Celebrating the birth day of the Prophet (saw)

Yousuf Saleh - 10th January 2014

All Praise is due to Allah (swt) who is the Sustainer of all the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah (swt) be upon Muhammad (saws), his family, his companions and all those who follow him in righteousness until the day of resurrection. I testify there is that there isnone worthy of worship but Allah (swt) and testify that Muhammad (saw) is the last and final messenger of Allah (swt).

Respected brothers and sisters at home, Today’stopic is about celebrating the birth of our beloved Prophet (saw), which occurs this month, the month of Rabiul Awwal. As you all know todayis the 9th of Rabiul Awwal. The talk is about the importance of this occasion and our obligation towards it. The birth of the Prophet (saw) marks the event of the birth of the best of all mankind, the one who was sent by Allah as mercy to mankind. Allah (swt) saysin SuratTawbah- 9-128:Undoubtedly a Rasool from yourselves has come to you, The difficulties that afflict you are very distressing to him. He is anxious for you and extremely forgiving and merciful towards the Mumineen’.

He was born at a time when life was drowning in the darknessdisbelief and ignorance. The Arabian Peninsula was at its lowest standard and worst era. Tribes used to raid one another. Idols and statues were worshipped, alcohol was consumed, daughters buried alive, some of the Arabs used to walk naked around the Ka’aba. This Prophet (saw) was born and Allah wanted to send him to all the people, bringing glad tidings, giving care and preaching from Allah, with Allah’s will, and as a source of glowing light.

The Prophet (saw) was born on the Monday in the month of Rabiul -Awwal. Opinions differed on the exact date, some said the 2nd, some said 8th, some said the 10th and others said the 12th of this month. The year he was born was called the year of the Elephant in reference to King Abraha’s elephant. King Abraha; the king of Ethiopia came to destroy the Ka’aba, but was turned back and his army was destroyed by the Lord of the Ka’aba. Allah (swt) mentioned this incident in Suratul Feel chapter 105.

One of our obligations towards this Prophet is to love him. For loving him and loving what he brought is the real belief. The Prophet (saw) said: {{There are some characters if found in an individual then he/she will find the sweetness of belief:

1) That Allah (swt) and His Messenger are more loved to him than anything else.
2) To love a person for none other than Allah (swt).
3) To hate to become an unbeliever just as one would hate to be thrown into fire.

The Prophet (saw) also said: ‘No one will be considered a believer until I am more loved by him than his child and his parent and then all people’.

Respected brothers and sisters at home, every Muslim claims he/she loves Allah (swt) and loves the Prophetof Allah. What proof is there for this claim or love? And how is it that the correct and truthful claim can be identified? The proof is easy and simple and very clear. TheQuran put it in chapter 3 (Verse 31, Al-Imran): {Say if you love Allah (swt) then follow me,
Allah will then love you, and forgive your sins, Allah is most forgiving,most merciful’. The proof for love is: following and obeying. Therefore, believing in the Prophet (saw) requires loving him, and loving him requires following him. Look at the state of the Muslim nation to see if it hasfulfilled what is required of it towards the messenger. Is the nation following the Messengers guidance and instructions?

What is the nation making of this day? Howthis day has been changed from a day of mercy to a day of disaster, from a day of peace to a day of noise and discomfort. From a day where the followersof the Prophet (saw) sacrificed their lives for others to a day when the same claimers are killing each other unjustly. When the Prophet (saw) and His companions left their homeland, families and properties for the revival of humanity, today this humanity hasvanished by the same claimers. The time When the followers of Prophet (saw) were denied to drink a sip of water in their death bed for the consideration of their other brothers and all of them finally hugged the martyrdom, this day a three year old boy shouting saying before his martyrdom, ‘I will tell everything about the bloodshed, the intense oppression to our Allah’.

Respected brothers and sisters at home, we are taught to follow the Sunnah of our Prophet in every aspect of our lives. To bring about a complete change. ButMuslims are accused of burning innocent people, killing each other by blasting bombs, guns etc. We are accused of spreading hatred jealousy and enmity among ourselves. Even we are not free from the division of how we should show our love to our beloved Prophet (saw). Respected brothers and sisters at home, would this make Allah and his Messengers happy? Any one doing that will claim to do it for the love to the Messenger. But, did anyone really love the messenger as his companions did? Zaid-Ben_Dathanahwas killed by the unbelievers of the Quraysh. Before he was killed he was asked by Abu-Sufian: Would you not love now if instead of you, Muhammad was here with us to kill, and you were with your folks? Zaid said: By Allah, I would not love if Muhammad, where he is now, was hurt by a sting of a thorn and me with my folks. Abu-Sufian said “I never seen anyone loved by his companions and friends than Muhammad was”

Celebrating the birth of the prophet’s birthday should not be in the way some people celebrate it now. Instead it should be celebrated by thanks giving to Allah for sending this messenger, and by saying prayers upon him and following his guidance, fasting on a weekly basis the day marking his birth. Aba Qataadah asked the messenger one day: what would you say about fasting the day of Monday? The messenger said [That’s the day I was born, and that is the day the Quran was brought down upon me]. Fasting every Monday is a great way of celebrating.

Brothers and sisters, sending the messenger of Allah was a tremendous event in history. His birth was a preparation for that event. The Muslim nation has the obligation to respect him, love him, and obey him and follow his guidance and Sunnah.

May Allah give us the thawfeeq to love our Prophet (saw) the way the Companions did.