“Two unique events have been produced as a special 7-DVD set featuring some of the most important voices and personalities in contemporary Islam, including:
Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Ali al-Jifri, Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi, Shaykh Ahmed Ben Omar Tijani, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Nuh Keller, Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, Shaykh Babikir Ahmed Babikr, Shaykh Muhammad Bashu’aib, Maulana Imdad Hussain Pirzada, Shaykh Jihad Brown, Shaykh Hasan Le Gai Eaton, Sidi Yusuf Islam, Daniel Abdal Hayy Moore, Fuad Nahdi, Moez Masoud and – giving his final public lecture – Shaykh Abu Bakr Siraj al Din (Dr Martin Lings) who passed away just 10 days after this historic gathering which was also addressed by special guests including the Bishop of Bolton, the Right Reverend David Gillett.
Sacred music and poems were performed by Sada Hijaz, Ahbab al Mustafa, Harmonia Alcorani, Shaam, Qari Hafeez ur Rahman, Mesut Kurtis, Tariqa Burhaniyya, Poetic Pilgrimage, Albashar, Waseem Yaqub and others.”
An amazing speech on this subject by Shaykh Muhammad Bin Yahya Al-Ninowy
For those who can understand Urdu, this will sooth your hearts, Insha’Allah!
Poem written by the great Lover of the Beloved Prophet (Sall’Allahu Ta’ala ‘alayhi wa’alihi wa’sallam), Imam Ahle Sunnat Ahmad Raza Khan Barelwi (Rahmathullahi Ta’ala alay).
In 2007, Mawlid was celebrated by Sunni Muslims on March 31st. It was celebrated by Shi’as on April 5th. In the Gregorian calendar, the standard calendar of Western countries, the date moves each year, because the Islamic calendar is lunar, while the Gregorian is solar. In Arabic, Mawlid means “birthday” and Mawlid An-Nabi is one of the formal names given to the specific day to celebrate Muhammad, or in Shi’a Islam, the family of Ali in particular.
Mawlid is the day when Sunnis and Shi’as mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. In fact, the 12th of Rabi’ul’Awwal, or 17th for Shi’as, is traditionally believed to be the date of Muhammad’s death. It was arbitrarily fixed as the date to celebrate his birth, in 1207, when Muzaffar ad-Din Gökburi, brother-in-law of the famous Saladin.
This year Isam Rasheed documented some of the celebrations in Adhamiya, where the Abu Hanifa Mosque is located. Because of the location of the Abu Hanifa Mosque, or Imam Adham Abu Hanifa Mosque, Sunnis from all over Baghdad, and even many provinces in Iraq used to travel to Adhamiya for the celebrations.
This year, due to insecurity and on-going sectarian violence, it has become difficult for even Sunnis in Baghdad to make it to Adhamiya. Despite all of these difficulties Iraqis such as Qusay Al-Adhamiy and Waleed Tarek would not let the celebrations occur without the proper festivities. They each helped pay for the festivities in their area of Adhamiya by donating time and money.
As we are not scholars of Hadith and Tafseer, we cannot claim to understand the orders of theQur’an and Hadith by ourselves. For this reason, Allah (Subhanahu Wata’ala) selects from theUmmah of His Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) people who are Masters of Islamicknowledge and Islamic Law. Hence, when we need guidance with matters pertaining to Islam,we need to refer to the writings of these pious Ulema (scholars). Let us now examine what the scholars have said about the Meelad Shareef.
Allamah Isma’il Haqqi writes in ‘Tafseer Roohul Bayaan’:
“To commemorate Meelad Shareef is showing respect for the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘AlaihiWasallam) so long as the Meelad is free from bad things. Imam Suyuti says that to proclaimhappiness at the birth of the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) is Mustahab(recommended).
Hafiz ibn Hajar and Imam Suyuti
Allamah Isma’il Haqqi writes in ‘Tafseer Roohul Bayaan’ that Hafiz ibn Hajar and ImamSuyuti have proven the validity of the Meelad Shareef from the Sunnah and have answeredthose people who call it a bad practice.
