AA, Celebrating Prophet’s Birthday/ Milad in a way we normally celebrate in Pakistan – cutting cake, distributing halwa or other sweets, decorating streets etc. etc. can be permitted? And is there any religious significance to this act. Should we celebrate? If Yes, how? Kindly advise.
Answer
We don’t even know for sure when the prophet alaihissalam was born. We can’t add anything to God’s religion. If we’ll do it, it would need a sanction from Him. Whatever sanction we’ll quote from Him will be a lie because there is none. So a good idea is to not give in to the noise created by the crowd and be a good follower of him (ummati) all year round.
He himself celebrated it on a weekly basis, not on an annual basis, quietly fasting and thanking God for giving him the beautiful gift of life. He didn’t ask anyone to join him. Even if some companions did, they did it individually, quietly joining him by fasting on Mondays, not cutting cakes, illuminating streets, and celebrating like we do.