بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
PROPHET’S BIRTH DAY صل الله عليه وسلم
The Ulama of Ahlus Sunnah have agreed that it was on a Monday, Rabi’ Ul Awwal in the Year of the Elephant (570 CE).
Imaam an-Nawawee (d.676H) said: “There is an agreement that he was born on Monday in the month of Rabee’ul-Awwal. But there is a difference of opinion whether this day was the 2nd, 8th, 10th or 12th day of the month – and these ore the four most well-known opinions concerning this.(Tahdheeb Seeratun-Nabawiyyah, p.20)
The earlier scholars leaned towards the 8th, as mentioned by Ibn Abdil Barr (Al Istii’aab vol 1/31). Ibn Hajar al-Haytamî mentioned that there is a consensus from the historians that this is the correct date (Sharh Matn al-Hamziyyah, p 26). Ibn Sa’ad (d 230 H), one of the well-known respected historians of Early Islam did not count the 12th as being among the probable dates. In his Tabaqat, he favored the 2nd or the 10th (Tabaqaat Al Kubra vol1/100).
In fact, the Prophet’s death is a great calamity for this Ummah, nothing greater in calamity can ever happen. However, event his birth is a great joy, as there is infinite goodness in it.
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) said,“If one of you is afflicted with a calamity, then let him remember his calamity by me (i.e., by my death); for indeed, it is the greatest of calamities.” (Related by Ibn Sa’d, al-Darimi, and others; through other narrations that attested to it, it is authentic, as mentioned in al-Sahihah (106))
HIS DEATH IS A SIGN OF QIYAAMAH
عن عوف بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: أتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في غزوة تبوك وهو في قبة من أدم فقال: ((اعدُد ستًّا بين يدي الساعة: موتي، ثم فتح بيت المقدس، ثم موتان يأخذ فيكم كقعاص الغنم، ثم استفاضة المال حتى يعطى الرجل مائة دينار فيظلّ ساخطا، ثم فتنة لا يبقى بيت من العرب إلا دخلته، ثم هدنة تكون بينكم وبين بني الأصفر فيغدرون فيأتونكم تحت ثمانين غاية تحت كلّ غاية اثنا عشر ألفا) أخرجه البخاري في الجزية، باب: ما يحذر من الغدر (3176
The Prophet () said “Count six things before the advent of Qiyamah: My death, The conquest of Jerusalem …” (Bukhari)
A DAY OF ‘DARKNESS’ NOT CELEBRATION
رقم الحديث: 380
(حديث مرفوع) حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ هِلالٍ الصَّوَّافُ الْبَصْرِيُّ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ، قَالَ : ” لَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي دَخَلَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ أَضَاءَ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ أَظْلَمَ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ ، وَمَا نَفَضْنَا أَيْدِيَنَا مِنَ التُّرَابِ ، وَإِنَّا لَفِي دَفْنِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , حَتَّى أَنْكَرْنَا قُلُوبَنَا ” . 90
( الشمائل المحمدية للترم)
From Anas RA: ” … the day that he (saw) passed, it was gloomy everywhere
*** Ibn al-Hâj al-Mâlikî (d. 737 H) stated: “Then if it is free from it (i.e. matters that are Harâm in and of themselves), and he only makes food, and intends with the Mawlid, and invites the brothers, and it is free from what has been mentioned earlier, then it is a Bid’ah by the intention itself alone. Because that is an addition to the religion; not from the actions of the Salaf who have passed. And following the Salaf is more deserving, rather, it is more obligatory, than adding an intention to the religion which they did not have…” (Al-Madkhal, Vol. 2/10)
HIS BIRTH DAY صل الله عليه وسلم
Abū Qatāda narrates that a Bedouin came to the Prophet and asked him about fasting on Monday, to which the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم replied, “That is the day I was born on, and the day that the revelation began” [Narrated by Muslim]
I pray that Allah gives us understanding and guidance to the Straight Path, and make us successful in this world and in the hereafter.
آللهم ّ صلِّ على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين
REFERENCES
Alhamdulillah, I was able to compile the short article on the Prophet’s mawlid, among other sources, from the following articles:
http://muslimmatters.org/2009/03/11/the-birth-date-of-the-prophet-and-the-history-of-the-mawlid-part-i-of-iii/ by Sheikh Yasir Qadhi
http://www.systemoflife.com/articles/milaad/269-milad-un-nabi-or-prophet-birthday-celebrate-or-not#axzz2mudczupD by Salman Mohammed
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=17276&highlight=mawlid by Haytham Sayfaddin
sunnahseries 