Answered by Dar al-Ifta al-Masriyyah
Man is the creation of Allah. Allah Most High has honored man for his humanity: He molded him with His own hands, breathed into them from His Spirit, ordered the angels prostrate to him, and expelled Satan from His mercy because the latter arrogantly refused to obey his Lord’s command to prostrate to man. Respecting humanity is one of the angelic characteristics that forms foundation of Muslim civilization. Dishonoring, humiliating, and disdaining humans are provocations of Satan that shake the very foundations of civilization.
Allah Says:
“Whoever chooses Satan for a patron instead of Allah is verily a loser and his loss is manifest.” (Qur’an 4:119)
“Will ye choose him [Satan] and his seed for your protecting friends instead of Me [Allah] when they are an enemy unto you? Calamitous is the exchange for evil doers!” (Qur’an 18:50)
Just as Islam honors individuals from the perspective of their humanity without looking at their sex, race, or color, it has also added another form of respect associated with the various type of roles Allah gave them appropriate to their God-given characteristics. This additional form of respect includes respecting one’s parents whom Allah has made a cause for one’s existence, joining thanking them with thanking Him.
Allah says:
“And We enjoined upon man concerning his parents. His mother begot him in weakness upon weakness and his weaning is in two years. Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying.” Qur’an 31:14
In the Qur’an Allah coupled His worship with kindness and respect to one’s parents saying:
“Your Lord decreed that you worship none save Him and (that you show) kindness to parents.” (Qur’an 17:23)
This is because Allah made them the apparent cause for existence. Thus, one’s parents are the greatest worldly manifestation of the characteristic of creation.
The Prophet designated mothers as the ones most worthy of excellent companionship. Indeed, in this he gave them precedent over fathers.
Abu Hurayrah relates:
A man came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “Which person is the most worthy of my excellent companionship?”
He replied, “Your mother.”
The man asked, “Then who?”
The Prophet said, “Your mother.”
Then the man said, “Then who?”
The Prophet replied, “Your mother.”
Then the man said, “Then who?”
The Prophet said, “Your father.”
(al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The Mother Child Relationship
Islamic Law affirms that the relationship between a child and its mother is a natural, organic relationship. So his relationship to her is not dependent upon whether she bore him within marriage or out of wedlock—indeed, she is his mother in all circumstances. This is contrary to paternity, which can only be established through legal means.
Respecting one’s Mother Implies and the Ruling?
Respecting one’s mother includes: taking care of her physical well-being, honoring her and treating her well.. Nothing in the Shari’a prohibits an occasion in which children express honoring their mothers. This is merely a matter of organization. There is nothing wrong with it and it bears no connection to the issue of innovation about which so many people murmur. Rejected innovations are new things which are contrary to the Shari’a, since the Prophet said, “Whoever creates something new in this affair of ours which is foreign to it, it is rejected.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim). The divergent meaning is that whoever innovates something which is not foreign to it, it will be accepted and not rejected.
The Prophet approved when the Arabs celebrated national commemorations and tribal victories in which they would sing of their tribal feats and their victories days. Imam Bukhari and Muslim narrate in a hadith that ‘A’ishah said: “Abu Bakr came to see me. I had two young girls with me who were singing what was sung at the Battle of Bu’ath.” In addition, prophetic narrations note that the Prophet visited the grave of his mother Aminah and that he was never seen to cry more than on that day. (al-Hakim)
The Meaning of Motherhood
In the Arabic language, the word ‘mother’ refers to the source, to a habitat, to the chief, and to the servant of a people who takes care of their food and serves them. This last meaning was related from Imam al-Shafi’I, who was among the experts of Arabic language. Ibn Durayd said, “That to which all other things around it are ascribed to it is called a ‘mother’.” Because of this, Mecca is dubbed ‘Mother of cities’ since it is in the center of the world and the direction to which people face [in prayer], and because it is the most significant city of all.
