Celebrations…….
I think that it is a bit interesting that many people confuse the action of acknowledging the birth of lovedones as ‘celebrating’ it. What makes acknowledging a day special to you an action of the disbelievers? OK, if I decide to drink and throw a party that is filled with unislamic actions and music then yes I can say that is the actions of the disbelievers. But if I kiss my husband and give him something he likes because I am happy he is alive another year and chooses to spend it with me. I can not see, nor can I believe with out seirouse and convincing evidence from the Imams of Ahlul Bayt, and the last and beloved prophet of Islam, that this is a practice that I should not be apart of.
I am not the type of person to do an act that is not allowed in Islam and claim it to be Islamic. Yet, I am also not the type to believe without evidence that an act is disliked. A person can misunderstand the words of the Prophet in a particular matter. One day he may come to a person who happends to be knowledgeable about that topic. This person may explain to the misguided brother the correct meaning of the words. By doing so he completely changes the understanding that person had on Islam. It happends, so before I change an act that does not in any way seem to be unIslamic, I would like to have the correct understanding of the words of that say so.
I mean, is the act of acknowledging a day of Birth disliked, or is it the way that one acknowledges a day of birth? The later makes more since to me. And therefore, you can not say my present to my husband is an act of the disbelievers because since when is giving presents only attributed to those who disbelieve in Allah and His religion?
Maybe this is a matter that must be further looked into.
And Allah knows best.capture
May 25th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Okay sister I’m seeing, upon reading your blog, that we have like minds. I’m a revert…what imam Zaid shakur
calls a ‘revolutionary’..but not SOOOOOOOOO revolutionary that i throw out the baby with the bath water.
For me..a birthday is the celebration of a birth, alhumdulillah. I gave my daughter 2 birthday parties in a
row…because in our country and in other countries in the world MOST children DON’T make it to their 2nd birthday’s.
I did NOT rent out a CLUB and invite 100 kids and 200 adults…these were simple parties with other muslim
children eating cake, watching ELMO and eating food. So I totally concure with your about HOW the act is performed
rather than the act itself. AGAIN when we as muslims STOP trying to REINTERPRET the SUNNAH and learn it and
live it correctly….we’d have a better place in this world.
Ma salaama
Umm AMirah
May 28th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
I think in a similar way to you. You may find the following insightful and helpful.
“birthdays are simply occasions of a person’s date of birth and are a matter of culture. If a person wants to commemorate his/her date of birth, then he/she may do so, especially if he/she takes the opportunity to reflect on the past and pledge to be better during the following year. However, to make the birthday an important occasion is not recommended or encouraged.
Islam supports the celebration of birthdays if it is an expression of gratitude to Allah for His bounties, sustenance and blessings in man’s life, as long as that celebration does not include anything that may displease Allah, the Almighty. In this context the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays, and he answered: “It is the day on which I was born.” Muslim scholars take this hadith and the hadith of fasting on the Day of `Ashura’ (10th of Mharram) as evidence on the permissibility of celebrating good occasions, which have special significance in our religion such as occasions like the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)”
May 28th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
Thank you very much on both of your replies. Masha’Allah they are very insightfull. Br. Jamal, I have heard the hadith about the Prophet fasting on Mondays I belive that to be very beautiful. Alhamdulillah. Insha’Allah Allah will guide us all to His Path and be greatful to all of His bounties.
June 14th, 2006 at 10:03 pm
in islam there are only 2 holidays and birthdays are not one of them. if we really do study sunnah we will see no such thing as birthday parties etc. and to justify making a day to perform more thikr to Allah is a bidah, because Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, was the best of all of humanity and there is no record of him doing this on the dates of his childrens birth. subhanAllah. we can not justify things that are not practiced by him. no matter how harmless it seems, and what western country, or even so called islamic place we live in.
Allah knows best.
June 30th, 2006 at 10:03 am
” And to justify making a day to perform more thikr to Allah is bidah, because Prophet Muhammad, Pbuh, was the best of all of humanity and there is no record of him doing this on the dates of his childrens birth.”
First off, I wasn’t talking about my children, I was talking about my husband. And If the prophet made thikr at any occasion it is an example for us to make thikr on any occacion. You can not say that making extra time for thikr is bidah. You are saying to me that if I decide to make thikr to ALlah on tuesdays that is wrong….. you know… we obveously don’t see eye to eye on this topic. And that’s ok, Allah gave you your own opinion and he gave me mine. And we should be grateful for that. But don’t confuse opinion with FIQH or fact. Because it just isn’t so.
Thanks you for you comment.