Milaad and the Sunnah of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam

We will mention just three actions of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam which our Aslaaf (elders) have used as a basis of the Milaad gathering.

‘In it (this hadith) is a signal towards the fact that it is good practice to fast on the days in which Allah bestowed His servants with a blessing. And surely the greatest blessing upon this Ummah is the appearance of Syedina Muhammad sall Allaahu alaihi wasallam, his mission and his prophethood just as Allah says ‘Undoubtedly Allah favoured the believers when He sent to them the Messenger’. Verily the sending of the Prophet, SallAllahu alaihi wasallam is a blessing greater than the blessings of the creating of the sky, earth, sun, moon, wind, night, day, falling of rain, growing of plants etc. Of course these (latter mentioned) blessings are great blessings for all of humanity, even for those who have rejected Allah and His prophet and show ingratitude for them. But with the arrival of the Prophet, SallAllahu alaihi wasallam all the virtues of this and the next world were completed. Because of him the religion was completed just as Allah had wished it for His servants and whose acceptance would lead to prosperity for the servants in this and the next world.

Consequently fasting on the days these blessings were received from Allah is a beautiful deed. And this is part of renewing thanks for the blessing and the day of Ashura is an example of this’

1. The Fast of Monday

The beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam fasted every Monday.
Syeduna Qataada asked him about this and he replied;

‘This is the day in which I was born and in which it (Quran) was revealed’ (Muslim, Book of Siyaam)

Using the above hadith to evidence the Milaad gathering Shaykh Muhammad Alawi Maliki writes that through this action ‘he (highlights) the greatness of the day of his birth; the gratitude on it to Allah for the greatest blessing upon him and the Fadhl of his presence being good fortune for all those present. And all this greatness was expressed through fasting. And this too is what the Milaad gathering is - even if it has a different appearance, its purpose is the same – whether it be a fast or distributing food or gatherings for the Dhikr and Salaat upon the Nabi or listening to his honoured
Shamaail (characteristics)’ (Muqaddima, Mawrid arRawaa 9-10)

In other words, the underlying basis of all these actions is the same, to thank Allah for His greatest blessing.

Shaykh Ibn Rajab Hanbali writes that this hadith proves it is Mustahab to fast on the days in which a blessing of Allah is received. And the greatest blessing for the Ummah is the arrival of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.

‘In it (this hadith) is a signal towards the fact that it is good practice to fast on the days in which Allah bestowed His servants with a blessing. And surely the greatest blessing upon this Ummah is the appearance of Syedina Muhammad sall Allaahu alaihi wasallam, his mission and his prophethood just as Allah says ‘Undoubtedly Allah favoured the believers when He sent to them the Messenger’. Verily the sending of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam is a blessing greater than the blessings of the creating of the sky, earth, sun, moon, wind, night, day, falling of rain, growing of plants etc. Of course these (latter mentioned) blessings are great blessings for all of humanity, even for those who have rejected Allah and His prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and show ingratitude for them. But with the arrival of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam all the virtues of this and the next world were completed. Because of him the religion was completed just as Allah had wished it for His servants and whose acceptance would lead to prosperity for the servants in this and the next world. Consequently fasting on the days these blessings were received from Allah is a beautiful deed. And this is part of renewing thanks for the blessing and the day of Ashura is an example of this’
(Lataaif ul Ma’arif : 189)




2. Sacrificing an Animal in gratitude in Madeenah

Imam Suyuti writes that he believes the proof of Milaad to be found in the hadith is the Prophet’s SallAllahu alaihi wasallam act in Madinah of sacrificing an animal, in gratitude to Allah, in happiness of his birth. Some claim this act was Aqeeqah but Imam Suyooti rejects this by explaining that the Aqeeqah of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam had been performed by the Prophet’s SallAllahu alaihi wasallam grandfather Syedina Abd’ul Muttalib.

‘The Aqeeqah is not repeated so this act of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam has to be interpreted as a display of gratitude to Allah for making him the Rahmat ulil Alameen and to make it permissible for his Ummah’ (Husn ul Maqsad fi Amal il Mawlid 196)


To be continued -