Rulings on birthdays and mawlid

Walekumussalam,

1. The Ruling on Celebrating Birthdays, Cutting Cake, Eating Out, and Giving Gifts

With regard to the question, it should be understood that the commonly practised manner of celebrating birthdays, which involves holding a special gathering on the birthday, cutting cake, and observing other specific customs, is not established in the Shariah. Therefore, such celebrations should be avoided, particularly when they involve imitation of specific customs of non-Muslims or other impermissible practices.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ۔

Translation: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4031)

However, eating food, giving gifts, and arranging meals for one's family on occasions of happiness are permissible in themselves. If a person avoids the specific birthday custom and, without engaging in anything contrary to the Shariah, simply expresses gratitude to Allah, provides food for family members, or gives someone a gift, there is scope for permissibility. Similarly, cake is not inherently Haram; rather, its ruling depends on how it is used and the customs associated with it.

Therefore, one should avoid turning birthdays into an established custom or special celebration. However, ordinary meals, gifts, and permissible expressions of happiness should not be considered impermissible in themselves.

2. The Ruling on Celebrating Mawlid al-Nabi ﷺ, Reciting the Qur'an, Giving Religious Talks, and Serving Food

Loving and honouring the Noble Prophet ﷺ, studying his blessed Seerah (biography), and conveying it to others are highly virtuous acts. Reciting the Noble Qur'an, delivering religious talks, and feeding people are also good deeds in themselves.

However, celebrating the day of the Noble Prophet's ﷺ birth every year as a specific religious festival or Eid, and adopting this practice as an act of worship believed to carry special religious merit, is not established from the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), or the early generations of Islam. For this reason, one should refrain from such commonly practised Mawlid gatherings.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ۔

Translation: “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (Islam) something that does not belong to it, it will be rejected.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith: 2697; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 1718)

Therefore, even if a Mawlid gathering includes recitation of the Noble Qur'an, discussion of the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ, and the serving of food, the fact that these acts are virtuous does not, by itself, establish the legitimacy of a specific annual religious celebration. Furthermore, if the gathering includes fabricated or baseless narrations, impermissible mixing of men and women, extravagance, or other prohibited practices, avoiding these becomes even more important.

However, gathering to discuss the blessed Seerah of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, send blessings upon him, recite the Noble Qur'an, and feed people, without making a specific religious festival an established requirement, is permissible, provided that no impermissible practice is involved.

Summary of the Answer: One should refrain from the customary practice of celebrating birthdays and from observing Mawlid al-Nabi ﷺ as a specific religious festival. However, permissible meals, gifts, recitation of the Qur'an, sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and discussions of his Seerah should not be considered impermissible in themselves. Rather, these acts should be performed in accordance with the Shariah.

And Allah knows best.