing.
It should be noted that these `ulamā’ used the word istahsana and the like in this issue as did ibn Hajr, the well-known faqīh. They did not use any other word herein.
Their view is not an isolated innovation of some sort without foundation.
It is well known from hadīth works that when the nabī (s.a.w) arrived in al-Madīnah, he observed that the Jewish community there was observing a fast on a specific day which fell on the 10th of Muharram in the Muslim calendar. On enquiring about their fasting and its purpose (being the delivery of Banū Isrā'īl from Pharaoh and bondage), he (s.a.w) said that we (the Muslims) have more right to Mūsā than Banū Isrā’īl. Both al-Bukhārī and Muslim transmitted this hadīth. He (s.a.w) requested the Muslims to fast that day and the day before it to differentiate it from the Jewish fast.
Taking from their practice, the nabī (s.a.w) celebrated or commemorated a memorable and important event with an `ibādah, in this case, siyām. The celebration in thanksgiving here was for the deliverance of a people who at that time was chosen by Allāh above all people.
Celebrating a religious event in this manner is not a bid`ah as it has a mustanad (proof reference) in the interpretation and dalālah of the nabī (s.a.w) himself.
A Muslim owes unselfish and unreserved affection to the nabī (s.a.w) for he himself has said:
“I must have precedence (in affection) of a Muslim even over himself.” [5] The Qur’ān also alludes to this line of thought when it says:
“Say: If you love Allāh, follow me (Muhammad) Allāh will forgive you your sins.”[6]
Islām commands that the sha`ā’ir (signs) of Allāh be respected.
In this regard, for example, the budna in hajj had been made of the sha`ā’ir of Allāh due to its integral part in the rites of this important rukn of the dīn.[7] Here sacrificial animals are made of the signs of Allāh. Sha`ā’ir is thus a manifestation of Islām and its sharī`ah.
Human common sense will readily accept that the coming of the nabī (s.a.w) as the rasūl of the ākhir zamān (the final era of the universe) is of the greatest sha`ā’ir that manifest itself to mankind as a whole and to the believing Muslims especially. All the sha`ā’ir of Islām must be revered and protected. The public exhibition of these sha`ā’ir show the physical presence of the dīn and its adherents. Of the other sha`ā’ir are the adhān, salāh al-`īdāyn and talbiyah in hajj etc.
The public expression of the sha`ā’ir is especially of great significance in Muslim minority societies. The culture and civilisational values of Nonmuslim countries, nowadays, especially, do not cater for the higher and eternal spiritual values. Muslim minorities living in isolation of the protection of majority Muslim societal influence, will be subjected to an invading system of values foreign to their beliefs and practices. This is especially so in educational institutions as well as media influences.
The commemoration of important dates in the Islamic calendar and its continuous familiarity among the adherents of Islām, especially in Nonmuslim majority societies, is necessary to sustain a Muslim social and community life.
In Muslim minority societies where such practices were not incorporated into the social activities of the society, one may find Islām, but there will be no visible Muslim community.
Symbols and signs are integral parts of nations, tribes and groups and, in some cases of families, notably the powerful, noble and rich ones, since times immemorial.
The nabī (s.a.w) himself had a standard and a flag used especially in war times as was the practice of other nations in the past. This process continues till this present day.
Of the greatest of signs of the mercy of Allāh to all creation is the coming of His rasūl of the ākhir zamān, Muhammad ibn `Abd Allāh (s.a.w).
To be reminded of his coming , his message and his influence on his followers, it is necessary to keep the community informed of him (s.a.w) and what better way than knowing when he was born, the circumstances surrounding his coming, his mission and subsequent events that unfolded thereafter and its influence on the Muslims and the world at large.
This commemoration should not only focus on the man, but also on the message he came with, its application and its relevance and practicality. A real bid`ah will be created by celebrating a birth and not knowing or caring about the message with which he came. Such a kind of celebration is a contradiction of the man himself and his way of life. It is something we must see is avoided, otherwise we will follow other denominations who do not care about anything religious for an entire year and remember their leader once a year only and then in quite a peculiar festive manner void of the essence such leaders came with.
From time to time, Muslim groups, especially those living in Nonmuslim majority states, and especially after 9/11, need their sense of community being positively recharged. This is best done through `ibādāt, both fard and sunnah but not forgetting him (s.a.w) who came with that system , lived here on earth as a human being within the constraints of being human and delivered a divine message acknowledged by millions since the beginning of his mission.
Human beings tend to forget or become unmindful especially when worldly things occupy them as is the case nowadays. One need not elaborate on this – we all know it.
Reminding is central to refreshing the memory as well as the required practice of the community.
