Celebrating the Maulid // 04
BY
Dr. Abubakar Muhammad Sani Birnin kudu ( Hafizahullah )
7. Any act of worship not performed by the pious precessors (As-Salafus Salih) of the first three generations, that is the Sahabah, the Tabi’een and the At-Ba’it Taabi’een or not reported by them, or not written in their books, or not mentioned by them in any of their gatherings, even though the factors necessitating its performance prevailed and there were no obstacles to prevent the performance, is considered a bid’ah on the part of later generations to perform that act. This is clear in the saying of the famous companion of the prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) Hadhaifa ibnul Yamaan (may Allah be pleased with him), when he said to some of the Taabi’een: “Any ‘ibadah’ not practiced by the companions of the prophet, do not practice it. The first did not leave any saying for the last. So fear Allah O you people, and cling to the path of those before you”. See Al-Amr Bil ittibaa’I 62, and Bukhari narrated something near in meaning in hadith No. 7282.
Examples of these acts are the performance of the prayer known as ‘Salatur Raga’ib’ performed by some people in the month of Rajab, and the observance of maulid. This is because the factors necessitating the performance of these acts were not only found in the days of those predecessors, but were even more effective and powerful, and there were no obstacles to prevent them from performing these ibadah. (See At-Targhib an Salatir Ragha’ib al-Maudu’ah p.9, and al-Ba’ith ‘ala Inkaaril Bida’I Wal Hawadith by Abu Shamah p.47 and Iqtidaaus Siraatil Mustaqim vol.2 p.614). Ibnul Haaj, in his al-Madkhal says: “If the maulid will be free from Samaa’ and what it entails and is confined to feeding relatives and friends, it is all the same a ‘bid’ah’ from its mere intention.
Because that is an addition to the deen and it is not among the works of the past Salaf. And following the Salaf is better, nay more incumbent than introducing an intention contrary to their own, because they are the best in following the sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), best in honouring and extolling him and his sunnah.
They precede the whole mankind in embarking upon his sunnah. It has not been reported from any of them that he intended performing the maulid. And we follow their steps. Whatever sufficed them should suffice us…” Al-Madkhal vol.2 p.11-12. And see him on page 26 of the same volume where he says that some people substitute the samaa’ and other activities performed in the maulid, with the reading of Sahihul Bukhari. He said: “Even though the reading of hadith is in itself a great act of bringing one near to Allah, and an act of ‘ibadah’ in which there is blessing and much goodness, one should perform that according to its laid down rules, but not in the name of maulid. Don’t you see that the prayer is one of the greatest means of getting near to Allah, but if one will perform a prayer before its specified time he will be blamed and be considered as violator of the law. So if this is the situation of prayer, what would be of something else.” For information, Ibnul Haaj is one of the famous Maliki scholars. Shaikh Uthman dan Fodio depended intensively on his writings especially this Madkhal.
This is known to anyone conversant with the writings of Dan Fodio (rahimahullah). See for example Bayaanul Bida’I and Ihyaaus Sunnah Wa Ikhmaadul Bid’ah. Another Maliki scholar Al-Fakihaani wrote on the subject of maulid in his Al-Maurid fi amalil Maulid, when he was asked about it. He out-rightly condemned it in totality. Suyuti quoted it completely and tried to refute it but in vain. See Al-Hawi Lil Fatawi (vol.1 p.294).
8. The deen of Islam had been completed totally by Allah before the death of our noble Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam).
No ibadah is left out without being explained by the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam). Allah Ta’aala says: ((This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion)). Al-Maa’idah:3. In elaborating this meaning, Imam Malik says: “Whoever innovates a bid’ah which he considers good, has really accused Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) of betraying the message given to him. Because Allah Ta’aala says:
((This day I have perfected your religion for you…)). So whatever is not part of the deen at that time, will not be part of the deen today” See Al-‘itisaam vol.1 p.49). As-Shatibi also reported that Al-Qaadi Abu Bakr Ibnul Arabi narrated from Az-Zubair ibn Bakkaar that he said: “I heard Malik ibn Anas, when someone came to him and asked: ‘O Abu Abdullah, from where should I enter my state of Ihram? He said: “From Dhul Hulaifah (the Miqaat of the people of Madina) from where the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) entered his state of Ihram. The man said: ‘I want to do it from the mosque’. Imam Malik said: “Don’t do that! The man said: ‘I want to do it from the mosque, from the grave of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam)’. Malik said to him: “Do not do that, for I am afraid that a fitnah may afflict you”. He said: ‘What fitnah is in this? It is just some miles I am adding.’ Malik said: “What fitnah is more than to consider yourself ahead of the Prophet in attaining a virtue he could not reach?
I heard Allah Ta’aala saying: ((And let those who oppose the Messenger’s commandment beware, lest some Fitnah should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them)). An-Nuur:63. (Al-‘itisaam vol.2 p.52-53, and Al-Wanshareesi in al-Mi’yaar Al-Mu’rib vol.11 p.116. Ibn Battah reported something near in meaning in his Al-Ibaanah Al-Kubraa vol.1 p.261-262).
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