❦ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗧’𝗦 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬 ﷺ 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 & 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 ❥

 

المَوْلِدُ النَّبَوِيُّ

❤️ LOVE FOR THE MESSENGER ﷺ •

 REMEMBRANCE • FOLLOWING THE SUNNAH

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🕌 AHMADTRINI

QUR’ĀN • SUNNAH • BENEFICIAL KNOWLEDGE

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🌿 THE LOVE OF THE PROPHET ﷺ

There is no doubt that loving the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is an essential part of faith. He is the Messenger of Allah, the final Prophet, and the one through whom Allah سبحانه وتعالى conveyed His final revelation to mankind.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ

 وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ

 تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ

 فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ

“Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have acquired, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His command.”

Qur’ān 9:24

Love for the Prophet ﷺ, however, is not merely something spoken by the tongue. It is demonstrated by believing him, obeying him, honoring him, learning his Sunnah and following his guidance.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ

 ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.”

Qur’ān 3:31

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❤️ TRUE LOVE IS FOLLOWING

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📖 REMEMBERING THE MESSENGER ﷺ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ should certainly be remembered.

We remember him when we study his Sīrah, learn his ḥadīth, follow his Sunnah and send ṣalāh and salām upon him.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا

 عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, send blessings upon him and salutations of peace.”

Qur’ān 33:56

The remembrance of the Prophet ﷺ is therefore not something restricted to one night or one month.

The Muslim mentions him in the adhān:

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ

“I bear witness that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

He mentions him in the prayer:

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

“Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.”

And the believer remembers him whenever he follows his Sunnah.

Thus, the question is not whether remembering the Prophet ﷺ is good.

The question is whether a particular annual religious celebration was established for that remembrance.

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📅 THE DATE OF THE PROPHET’S BIRTH ﷺ

The birth of the Prophet ﷺ took place in Rabīʿ al-Awwal, but the exact date is a matter of historical disagreement.

The commonly mentioned date of 12 Rabīʿ al-Awwal is not established with certainty.

Different dates have been reported by historians, and therefore a specific annual religious observance based upon the assumption that the Prophet ﷺ was definitely born on the 12th requires evidence.

More importantly, even if the exact date were established, another question remains:

Did the Prophet ﷺ teach his Companions to establish an annual celebration on that date?

This is the central issue.

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🌙 MONDAY — THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH ﷺ

There is, however, an authentic ḥadīth concerning the day on which the Prophet ﷺ was born.

عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ

 عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ الِاثْنَيْنِ، فَقَالَ

«ذَاكَ يَوْمٌ وُلِدْتُ فِيهِ، وَيَوْمٌ بُعِثْتُ أَوْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ»

Abū Qatādah al-Anṣārī  رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about fasting on Monday, and he said:

“That is the day on which I was born, and the day on which I was sent, or revelation was sent down to me.”

📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1162

Notice what the Prophet ﷺ actually did.

He did not establish an annual birthday celebration.

Rather, the authentic Sunnah connected with his birth is fasting on Monday.

This provides an important principle:

🌙 When we want to honor the Prophet ﷺ, we look first to what he actually taught us.

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🌿 THE SUNNAH IS THE GUIDE

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📜 THE EARLY GENERATIONS

The Companions رضي الله عنهم loved the Prophet ﷺ more than almost anyone who came after them.

🌿 They lived with him.

🔷 They listened to him.

🟢 They witnessed his character.

🟠 They defended him.

💠 They sacrificed for him.

Yet no authentic evidence establishes that they gathered annually to celebrate his birth.

The same applies to the generations that followed them.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى praises the first generations of believers:

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ

 بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ

“And the first forerunners among the Muhājirūn and the Anṣār and those who followed them with excellence—Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.”

Qur’ān 9:100

Therefore, those who reject the Mawlid as a religious celebration argue that if it were an established act of worship, the earliest generations would have had the greatest reason to practice it.

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⚖️ WHAT IS BIDʿAH?

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ warned his Ummah against introducing new religious practices.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ

«مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ»

ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours that which is not from it, it is rejected.”

📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2697; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1718

And he ﷺ said:

« وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ »

“Every innovation is misguidance.”

📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 867

The principle is simple:

Acts of worship are not established merely because they appear good or beneficial. They require evidence from revelation.

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❤️ “BUT WE DO IT BECAUSE WE LOVE THE PROPHET ﷺ”

Love for the Prophet ﷺ is noble.

But love must be expressed in the manner he taught.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ

“Then follow me; Allah will love you.”

Qur’ān 3:31

A person who loves the Prophet ﷺ should therefore ask:

🌿 Do I know his Sunnah?

🔷 Do I pray as he taught?

🟢 Do I treat my family as he taught?

🟠 Do I speak truthfully as he taught?

💠 Do I show mercy as he taught?

🟣 Do I worship Allah as he taught?

🔴 Do I avoid what he prohibited?

🌱 These are daily expressions of love.

🌿 The strongest proof of love is not merely praising the Messenger ﷺ — it is following him.

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⚠️ EXAGGERATION IN PRAISING THE PROPHET ﷺ

Islam commands us to honor the Messenger ﷺ, but it also forbids exaggerating his status.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ

لَا تُطْرُونِي كَمَا أَطْرَتِ النَّصَارَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُهُ، فَقُولُوا:

 عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of Mary. I am only His servant, so say: Allah’s servant and His Messenger.”

📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3445

This is an essential balance:

❤️ HONOR THE PROPHET ﷺ

⚖️ WITHOUT EXAGGERATING HIS STATUS

He ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah.