In matter of the reminding process, Allāh Himself states in the Qur’ān: “But remind, for reminding benefits the believers.”[8]
If one looks at Muslim minority societies in the world, especially in the Western world, it is very noticeable to see the level of Islamic consciousness and practice, notably public practice, and measure it to the sense of both Islamic belief and community. One will notice that wherever the sha`ā’ir had been upheld in its various forms – of the revealed, the written and the mustahsan, the sense and fabric of community is manifest and vice versa.
Had the sense of community existed properly in Muslim minority societies, we may not have seen the excesses which emanate from some groups which endangered their own existence as well as that of their co-regionalist in the entire wide world.
Organized structures, such as political and other institutions, place great emphasis on the biographies of their leaders. In fact, in many countries, it becomes a subtle part of the syllabi of schools and other educational institutions, even the workplace also, the overall aim being to keep the relevant community fused with the personality and achievements, real or invented, of the leader.
This lends to continuity of such organized structures and groups.
It would be the height of hypocrisy for Muslims to assert that all people can have their heroes’ commemorations, and even partake in such events, but refuse to accept that there is benefit for Muslims and Islām in being reminded annually, at least, of their great nabī (s.a.w), the gift from Allāh to them and all fellow human beings.
In the words of Allāh Himself, the model to strive after is clear: “You have indeed in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allāh and the Final Day and remembers Allāh much.”[9]
There is an oft repeated refrain that commemorating mīlād al-nabī (s.a.w) is a bid`ah because the nabī (s.a.w) nor the succeeding salaf sālih did it. On this ground alone is it principally ruled bid`ah.
This smacks of gross ignorance of the functioning of Islām and its order as well as its continuity through he ages till the end of the world. The nusūs shar`īyyah mentions broad principles and seldom resorts to details. Any student of usūl will know that.
The fundamentals and principles are known as well as the sunan (sing. sunnah). New happenings necessitate rulings and instruments used in bringing forth such rulings. One of these rulings or adillah I(proofs) is maslahah (usually translated as public benefit) for the Muslims. As maslahah is a valid dalīl by a virtual majority of the fuqahā’ (sing faqīh - jurist), (some calling it by another name), for the furū` (practical law), it is inconceivable that it cannot be used to strengthen the community sense of the ummah, especially the Muslim minorities living in majority Nonmuslim countries.
Bid`ah, in its real sense, is innovation in the existing dīn and refers to bid`ah in principles and fundamentals thereof. Besides these, new situations will be decided within the ambit of the sharī`ah using the instruments of hukm (ruling) with the clear intention of safeguarding the dīn, welfare and interest of the Muslim community.
Moderation had always been the essence of success of Islām throughout the ages wherever Islām took root. When this balance was upset, the consequences were always negative and many a time destructive. We are once again seeing this phenomenon all around us.
In commemoration of mīlād al-nabī (s.a.w), we usually have large groups of Muslims gathered n one place which offers a golden opportunity to inform and instruct in the life and law with which he (s.a.w) came.
An added benefit is that in many Muslim minority societies, Nonmuslims, some of note in the state, are invited to not only partake of the commemoration, but to learn from Muslims what their religion and their nabī (s.a.w) are all about. This is so vital in these days with Islām being deliberately and calculatedly distorted and maligned – by powerful and strong governments, powerful military figures and powerful media.
There will always be differences of opinion on this issue and will probably continue for some time to come. However, no one should condemn or blame the other for the view they take. They must try to agree to disagree and carry on jointly in other spheres for the benefit and welfare of Islām and its adherents, especially in Muslim minority societies.
In commemorating the birth of our nabī (s.a.w) we must avoid all excesses and exaggerations, something the ahl al-kitāb had been guilty of at various stages in their history. These negatives caused their faith to be distorted beyond recognition in issues of tawhīd, for example.
Let us remember, that one of the greatest legacies our nabī (s.a.w) left was a sane human order for the divinely ordained life of Muslim men and Muslim women and the crown of it all, in his sphere, is virtuous, exalted and exemplary conduct. A Muslim without sound Islamic conduct is a liability for Islām, his community and his fellow Muslims. The mirror through which Nonmuslims see Muslims is in heir public conduct, not in their Scriptures.
This commemoration given us the opportunity to examine ourselves and measure ourselves against the measuring tape of dīn and to improve ourselves in all walks of life.
Nothing is as beautiful, noticeable and inviting as sound and virtuous conduct. Emphasizing this quality, Allāh praises our nabī (s.a.w) for his exemplary conduct in the Qur’ān: “And surely you (Muhammad) have sublime morals”.[10]
Finally, the Muslim world is in virtual disarray. The commemoration of the mīlād al-nabī (s.a.w) can be a common rallying point for the refreshing revival of a pleasant and useful ummah reasserting itself as a moderate and moderating force in the affairs of mankind and the world.
SHAIKH Dr A K TOFFAR
11/0/1429 AH
Rylands Estate