Each year, the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal brings with it the ancient argument surrounding celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (saw) (Milad), whether it is a blameworthy innovation or a permissible practice.
This year particularly the platform of social media, namely, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube were flooded with hate speech, challenges, and attacks on the issue, moving the argument from the realms of politely mannered academic discussions, into the realms of conflict and dispute, causing disunity among the Ummah. Debaters often resort to emotional appeals and just outright distortion of the sacred texts or sayings of the Prophet (saw) to make their points. Exposed to these behaviours, non-Muslims learned nothing about the Noble personality, life and accomplishments of the Prophet Muhammad (saw); except that Muslims are divided and sub-divided on their own feast.
Furthermore, this inevitably leads to creedal allegiances being forged upon the results of these disputes and conflicts, often spilling over from the theological into the sectarian and political realms. And so, the issue of the Milad has become, for many, a pivotal defining point for declaring of allegiance and disavowal (Walaa & Baraa).
Without any doubt, both Islamic legislation and sound intellect confirms that that which both the Milad celebrators and non-celebrators agree upon is far greater, broader, and more important than that which they disagree upon. For all camps love and venerate the Prophet and Allah, the Exalted, and all parties are far from intending to transgress the rights of Allah and His Messenger.
They simply disagree on the means of showing their love and adoration to the Prophet (saw) and his Sunnah, and the boundaries and criteria allowed for expressing their love. So why, then, do we not look to the greatness of that which we agree upon and look at how small and relatively minor the things we disagree upon are?
The Prophet (saw) laid down a great principle for judging others. He said in tempering people’s condemnation of a Muslim who commit a major sin, “Do not curse him, for indeed he loves Allah and His Messenger.” Sahih Bukhari: 6780
Instead of debating over the means of celebrating the Prophet’s birth, we could have done something more constructive and fruitful for propagation of his Sunnah. We could have spent this whole month, as an Ummah, reintroducing him to ourselves and the rest of the world. And reintroduce the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) to the world in a way which is desperately needed today, which might be different from previous centuries: a specific, tailored diagnosis commensurate to our present societal requirement.
We could have utilised all available modern communication methods in recognising and familiarising ourselves and others with the beauty, greatness, eminence, values, character, and achievements of the Prophet (saw), in a contextualised way for today’s world.
The world today is in desperate need of recognising the Sunnah of the Prophet in building communities and nations. The world needs his Sunnah of laying the foundations for a just economic system. The world is in need of his Sunnah in nurturing and reforming people.
We are in need of his Sunnah in a politics infused with ethics and morality, unlike that which is widespread today. We need to familiarise ourselves with his Sunnah in wartime and during peace. We need his Sunnah in creating curricula for education. We need to know his Sunnah in the preservation of the ecosystem, as stewards (Khalifa) of the world, not dominators and exploiters. We need his Sunnah in law and order.
The list goes on, of the areas of this magnificent model, whose divinely-inspired guidance is there for the taking once again to cure the widespread injustices and disasters that have resulted from being far away from it over the last century or two.
“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So, they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him – it is those who will be the successful.” 7:157
The recurring debate about the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday has persisted for merely a millennium, taking varying forms, sometimes severe and others more muted, causing deep divisions in the Ummah. It is imperative to strive to heal these with the aim of uniting Muslim ranks, something that is mandated religiously and rationally.
In the present conjuncture, we are in dire need of a complete project for the revival of the Ummah, and it is not possible for any nation to revive itself, if it is busy squabbling amongst itself, disunited. Allah says in the Quran : “And obey Allah and His Messenger; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: For Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” 8:46
Some of these differences that we are always discussing have remained within our Ummah for centuries and they will not be removed with ease, so let us overlook them for the sake of fulfilling one of the great aims of the Islam, that is the centrality and glorification of Allah and His guidance, for the flourishing once again of creatures on this Earth and the next life.
And so, let us begin by joining the ranks of all those who fall under the pale of Islam, with one condition: that they wish to be from those who act in order to be a part of the greater, worldwide Islamic project, which is to facilitate that the Word of Allah and the Sunnah of His beloved Messenger are given their due right. And let us rather rearrange the map of conflict to be based upon this understanding.
Bashir Nuckchady