Since language is the vessel for thought, for Muslims the immediate sense of word is associated with that person whom Allah made the source for an individual human’s formation, who then sheltered him, took care of his nurturing and upbringing; was endowed with love to care for him and to look after his needs. In all of this, it is the mother who is instilled with the affection and mercy to which her children seek comfort.
Just as this meaning is clear in the original linguistic meaning of the word and words derived from its linguistic root, our literature clarifies and evidences this further with the compound-word silat al-rahim [lit. womb-ties] in that this physiological attribute found in mothers has been made a symbol for maintaining family relationships which form the foundational elements for building human society. The most rightful and most deserving for this ascription is none other than the mother, who is the reason life continues and families are formed and is the outward manifestation of mercy.
This matter reaches its fullness and perfection with that magnificent religious sense portrayed by the chosen, beloved Prophet in his saying, “Family ties cling to the Throne, saying ‘Allah unites whoever united me, and severs whoever severed me.” Al-Tirmidhi
There is a hadith qudsi wherein Allah Mighty and Majestic says, “I am Allah and I am the Compassionate. I created family ties and I derived My name from the womb. I unite whoever unites them, and I will sever whoever severed them.”
The Prophet said, “In Abdullah bin Jud’an’s house, I witnessed a treaty [so great] not even the most prized camel would be dearer to me, and if I had been called to participate in it in Islam I would had answered.” Al-Bayhaqi
So according to this, celebrating Mothers’ Day is religiously permissible; there is nothing that prevents it and there is no harm in it. Rejected innovations are innovations which are in contradiction to the Shari’a. Things whose basis the Shari’a sanctions cannot be rejected and there is no sin upon the person who does them.
And Allah Majestic and Most High knows best.
Everyday is Allah's day.
Everyday is a “Rasulullah”'s Day.
Everyday is a Mothers Day.
Everyday is a Fathers Day.
Everyday is your day, to please Allah.
Ur absolutly right brother….celebrating mothers days and any other kafir holiday is prohibited…Assalamu Alakeum
why dedicate one day from a year and call a mothers day? I hink this in itself is wrong?
I tottally disagree with this we only have two celebrations in islam.
Obviously we only have two ‘Eids in Islam; no one is talking about creating a religious holiday based on Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day is from the customs of the West. Imam Suhaib’s opinion relates to whether or not it is Islamically permissible for Muslims to honor this custom.
I don't follow the jump from
“In Abdullah bin Jud’an’s house, I witnessed a treaty [so great] not even the most prized camel would be dearer to me, and if I had been called to participate in it in Islam I would had answered.”
to, “According to this, celebrating Mothers' Day is religiously permissible”
Also, could you please explain about what constitutes an Eid and if it's allowed to celebrate an eid more than Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha. I've heard some scholars say that celebrating something yearly other than Eid ul Fitr or Adha is not permissible, so if someone can clarify that, I'd really appreciate it.
Jazakullah Khair!
Salam ALakeum I hope Inshaallaah this will help u out
http://www.sahihalbukhari.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=IBD15&articleID=IBD150001&articlePages=1
I am in no way an expert, but I think what the author was trying to say was not that the secular “holiday” known as Mother's Day should be “celebrated,” in the way we would celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr or Eid-ul-Adha, but simply that there's nothing wrong with setting aside a day–any day–to show extra affection and appreciation for our mothers.
If not every day.
May Allah (subhana wa t'ala) guide me rightly if I am mistaken, but the way I interpreted that quote was that Mother's Day can be likened to a treaty between a Muslim nation and a non-Muslim nation who, for example, fed the hungry on a particular day each year. If the Muslims participated in feeding the hungry that day, it is permissible. As long as we don't celebrate it like some new annual festival, which would be an innovation. It's just a matter of doing something that is halal anyway, on the same day that non-believers call a “holiday.”
Allah knows best.
