There are many Hadîths that provide clear evidences for the legality of celebrating the birth and raising of the Beloved Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam.
First Hadith:
It is reported by Abdullah ibn Abbas rađiyAllāhu ánhu that the Beloved Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam had migrated to Madina Sharīf and saw the Jews were fasting on 10th Muharram, Yawme Ashūra. He asked them why they fasted on that day. They replied that this was a spiritual and righteous day; a blessed day since on this day God gave Bani-Israel liberty and independence from firown, Pharaoh. The Beloved Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam then said, if you are fasting on a day when Musa received success on this day(liberation from firown and his tyrannical government) then I am more closer to Musa than you. I have a better right than Musa over you. So I will fast on the same day due to this success, due to Allah’s blessing on him. So the Beloved Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam ordered his Companions to begin to fast on the day of Ashūra.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book 6, Ch. 19 Hadith no. 2518, 2520.
This Hadīth is also contained in Sahīh al-Bukharī, (vol. 7, Kitab-al-Sawm, Ch. 29, Hadīth no.2157 and also in Kitab al Anbiya Ch. 24); in the Muwatta of Imām Malik, Kitab-al-Siyam, Hadîth no. 28; in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal – vl. 2; as well as by Imam al-Asqalani who gives many references in his book, Fath al-Barī, Vol. 4, pg. 245-249.
This Hadīth creates the juristic principle that is permissible to celebrate a blessing of Allāh Almighty even if it is celebrating an event that took place on a particular day and in this case the blessing conferred onto the people was their liberation from Firawn through the means of their Prophet, Hadrat Musa alayhis salam. When the Beloved ProphetşallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam heard the answer of the Jews, he did not rebut their celebration, nor did he say it was not permissible to celebrate such a day. Instead he commented that the Muslims had a greater right to celebrate and thus asked the Muslims to fast on this day too.
It is clear from this Hadīth that if the day of Ashūra was made blessed due to Sayyidinā Musa alayhis salam and the Jews celebrated it out of gratitude to him and Allāh, then surely the day that the Beloved Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam was made rahmatalil alimeen should also be celebrated by us. Sayyidinā Musa alayhis salam came just for theBanī-Isra’īl but Allāh Almighty sent His mercy, in the form of the Beloved ProphetşallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam to liberate the whole of mankind from all burdens. The birth of the Beloved Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam came as a liberation from every kind of tyranny, cruelty and suppression. It was the day of the birth of justice and the establishment of haq, truth and righteousness. So how can we possibly resist in rejoicing and thanking Allāh Almighty for His Mercy on this day.
This same Hadīth is narrated again in Sahih al-Muslim, Kitab Ul-Sawm, Book 6 – Hadith. no.2528. Ibn Abbas rađiyAllāhu ánhu is again the reporter of this Hadīth but in this narration he says the Jews, in answering the Beloved Prophet’s şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallamquestion said they held this day with great esteem and regard, so they fasted on the day of Ashūra out of respect and reverence, known as th’azeem. If this is the case then does not the day of the rising and birth of Allah’s Beloved Prophet şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallamdeserve respect and reverence? If we can respect the day Sayyidinā Musa alayhis salamliberated the Jews then we can surely respect and revere the day the seal of the ProphetsşallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam was born. Read the rest of this entry »