Audhu billahi minash shaitaanir rajiim
I seek refuge with allah from the accursed satan

Bismillahir Rahmaani Raheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

So Prophet Muhammad celebrated his own Birthday? 

Yes, he did.

Seriously?

Okay, skip all the way to the last part of the blog if you’re only interested to read on that.

Oh ya, before I forget; assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabaarakatuhu wamaghfiratuhu waridhwaanuhu!

Marhaban bikum!

On behalf of the crew at JOM.SG, I would like to wish everyone a prosperous 2015! May this year brings us closer to Al-Khaaliq. Amin.

Welcome back to our blog. Yes, we have been on hiatus, but now WE ARE BACK!

Acknowledge and appreciate different views

12 Rabi’alAwwal is approaching in a few days. It is the month that majority of the Islamic Scholars agree when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born. However, we must not forget that there are some other Islamic Scholars who have different views on his exact birth date.

Before I continue writing, let us be reminded to discuss this topic with an open mind, and not let the different views disunite and divide us from being ‘Ummatan Wahidah’ (one nation).

One thing’s for sure; Allah Knows Best.

“Celebrate Mawleed and you’ll be in Hell!”

It is often we hear some of us mentioning such words to another brother or sister of ours. As Muslims, we can’t deny that we love Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. However, let us reflect if our actions really show our love towards Rasulullah ﷺ.

Take a look at ourselves today. Some of us have unnecessary arguments for and against mauleed, or worse; place our brothers and sisters in Hell, when Akhirah is Allah’s decision alone. Astaghfirullah.

This reminds me of a hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: Ma’iz bin Malik came to the Prophet ﷺ to confess that he did an unlawful sexual intercourse. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Probably you have only kissed (the lady), or winked, or looked at her?” He said, “No, O Allah’s Messenger ﷺ!”

The Prophet said, using no indirectness, “Did you have sexual intercourse with her?” The narrator added: At that, (i.e. after his confession) the Prophet ﷺ ordered that he be stoned to death.

Look at how beautiful our Prophet’s ﷺ akhlaq was. He did not straight away ordered Ma’iz to be stoned when he came to confess, but Rasulullah ﷺ made positive ‘assumptions’ which can reflect how he does not want Ma’iz to be punished.

In another narration, it was told that Ma’iz repeated four times before Rasulullah ﷺ  took his confession to consideration. But look at us today! How cruel and brave we are to put our brothers and sisters, who celebrate the Mauleed, in hell.

“Watch what we say”

So what should I tell my friends who say that I may go to hell by celebrating Mauleed?

A verse in a Quran mentions, “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace.” Quran 25:63

At times when words are not peaceful, it could be better to simply be silent than quarrel over something that is not worth fighting for. 

Let us be reminded by a hadith reported by Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari, “I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “Who is the most excellent among the Muslims?” He said, “One from whose tongue and hands the other Muslims are secure.””

In another hadith reported by Abu Hurairah, The Prophet ﷺsaid, “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent.”

“So how did Rasulullah celebrate his birthday?”

Abu Qatadah reported in a hadith saying, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said, “That is the day on which I was born” Reading the hadith, we understand that Rasulullah celebrated his birthday by fasting.

Today, in Singapore specifically, we do not only see events for Rasulullah ﷺ  during Rabi’ AlAwwal but it took place throughout the year. Sollu ‘alan Naby! Allahuma solli ala Sayyidina Muhammad!

I would like to take this chance to applaud the organisers, sponsors and supporters for Majlis Selawat events such as the ones held in mosques, madrasahs, the expo, local stadiums, and many other places. Let us continue celebrate the gift of mercy all year long!

I hope this sharing benefits us all and may Allah continue to guide us all, forgive our sins and shower on us His blessings. Ameen.

Wallahu a’lam

Warmest regards,
Abdul Rauuf Maskhazin
Managing Director
JOM.SG