Muhammad bin Isma’il Bukhari narrates in Sahih Bukhari:
When Abu Lahab died, someone from his household saw him in a dream and asked him howhe was. Abu Lahab replied, “After parting from you, I am not given any good or relief.However, because I released Thuwayba (Abu Lahab’s slave), I get water every Monday fromthe finger with which I pointed for her to go free and I feel some comfort”. Abu Lahab released Thuwayba after hearing that his brother’s wife, Aaminah (RadiyallahuTa’ala Anha) had given birth to our beloved Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam).
Shaikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith-e-Dehlwi writes in ‘Madarij-un-Nubuwah’:
“Abu Lahab was a kaafir and he receives a reward for showing happiness at the birth of theProphet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam). It is evident from this that the celebrators of theMeelad Shareef are indeed performing a useful act. Abu Lahab was a kaafir and is rewardedsimply because he released a slave, then what a great reward it will be for that Muslim whospends his wealth for the Meelad Shareef”.
Muhaddith ibn Juzri writes in ‘Zarqani Shareef’:
“When Abu Lahab, the kaafir, was rewarded for showing gratitude at the birth of the Prophet(Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) then what will be the merit of that believing Muslim who showsimmense love for the Meelad Shareef and also spends his wealth towards its enactment? Iswear by my life, his reward, by the eternal Mercy of Allah, will be that he will be enteredinto heaven”.
Allamah Qastalani (commentator of Bukhari) writes in ‘Mawahibul Ladunya’:
“And the gatherings of Meelad have been occurring always within the Ahl-e-Islam. Alongwith happiness and joy, they cook food and invite others. In the nights of Rabi-ul-Awwal,they perform all kinds of virtuous acts and show their gratitude. Therefore, upon such peopleis Allah’s special favour and grace. The year in which Meelad is commemorated, that yearbecomes full of peace and safety. The celebrators’ inner demands become fulfilled. Allahendows great mercy upon that person who made the nights of Rabi-ul-Awwal into an Eid”.
Both Allamah Qastalani (in Mawahibul Ladunya) and Shaikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith-e-Dehlwi (in Masabatu Bissunnah) write: “The night of the birth of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) is better than the ‘Lailatul Qadr’ which is better than a thousand months”.
‘Blood rained from the sky when the Shahaadah of Imaam Hussain took place’
It is reported that when Imam al-Hussain was killed, the sky rained down blood. (Nadra al-Azdiya, a woman who was contemporary with Imam al – Hussain (AS), is said to have reported: “When al-Hussain b. ‘Ali was killed, the sky rained down blood, so that next morning we found our wells and water jugs filled with it.” This hadith is narrated by Ibn Hajar. )
Ummul Fadhl the daughter of al-Harith said that she entered on the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and she said: “Oh! Messenger of Allah, I saw a strange dream last night. He said: And what is it? She said: It was difficult. He said: And what is it? She said: I saw, as if, a piece of your body was severed and was put in my lap! The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: You saw well – Fatima will give birth, God willing, a boy so he will be in your lap. Then Fatima gave birth to al-Hussain and he was in my lap – just as the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said. So I entered one day on the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and put him in his lap, but I noticed that the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) pouring tears! So I said: Oh! Prophet of Allah, my parents are your ransom, what is with you? He said: Gabriel (AS) came to me and informed me that my nation (ummah) will kill this son of mine.” (al-Mustadrak al-Sahih, al-Hafidh al-Hakim al-Nisapouri, v. 3, p. 176, (al-Hakim said: “This is an authentic hadith (Sahih) on the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim but they did not print it”); Dalael al-Nubouwa, al-Hafidh al-Bayhaqi under the subject of al-Hussain (AS); Cf. Ibn al-A’tham IV, (Hyderabad, 1971), p. 211-2, the author narrates this hadith using a different chain of narration).
“Two unique events have been produced as a special 7-DVD set featuring some of the most important voices and personalities in contemporary Islam, including:
