Celebrating the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s Birthday is Worse than Committing Major Sins— Imam Muqbil Hadee al-Waadi‘i al-Yemeni (رحمه الله)

Allah Imam Muqbil hadee al-Wadee al-Yemani rahimahullah said : “Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is worse than committing major sins. Yes.

Al-‘Allāmah Imām Sufyān Ath-Thawrī (رحمه الله) said:

“Innovation is more harmful to the slave than sin.”

This is because the innovator thinks he is upon guidance,
So he persists in his innovation.

Whereas the sinner knows that he is a sinner
and is more likely to repent.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

“Whoever lives long among you will see much differing.
So upon you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs.
Cling to it with your molars, and beware of newly innovated affairs.”
 (Abū Dāwūd, 4607 - Sahih)

And he ﷺ also said:

“Allah has withheld repentance from every person of innovation
until he abandons his innovation.”
 (Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb, 54)”

Direct link: source: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oDw6VVdQqyI 

Source: YouTube Link

Additional Notes:

Who is Imām Sufyān ath-Thawrī?

Imām Abū ʿAbdullāh Sufyān ibn Saʿīd ath-Thawrī (رحمه الله) (97–161 AH / 716–778 CE) was a great Imām of the Salaf, a muhaddith (hadith scholar), and the founder of the Thawrī school of fiqh. He was known as the Amīr al-Mu’minīn in ḥadīth, a title only given to the greatest scholars of hadith. He combined deep knowledge, piety, and asceticism, and was recognized by the scholars of his time as one of the most trustworthy preservers of the Sunnah.

He belonged to the Tabiʿ al-Tabiʿīn (the generation after the Tābiʿīn), meaning he learned from those who studied directly under the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ. He combined deep knowledge, piety, and asceticism, and was recognized by the scholars of his time as one of the most trustworthy preservers of the Sunnah.

Major Sins in Islam

The major sins (Kabāʾir) include:

• Fornication and adultery (zinā)
  
• Rape
  
• Disobedience to parents
  
• Watching ḥarām movies
  
• Singing, dancing, and listening to music
  
• Drinking alcohol
  
• Taking drugs and intoxicants
  
• Engaging in ribā (usury/interest)
  
• Murder and unlawful killing
  

These are well-established as destructive sins in the Qur’an and Sunnah but these major sins are lesser than major shirk and bidah when it comes to the level of misguidance and burden of sins.

The Reality of Innovated Celebrations

The misguided leaders of Ahl al-Bidʿah (misguided sects)—whether they are imams, callers, presidents, chairmen, or masjid committee members—know inwardly that such practices are sins and innovations. Yet, because of arrogance, jealousy, hatred towards individuals and groups, and fear of losing donations and social standing, they continue outwardly upon falsehood.

Collecting donations (chanda) for Islam is permissible.
But collecting donations in the name of innovations or major shirk is ḥarām and a form of destroying Islam from within.

As I come from a Barelvi-Sufi background, and even today my community, family, and relatives celebrate the Prophet ﷺ’s birthday and consider those who do not celebrate as lacking love for the Prophet ﷺ, let me first mention this:

Even some Barelvi-Sufi Imāms themselves admit that the celebration did not exist during the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, nor among the Companions (Sahabah), and there is no evidence of it in the centuries that followed.

Even the Barelvi-Sufi Imām’s fatwa (ruling) is mentioned in their book “Rasail-e-Milad Habib,” page 112 (Safa 112):

There is no doubt that the Milad gatherings, as they are conducted today—or in the style presented by the journal Iman—did not exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. They are not found during the era of the Companions (Sahabah), and there is no evidence of them appearing in the following centuries either.

Exact Quote:

رسائل میلاد حبیب ملی میام۱۱۲ .

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اس میں شک نہیں کہ مجالس میلاد جو موجودہ صورت میں پیش کی جاتی ہیں یا جس طرز پر آج کل جریدہ ایمان" پیش کر رہا ہے نہ عبد رسالت میں موجود تھیں اور نہ عہد صحابہ میں اس کا ثبوت ملتا ہے اور نہ ہی بعد میں کئی صدیوں تک اس کا نشان آتا ہے۔

The Two Contradictory Paths mention by Shaykh Abu Iyaad in his Compilation book , get free pdf from here: The-Reality-of-Eid-Miladun-Nabi-Mawlid-written-and-compiled-by-abu-iyaad-salafi-publications, he mention that:

those who argue in favour of the celebration of the mawlid have two contradictory methods of arguing for it.

The first path is taken by those who are honest enough to admit that celebrating the mawlid is indeed an innovation (bid'ah) not known by the Righteous Salaf of the first three centuries of Islām. Upon this, they can only argue for it through the route of claiming that there is bid'ah hasanah (good innovation) in the religion. Hence, they bring arguments to justify this concept. Thereafter, they are able to argue indirectly for the mawlid. This is an indirect argument not a specific, direct argument.

The second path is taken by those who claim there is evidence for celebrating the mawlid in the Sunnah, whether in a general or specific sense. Those who argue using this method are the dishonest ones. This approach is also contradictory and incompatible with the first approach. It is used by those who distort the texts in horrendous ways with far-fetched attempts at claiming that a particular text is specific proof for celebrating the Prophet's birthday. When one looks at these texts, upon the simplest of reflections one can see that that they have no connection whatsoever to the issue of celebrating the mawlid and are just attempts at deceiving the ignorant due to bankruptcy in actual evidence.

Most often you will find people using both approaches. When one fails they will try the other, indicating their contradiction and bankruptcy in evidence. If it is claimed that there is evidence for it in the Sunnah, then it cannot be a bid'ah ḥasanah, since whatever has proof from the Sunnah is either recommended (mustaḥabb) or obligatory (wajib) and does not enter into the realm of bid'ah.

End of speech: Get the book here on “reality of eid miladun nabi(mawlid)” link: The-Reality-of-Eid-Miladun-Nabi-Mawlid-written-and-compiled-by-abu-iyaad-salafi-publications

The Role of Laymen and Politicians

Most laymen who join marches and demonstrations on the 12th of Rabīʿ al-Awwal do so for entertainment and socialization, not with genuine concern for guidance. If you question them, they sometimes behave worse than their leaders.

Muslim and non-Muslim politicians also exploit these gatherings—funding food, biryani, sweets, and drinks—to buy influence and votes.

Is Celebrating the Mawlid Major Shirk?

Celebrating the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s birthday (or the birthday of any Prophet or righteous person):

• In itself is not major shirk that makes one a mushrik kāfir.
  
• But those who celebrate and allow it are upon acts of major shirk Iman(Aqidah) such as:
  

• Asking help and assistance from the Prophet ﷺ or saints in their graves (barzakh).
  
• Believing Allah has given them divine powers and abilities.
  

This belief and practice is clear major shirk with Allah.

Final Reminder

Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is worse than major sins because it is a religious innovation (bidʿah). And among those who celebrate, many are upon Iman(Aqidah) that are major shirk with Allah.

May Allah protect us from misguidance, innovation, and shirk, and keep us steadfast upon Islam until we meet Him.
Āmīn.

End of Additional Notes

Two Important Points Regarding Mawlid (Eid Milād an-Nabī)

1. The Date of the Prophet’s Birth and Passing Away (وفاة):^[1]

• It is authentically recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim that the Prophet Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was born on a Monday and also passed away on a Monday.
  
• Scholars differ greatly over the exact date of his birth — some said 12th Rabīʿ al-Awwal, others said 11th, 10th, 8th, 9th, or even 2nd, and some even mentioned 28th. There is no consensus.
  
• Therefore, how can someone fix the 12th of Rabīʿ al-Awwal (or any other day) as a religious celebration, when the exact date is not authentically established, and the same day is also linked to the greatest grief of this Ummah (the Prophet’s passing)?
  

2. The Innovation of Labeling it as “Eid”:

• In many Asian countries (Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China), the celebration is called “Eid Milād an-Nabī.”
  
• But the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) clearly said we have only three Eids in Islam:
  

• Eid al-Fiṭr
  
• Eid al-Aḍḥā
  
• The weekly Eid of Friday (Jumuʿah)
  

• To add a fourth Eid is a newly invented Bid‘ah.
  
• Some argue the word “Eid” here is linguistic, meaning simply “a gathering.” But in practice, it has become a religious festival — people gather, decorate, distribute sweets, cook biryani, exchange gifts, and celebrate with joy.
  
• The contradiction: How can one be joyful with sweets and celebration on the same day when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also departed from this world, which is Monday and birthday is also Monday?
  

⚖️ In summary:

• The date is disputed, and it coincides with the day of his passing.
  
• The label “Eid” makes it a religious celebration — something never legislated by Allah or practiced by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) or his Companions.
  

Excuses of Barelvi-Sufis

1. They say: “We want to show the unity of Muslims in numbers on the street to non-Muslims. If we don’t demonstrate on the street, non-Muslims will consider us fewer in number, less important, and inferior.”
 → But to show Muslim population, the real way is not by marching on the streets. It is by having more children as our forefathers used to have (5–14 children). Nowadays, Muslims only have 1–4 children.

