1. Why Millions Celebrate the Mawlid? Because they love him, and Allah ordered us to love him, and teach about him. Thats what Mawlid is: 1. Quran, 2. Dhikr, 3. Sirah Lessons about the Prophets Biography alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

2. What is the Mawlid Celebration: The Mawlid is a joyful event during which Muslims gather to thank Allah for sending Prophet Muhammad, peace on him. The Muslims commemorate this event repeatedly every year on the 12th of Rabee` alAwwal, which is the day when the Prophet was born. During this event, the Muslims come together, recite Quran, praise the Prophet, speak about the honorable life of the Prophet and his attributes, learn about Islam, and serve food. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

3. Judging the Mawlid The activities of the Mawlid, as mentioned, are lawful in Islam. Muslims are rewarded for doing the Mawlid. The doing of the Mawlid does not contradict Quran, Hadeeth, Ijma^; Consensus or the practices and sayings of the Companions. It is a special event and Muslims celebrate Mawlid throughout the five continents. Remembering the birth of the Prophet by doing rewardable deeds is a praise-worthy practice for those who prepare and participate in this honorable event. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

4. History of Mawlid: The king of Irbil, Abu Sa`eed alMuzaffar bin Baktakeen Kawkabriyy, initiated the Mawlid in the 7th hijriy century and was the first person to do so. He was a pious, brave, just, generous, knowledgeable ruler & defender of Islam. He invited many Muslims including the scholars of: 1. Hadeeth, 2. Tafseer, 3. Fiqh and 4. Sincere true Sufis and celebrated the Mawlid. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

5. What did great Scholars Say? The scholar of Fiqh, Abul Khattab Ibn Dihyah, wrote a book praising doing the Mawlid and gave it to the king especially to be read during the Mawlid celebration. The doing of the Mawlid became known to the scholars in the east and west, who accepted it and pointed to the Islamic proofs which confirmed its validity. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

6. Among the Scholars that Praised doing Mawlid: 1. Imam of Hadeeth Hafidh Ibn Hajar al`Asqalaniyy 2. Imam hafidh as-Sakhawiyy 3. Imam Hafidh as-Suyutiyy 4. Faqih Ibn Dihyah ابن حجر والسخاوي والسيوطي وابن دحية Among many other scholars that wrote several books praising the Mawlid. None of the Muslim scholars dispraised this celebration. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

7. Proofs of the Scholars on Mawlid The Prophet recognized Monday and praised fasting it, because he was born and received revelation on that day. He said: )ذاك يومٌ أُنْزِلَ علىَّ ويومٌ ولِدتُ فيه( This is the day of my birth. (Muslim) alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

8. Why Specify a Day to Celebrate? Prophet Muhammad fasted the 10th of Muharram after he emigrated to Madinah. He found that the Jews commemorate every year the day Allah saved Prophet Moosa and his followers from Pharaoh. It was revealed to the Prophet what the Jews said was true, so the Prophet نحنُ أَوْلى بموسى told them, as alBukhariyy narrated: That is, "We are more deserving of Moosa than you" and the Prophet ordered the Muslims to fast specifically the 9th and 10th of Muharram as optional days. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

9. Did the Prophet celebrate the Mawlid. The Mawlid did not occur during the time of the Prophet, peace on him, but the Prophet did not say that the Mawlid is unlawful. According to the laws of Islam, it is something innovated. Moreover, the Mawlid is a good innovation. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

10. What is an Innovation (Bid^ah)? An innovation is something new that did not occur previous to the advent of the innovation. Ahlussunnah agreed that some innovations are lawful (good) and some of them are unlawful (bad). They agreed that not every innovation is unlawful, as Shafi^iy, Nawawiy & Ibn Hajar said. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

11. Allah praised the good innovation in surat alHadeed 27: وَجَعَلْنَا فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ رَأْفَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلاَّ ابْتِغَاء رِضْوَانِ اللهِ al-Quran praised the Muslim followers of Prophet `Isa who had innovated Rahbaneeyyatan Ibtada^ooha, which Allah did not make it incumbent on them. Nevertheless, they did it to acquire Allahs blessings. Rahbaneeyyah is to abstain from fulfilling ones desires including marriage. Those followers built simple houses from clay away from the people and devoted themselves to worshipping Allah.. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

12. Good and Bad innovations: The Prophet distinguished between the good and the bad innovation. He said, as narrated by Muslim: من سنّ في الإسلام سنّةً حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها بعده من غير أن ينقص من أجورهم شىء، ومن سنّ في الإسلام سنّة سيئة كان عليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها من بعده من غير أن ينقص من أوزارهم شىء. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

13. This hadith means that: the one who innovates a good innovation acquires its reward and the reward similar to the rewards of those who follow him, but their rewards are not diminished. And the one who innovates a bad innovation acquires its sin and the sin similar to the sins of those who follow him, but their sins are not diminished alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

14. Mawlid is Praising Allah & His Prophet All honest Muslims are thankful to Allah for the blessings of Islam and for being among the followers of Muhammad. In Surat Al ^Imran, Ayah 31, Allah said: (قُلْ إنْ كُنتُم تُحِبّون اللهَ فاتبعونىِ يُحببكُمُ الله) which means [If you love Allah, then follow the Prophet, and Allah will accept and reward you.] It is fitting to honor the Prophet. The Mawlid (the celebration of his birth) has a great benefit: it inspires the heart to have a more profound love for the Prophet. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

15. Follow the Scholars of Islam and the Millions of Muslims Celebrate His Birth, and Thank Allah for sending us Prophet Muhammad as a mercy and a blessing. alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together

16. نهنئ كل المسلمين بمناسبة مولد أفضل البشر، سيدنا محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم. We congratulate all Muslims for the blessed occasion of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) alsunna.org محمّد، حبك يجمعنا Muhammad, your Love brings us together