Is celebrating the Mawlid of the Prophet ﷺ permissible?
The question as asked, details removedIs it permissible to hold a Mawlid gathering to celebrate the birth of the Prophet ﷺ?More
This is a sample answer written to show how the site works. It follows the standard Hanafi books, but no mufti has reviewed or signed it yet, so it is not a fatwa. For a real answer, ask a question. Ask a mufti
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِكِ الْوَهَّابِ اَللّٰهُمَّ هِدَايَةَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
1Short answer
Yes. Gathering to remember the birth and life of the Prophet ﷺ, with Qur'an recitation, naat, durood and feeding people, is permissible and a source of reward, as long as it is kept free of things the Shariah forbids.
2Detailed answer
Mawlid means remembering the blessed birth of the Prophet ﷺ and expressing joy and gratitude for it: reciting the Qur'an, describing his life and qualities, reading naat and durood, and giving food or charity. The scholars of Ahl-e-Sunnat hold this to be permissible and praiseworthy.
Its acts are all good in themselves. What must be avoided are things that are forbidden at any time, such as musical instruments, the mixing of unrelated men and women, wasteful spending, or missing obligatory prayers because of the celebration.
3Evidence and sources
- Qur'an, Yunus 10:58
- Qur'an, Al-Anbiya 21:107
- Sahih Muslim, Book of Fasting, hadith 1162
Arabic texts, translations and how the ruling was derived
قل بفضل الله وبرحمته فبذلك فليفرحوا
Meaning: Say: in the grace of Allah and in His mercy, in that let them rejoice.
The Prophet ﷺ is the greatest mercy of Allah, so rejoicing at his coming falls under this verse. The Prophet ﷺ himself honoured the day of his birth: asked why he fasted on Mondays, he said, "That is the day on which I was born."
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُهُ أَعْلَمُ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