Abu Dawud (2050) narrated that Ma’qil ibn Yasar said: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, “I have found a woman who is of good lineage and is beautiful, but she does not bear children. Should I marry her?” He said, “No.” Then he came again with the same question and he told him not to marry her. Then he came a third time with the same question and he said: “Marry those who are loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great numbers before the other nations.” (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Irwa al-Ghalil, 1784).

This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to marry women who are fertile, so that the numbers of the ummah will increase, and so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will feel proud of his ummah before all other nations. This shows that it is encouraged to have a lot of children.

2. They say: “If we stop going for demonstrations on 12th Rabīʿ al-Awwal, non-Muslims like Hindus will ask, ‘What caused them to stop?’ and they will look down on us.”
 → This is an inferiority complex. The way to raise the status of Muslims is not through street demonstrations (like dogs misbehaving and disturbing the daily lives of non-Muslims unnecessarily). Instead, Muslims should:

• Have more children.
  
• Educate them properly so they pass government exams.
  
• Reach higher positions in government and society.
  

3. They say: “We want to show our Muslim population in a non-Muslim country.”
 → This is not the way to do it. As they say in Hindi: “Nazar lag jāyegī” (meaning in English: “It will attract the evil eye.”) Population growth is not proven by noisy street marches — it is proven by census reports every 10 years, which already show the natural growth of Muslims.

4. They say: “It is only remembering the Prophet and nothing else.”
 → Then why only remember him on this one day? True remembrance is in praying five times a day, following his Sunnah, and in tashahhud where we say: “As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan-nabī.” That is real remembrance without committing major shirk.

5. The misguided imams who allow this know deep inside that it is a religious bid‘ah and not proven. But because of hatred, arrogance, and jealousy toward other groups, they justify it with anything that comforts their souls.

6. These misguided Sufi imams know that if they openly admit that it is religious bid‘ah and say people should not celebrate it, their public will humiliate them and stop following them. The donations that come in the name of “Eid Milād un-Nabī” will also stop. One of them even wrote a book claiming to prove the celebration from Qur’an and Sunnah, but in the end, he admitted it is just bid‘ah ḥasanah. This is a complete contradiction and an intentional lie against the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and Allah.

7. The ignorant caretakers of Sufi masājid and madrasahs also know deep down it is wrong and against the teachings of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). On the Day of Judgement, the people of bid‘ah will have worse punishment than sinners. As Allāmah Imām Sufyān al-Thawrī said:

“Iblīs loves bid‘ah more than sins, because sins may be repented from, but bid‘ah usually is not.”
These caretakers either want votes to gain status, money from donations, or just want to build relations with the majority for benefits. They know how to use people for their own interests even if it is through a bid‘ah celebration.

8. They say: “Don’t you want children to celebrate and enjoy?”
 → But why on this same day? Any other day can be chosen for enjoyment. Why the exact day that was both the Prophet’s birth and his passing (which was Monday)? This is similar to Christians who say: “Don’t you want your children to have fun on 25th December for Jesus’ birthday?”

9. They argue: “It is Sunnah that the Prophet fasted on every Monday.”
 → Yes, but that fasting was nafl (optional), not obligatory. And when people fast nafl on other days, nobody serves food, sweets, or biryani for them. But on 12th Rabīʿ al-Awwal, they serve food, sweets, and water from morning until night as if it is a festival. Even one Sufi caretaker admitted to me(this barelvi-sufi chairman of the Barelvi-Sufi masjid and madrasha came to discuss a dispute that happens between muslims on 9th Muharram night on 1447(2025) with my father, he said: “We know it is just nawāfil fasting so it is not against if someone doesn't fast” 

But they celebrate it with eating, when the Sunnah of the Prophet was fasting every Monday, not eating in celebration of his birth and  when people fast nafl on other days nawafil, nobody serves food, sweets, or biryani for them. But on 12th Rabīʿ al-Awwal, they serve food, sweets, and water from morning until night as if it is a festival.

10. They claim: “Our nasheeds/na‘at sharīf/naẓm do not contain music.”
 → This is false. When we listen, it clearly contains music and voice mixing. And everyone knows that music is ḥarām. So anyone who claims their na‘at does not contain music is lying and deceiving people.

11. Finally, they can never prove that the Ṣaḥābah or the four Imāms celebrated it. And we all know the exact date of his birth is not confirmed. What is confirmed in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī is only the day: Monday — nothing else.

📌 In Part Two:
 I will mention these points in detail and also compare this celebration with the Shīʿa practice of commemorating 10th Muḥarram every year.