Islamic Way of Celebrating Birthdays:7 Strong Hadiths
A birthday is a firm of celebration of an anniversary of a person's birth date. Celebrating birthdays has become an event among many non Muslims and this has spread to the Muslim community like a virus and now in almost every house or work place people are reminded and even forced to bring a cake to their office or home to please their family or coworkers where as a Muslim should only please Allah (Swt). Allah (Swt) says ,
"Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds."
(Al-Quran-6:162)
According to Islam, celebrating birthdays is a form of copying the disbelievers. But, still there are ways you can celebrate a birthday without mimicking the non Muslims. In Islam, the intention is what is important and your actions are judged by your intentions. If the intention is good, then what ever you do on the day of your birthday won't turn out something that is haram.
Let us examine this further and also discuss how to cut cakes and celebrate with out going against the teachings of Islam.
Islamic Ruling On Celebrating Birthdays
Celebrating birthdays is haram in Islam because it is copying the non Muslims and the prophet (Sal) said,
“Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Sal) said:
‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
"You will surely follow the path trodden by those before you, step-by-step and inch-by-inch, so much so that if they went down into a lizard hole, you would follow them." We said, "Allah's Messenger, do you mean Jews and Christians when you said 'those before you'?" He said, "Who else?"
(Sahih Muslim)
Anas bin Maalik (Rali) said: “The Messenger of Allah (Sal) came to Madinah and the people had two days when
they would play and have fun. He said, ‘What are these two days?’ They
said, ‘We used to play and have fun on these days during the Jaahiliyyah
(Days of Ignorance). The Messenger of Allah (Sal)
said, ‘Allah has given you something better than them, the day of (Eid)
Adhaa and the day of (Eid) Fitr.’”
(Sunan Abu Dawud Graded Sahih by Shiekh al-Albani)
In this hadith the prophet (Sal) told the sahaba who were imitating and celebrating a festival of the kuffar that the two Eid festivals of the Muslims namely the the Eid ul Adha(Hajj festival) and the Eid ul fitr(Ramazan festival)
From these hadiths it is clear that imitating the celebrations or the holidays of the non muslims is haram.
The next reason why celebrating birthdays is haram is because it is Bidah (innovation) to do so. The prophet (Sal) said,
"Every innovation is going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire.”
(Muslim)
Narrated by Aisha(Rali):
Allah's Messenger (Sal) said,
"If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."
(Bukhari)
Aisha reported Allah's Messenger (Sal) as saying:
"He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected."
(Muslim)
Islam forbids innovating thing in to religion and celebrating birthdays is a form of Bidah which is haram. Islam is a complete religion and none of the sahaba or the Salaf celebrated birthdays and this has now been introduced to the Muslim community by innovators. Islam was completed through the final messenger Muhammad (Sal). Allah (Swt says,
"This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion"
(Al Quran-5:3)
How To Celebrate birthdays in accordance with Islam
Now this would confuse you but let me tell you that you can have a celebration of a small ceremony to amaze for an example your wife or children or parents etc by giving them food or gifts with out singling out a birthday or in a way that mimics the kuffar. Let me give you seven hadiths explaining how to celebrate birthdays. Islam encourages giving gifts to Muslims and also non Muslims.
1. Abd-Allaah ibn Masud (Rali) narrated that the Prophet (Sal) said:
“Accept invitations, do not refuse gifts and do not beat the Muslims.”
(Ahmad in al-Musnad and It was graded sahih by al-Albani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel)
2. Narrated Aisha (Rali):
"I said, "O Allah's Messenger (Sal)! I have two neighbors; which of them should I give a gift to?" The Prophet (Sal) said, "(Give) to the one whose door is nearer to you."
(Bukhari)
All of these hadith proves that giving a gift is highly encouraged and you can make everyday look like a birthday for your loved ones by entertaining them and making their lives happy and wonderful. Having pickiniks ir ceremonies if get together with out copying the kuffar or involving Bidah or shirk is also allowed. Entertainment is encouraged in Islam.
3. Aisha reported: She prepared a lady for marriage to a man among the Ansar. The Prophet(Sal) said,
“O Aisha, do you have any entertainment? Verily, the Ansar are fond of entertainment.”
(Bukhari)
4. It was narrated that Buraydah said: The Messenger of Allah (Sal) went out on one of his military campaigns, and when he came back, a black slave woman came and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I vowed that if Allah brought you back safe and sound, I would beat the daff before you and sing. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “If you vowed that, then do it, otherwise do not do it.’” So she started to beat the daff, and Abu Bakr came in whilst she was doing so. Then ‘Ali came in whilst she was beating the daff, then ‘Uthmaan came in whilst she was beating the daff, then ‘Umar came in and she threw the daff beneath her and sat on it. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The Shaytaan is afraid of you, O ‘Umar. I was sitting and she was beating the daff, then Abu Bakr came in when she was beating the daff; then ‘Ali came in when she was beating the daff; then ‘Uthmaan came in when she was beating the daff, but when you came in, O ‘Umar, she put the daff down.”
(Tirmidhi-Graded Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith the slave woman dud beat the duff and it was not a day of Eid but a vow she had kept. It is the intention that matters and that is why the prophet (Sal)said,
5. "Actions are according to what was intended"
(Bukhari)
6. Umm 'Alqama related that when the daughters of 'A'isha's brother were circumcised, 'A'isha was asked, "Shall we call someone to amuse them?" "Yes," she replied. 'Adi was sent for and he came to them. 'A'isha passed by the room and saw him singing and shaking his head in rapture - and he had a large head of hair. 'Uff!' she exclaimed, 'A shaytan! Get him out! Get him out!'"
(Adab al Mufead-1247-Graded Hasan Sahih by Shiekh-Albani)
Now the next question is,can a Muslim participate in a birthday celebration? The answer is,if there are nothing haram in it then there is nothing wrong in it. The evidence for this is in the below hadith .
7. Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit:
The Messenger of Allah (Sal) used to stand up for a funeral until the corpse was placed in the grave. A learned Jew (once) passed him and said: This is how we do. The Prophet (Sal) sat down and said: Sit down and act differently from them.
(Abu Dawud-Graded Hasan Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith the prophet (Sal) advised the companions to act differently from to what the hews were doing in their funeral customs.Allah(Swt) further says,
Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.
(Al Quran-60:8)
Such occasions can be used for doing good for a non Muslim by inviting him to Islam. Although there is clear evidence to prove that celebrating birthdays is haram but there us no evidence to prove that you must reject such an invitation. If that was so then the prophet (Sal) would have avoided the funeral of the jew and told his companions to not participate. He rather advised his companions to act differently from the Jews.In conclusion there is nothing wrong in attending the functions if non Muslims as long as you do not do anything haram. A Muslim should hate the haram thing if the kuffar but there us nothing wrong in attending it.
Let us summarize the articles as follows.
Do's
1. You can have a celebration with out specifically copying the kuffar.
2.You can make everyday a special day like a birthday for you loved ones and friends
3.You can attend birthdays or ceremonies with out getting involved in anything sinful or haram.
Don'ts
1.Celebrating birthdays is haram because it is a celebration of the kuffar
2.Celebrating birthdays is copying the kuffar
3.Celebrating birthdays is Bidah (Innovation in Islam) and it is haram in Islam
Islam is based on the Quran and authentic Sunnah and let us all stick to the true sources of Islam. After reading this article, please share it with your friends and family