Discussion on Celebrating Mawlid

Any act with a basis in Islamic law is not an innovation, even if

the early predecessors did not practice it.

Celebrating the Prophet's noble birthday is forbidden.

Yes, brothers.

Matters are always linked—legal rulings are linked

to the deed and intention. The deed: what is your

intention behind this act you perform? God will judge you for it.

"Deeds are judged by intentions, and every

person will get what they intended." What you receive a reward for...

you receive a reward for. Intention is a must. Intention is the root of all deeds, from

start to finish. And is this deed in accordance

with Islamic law or not? The deed that you undertake,

is it compliant with Islamic law or not? That is separate from intention. Intention is for

sincerity. This is for the deed's reward and its validity.

Now, let us turn to the Mawlid. First, they tell

you that the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not do it, nor did the Companions,

nor did the Successors,

and that it is an innovation, and so on. Anyway,

brothers, those who are celebrating

the noble Prophet's Mawlid, out of appreciation

for this great day on which the Prophet, peace be upon him, was born, they perform

with lawful things in our country. I mean,

our land of the Levant from end to end. You don't enter a Mawlid that has

any wrongdoing whatsoever. None at all. It is all

remembrance of Allah Almighty, prayers upon the Prophet, blessings be upon him,

a good sermon, mentioning the virtues of the Prophet, peace be upon him,

his character, emulating and following the Prophet, peace

and blessings be upon him. The entire Mawlid is like that. Sweets are also distributed.

Sweets are part of feeding people. Feeding food,

my brothers, has a reward separate from charity.

Charity is for the poor and the needy. But there is something else

besides charity. This is for the rich, the poor, and all people,

all of them, for your relatives, friends, and loved ones. Feeding

food carries a reward. It has a special reward with Allah Almighty.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to do it, and the noble Companions used to do that.

Feeding food is distinct from charity. Well,

if sweets are shared, if food is shared, whatever is distributed at the Mawlid,

this is also an act of obedience drawing one closer to Allah Almighty.

You see everything happening in the Mawlid. There is no problem. No problem at all.

If your deed earns reward, meaning there is no fault,

no violation of Islamic law, and the same goes for your intention...

Your intention is to draw closer to God through love of His Prophet, peace be upon him.

Well, they tell you,

"How are you creating this act of obedience? You're creating it on your own!

It's evil, an invention!"

Brothers, Imam al-Shafi'i... Imam al-Shafi'i is from the early generations.

There is no scholar in the entire nation, from first to last,

who doesn't respect, value, and revere Imam al-Shafi'i, may God

be pleased with him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, foretold about him.

Imam al-Shafi'i was born in 150 AH, meaning before the death...

around 150 years after the passing of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

He foretold of him, saying, "The scholar of Quraysh." There was no scholar from Quraysh

like Imam al-Shafi'i. He is the foremost authority, the scholar of Quraysh

who fills the earth with knowledge.

The scholar of Quraysh who fills the earth with knowledge is Imam

al-Shafi'i. All his work... Every deed

has a basis in Islamic law.

Feeding others has a basis in Sharia. Reciting the Quran has a basis

in Sharia. Remembering Allah Almighty has a basis in Sharia.

Reminding and preaching to people. The legal foundations.

Thus, any deed that has a basis in Sharia is not

an innovation, even if the predecessors did not practice it.

Even if the predecessors did not do it. As long as you do an act rooted in Sharia,

it is not an innovation, even if the predecessors didn't do it. Well,

someone says the predecessors didn't do it. There is nothing wrong, based on this

rule by Imam al-Shafi'i. Another matter: how? How is it

if the predecessors didn't do it? Didn't the Prophet, peace be upon him,

when he was asked about Monday...

Why is fasting on Monday a Sunnah? And it is a Sunnah to fast

on Monday. Asked why fast on Monday, he said, "That

is the day on which I was born."

"That is the day I was born." The Prophet, peace be upon him,

was thanking Allah for the blessing of his birth. He was thanking Him

for the blessing of his birth.

And he fasted Mondays and Thursdays, Mondays and Thursdays, Mondays and Thursdays.

Mondays, why? To thank Allah Almighty for the day he was born.

That is what he did. Why wouldn't we?

Let's not say that. Meaning, we should stop this dispute.

Meaning, an excessive dispute, and there shouldn't be among Muslims

such a dispute as this.