Question:
What would it take to make one reconsider the idea that celebrating on 12th of Rabbi ul awwal may not be correct? Their argument is that if there is no proof in the Quraan or Sunnah of the exact date of the birth, why go by work of scholars?
Answer:
Allah said to ask the people of knowledge if you do not know. Those of the people of knowledge who have documented the issue concur on the fact that the 12th of Rabi ul Awwal is the “mashhur” or far-and-wide established date for the Prophetic birthday in the history of the Umma. The Prophet (s) said the Umma does not concur on error and Ibn Mas`ud (r) said “Whatever the Umma considers good is good in the Divine presence.”
Any other day is also a permissible date for the celebration. Nor is the form of celebration or its precise date that is the objective but belief in, knowledge of, obedience to and followership of the Prophet. Thus while the form and timing are not essential issues, the latter objectives are not open to discussion.
Since such a large majority of the Umma (and its proven, established scholars) has been endorsing the 12th of Rabi ul Awwal as the preferred date for such a long time, and since this large majority has linked the celebration of the mawlid to such essential objectives, it does not stand to reason that a “reconsideration” of “the idea” that celebrating on such a date may or may not be correct would be in any way a good use of time and energy. The whole point is to make more salawat on the Prophet before our time on this earth runs out, which is far better achieved by the pious supporters of such a celebration in its
century-old modalities than by its untrustworthy detractors at the tail-end of history.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