He ﷺ is the final Prophet.

He ﷺ is greatly honored.

But he remains the servant and Messenger of Allah.

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📜 THE WORDS OF AL-BURDAH AND THE ISSUE OF EXAGGERATION

Some Mawlid gatherings include poetry praising the Prophet ﷺ.

Praising the Prophet ﷺ in a manner consistent with revelation is permissible and praiseworthy.

The problem arises when poetry contains meanings that attribute qualities belonging exclusively to Allah to the Prophet ﷺ.

Among the famous lines discussed in this context are words attributed to al-Būṣīrī in Qaṣīdat al-Burdah:

فَإِنَّ مِنْ جُودِكَ الدُّنْيَا وَضَرَّتَهَا

وَمِنْ عُلُومِكَ عِلْمَ اللَّوْحِ وَالْقَلَمِ

“Indeed, from your generosity are this world and its counterpart, and from your knowledge is the knowledge of the Preserved Tablet and the Pen.”

These words require careful consideration because their apparent meaning attributes the world and knowledge of the Preserved Tablet and Pen to the Prophet ﷺ.

The Qur’ān, however, teaches:

قُلْ لَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِنْدِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ

“Say: I do not tell you that I possess the treasures of Allah, nor that I know the unseen.”

Qur’ān 6:50

Therefore, Muslims must praise the Prophet ﷺ within the boundaries established by the Qur’ān and Sunnah.

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🤲 ALL WORSHIP BELONGS TO ALLAH

The Prophet ﷺ taught his Companions to turn to Allah.

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ

«إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ»

Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“When you ask, ask Allah; and when you seek help, seek help from Allah.”

📚 Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 2516

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا

“And the mosques are for Allah, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah.”

Qur’ān 72:18

The believer therefore honors the Prophet ﷺ while directing worship and supplication to Allah alone.

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🕌 WHEN A REMINDER BECOMES A RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION

There is nothing wrong with teaching the Sīrah of the Prophet ﷺ.

There is nothing wrong with teaching his character.

There is nothing wrong with reading authentic ḥadīth.

There is nothing wrong with sending ṣalāh and salām upon him ﷺ.

There is nothing wrong with reminding Muslims of his mercy, patience, courage, worship and sacrifice.

The question arises when a particular day is given a special religious status and turned into an annual celebration without an established proof.

That is the point at which the issue becomes one of religious legislation.

📖 A GOOD INTENTION DOES NOT BY ITSELF ESTABLISH A NEW ACT OF WORSHIP.

The Muslim needs both:

إِخْلَاصٌ -Sincerity

and

مُتَابَعَةٌ -Following the Messenger ﷺ

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🌙 HOW SHOULD WE REMEMBER THE PROPHET ﷺ?

Remember him throughout the year.

🌿 Study his Sīrah.

🔵 Read authentic ḥadīth.

🟢 Teach your children about his character.

🟣 Send ṣalāh and salām upon him.

🟠 Follow his Sunnah.

💠 Revive his teachings in your home.

🔷 Practice his manners.

🌱 Show mercy to people.

🔴 Speak truthfully.

🟩 Keep your promises.

🟪 Be patient.

🟧 Forgive.

🌿 Worship Allah sincerely.

❤️ Let the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ become visible in your life.

That is a remembrance that does not end when Rabīʿ al-Awwal ends.

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🌿 AHMADTRINI

REMEMBER HIM ﷺ BY FOLLOWING HIM ﷺ

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🕊️ A BALANCED CONCLUSION

The discussion surrounding al-Mawlid ultimately returns to a fundamental question:

How do we demonstrate our love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?

We demonstrate it by believing what he taught.

We obey him in what he commanded.

We avoid what he prohibited.

We worship Allah according to his guidance.

We send ṣalāh and salām upon him.

We learn his Sunnah.

We teach his Sīrah.

And we protect his message from exaggeration and from introducing into the religion what he did not teach.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ

 وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”

Qur’ān 33:21

❤️ Our love for the Messenger ﷺ should not be confined to a celebration.

📖 It should be reflected in our knowledge.

🕌 It should be reflected in our worship.

🌿 It should be reflected in our character.

⭐ And above all, it should be reflected in our following of the Sunnah.

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🤲 A FINAL DUʿĀʾ

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اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنَا حُبَّ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ، وَاتِّبَاعَ سُنَّتِهِ، وَالِاقْتِدَاءَ بِهَدْيِهِ، وَالثَّبَاتَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ

 وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ أَصْدَقِ أُمَّتِهِ اتِّبَاعًا لَهُ، وَاحْشُرْنَا فِي زُمْرَتِهِ، وَاسْقِنَا مِنْ حَوْضِهِ

O Allah, grant us love for our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, allow us to follow his Sunnah and imitate his guidance, keep us firm upon the truth, make us among those who follow him most sincerely, resurrect us among his followers, and allow us to drink from his Ḥawḍ. Āmīn.

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📚 KEY REFERENCES

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📖 Qur’ān : 3:31, 3:103, 6:50, 9:24, 9:100, 33:21, 33:56, 49:1, 72:18.

📜 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī : 2697, 3445.

📜 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim : 867, 1162, 1718.

📜 Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī : 2516.

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🌿 AHMADTRINI — END NOTE

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مَحَبَّةُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّتِهِ

Loving the Prophet ﷺ through following his Sunnah.

The purpose of learning is not simply to collect information. It is to allow beneficial knowledge to change our worship, our character and our relationship with Allah سبحانه وتعالى.

فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ

“So remind, if the reminder benefits.”

Qur’ān 87:9