Asalamu alaykum,
The point is that something good, even if it was from days of ignorance, was respected and honored by the Prophet [sa].
As for you last question please refer to Sh. Bin Bayyah's excellent fatwa on Independence Day where he mentions the statement of the Prophet “Our Eid's our two.”
SDW
Subhan Allah!
The comment, “Rejected innovations are new things which are contrary to the Shari’a,”is full of inconsistincies. What about when the people came to the the Prophet (peace be upon him) and one said, “I will fast and not eat” and the other said, “I won't marry” and the third said, “I will not sleep, and pray the entire night” and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “man raghiba an sunnati fa laysa minni” “whoever rejects my sunna then he is not from me”. If you look at all these previous actions they have their Asl in the religion and are not “contrary to the shariah” and are all virtuous deeds. But when they were done in a matter not according to the sunna, they became disliked and not permissible. Most bidah has its foundations in the sharia as most people fell into bida' wanting to get closer to Allah, look at Shatibi's definition.(that bid'a is a newly invented path that vies with the shari'ah, and the person who falls into it does so with the intention of getting closer to Allah with excessive measures)
Also, the ulama of usool have stated that if there was a situation apparent during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he had the means to do it, and the same reason was apparent, and he refrained from doing it, then his leaving this action (tarkuhu lil'amal) in effect becomes a sunna. All of the proofs stated in their fatwa is not proof of establishing the permissibility of celebrating Mother's day and the proofs they used would make the person think that he is getting closer to Allah by celebrating it which goes against the principle of Al-Asl fil 'ibaadah al man'a, the principle in terms of worship is leaving an action until it's proof has been established.
As-Salaamu 'Alaykum,
Two concerns, may Allah bless you and your family.
[1] Wouldn't it be agreed that this is an issue of ijtihad? In that case, why is there a need to condemn and ridicule the side that believes Mother's Day is a bid'ah and forbidden? “There is nothing wrong with it and it bears no connection to the issue of innovation about which so many people murmur.” This makes it seem like those who have declared Mother's Day as a bid'ah to be backward and incapable of understanding the Shari'ah. This is what the average person who doesn't know Arabic and is relying on these rulings will take from it, even if Dar al-Ifta didn't intend it that way. Many great scholars of our time have ruled that this holiday is an innovation, so why is it impossible to respect them and their stance which no doubt has its basis? I don't mind someone following this fatwa if they believe it is the truth, but when will we recognize the current trend that exists in the West of opposing whatever the scholars from Saudi Arabia rule and declaring them as unable to pass rulings that are relevant to those in the West? No doubt this type of language in the fatwa fuels this trend, even if Dar al-Ifta is unaware of it which of course I give them the benefit of the doubt. It is as if one can simply put out a fatwa now-a-days opposing the rulings which we've heard for the past decades in the West and it will be accepted and praised as being wise. This is often done in the shade of blaming those rulings for our current situation, when the blame actually lies in other factors. It is fine if a person really believes this ruling to be correct, but we must take a step back and ask ourselves if we are really following what we think is the truth or are we following our desires in the guise of being more literate in the Shari'ah. Scholars of al-Azhar are not united over this ruling, as is the case with many other rulings, and a proof of that is that one of the greatest scholars of our time who believed Mother's Day was an innovation, Shaykh 'Ali Mahfooz (rahimahullah), was from al-Azhar.
[2] Has Dar al-Ifta al-Masriyyah been informed of the controversial roots of Mother's Day?
A quick look on Wikipedia:
“Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year because the day has a number of different origins.
One school of thought claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March (15 March) to 18 March.
The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day.”
Mother's Day was established in North America by Anna Marie Jarvis who made it in remembrance of her mother after she passed away. Here's an interesting point:
“Nine years after the first official Mother's Day, commercialization of the U.S. holiday became so rampant that Anna Jarvis herself became a major opponent of what the holiday had become and spent all her inheritance and the rest of her life fighting what she saw as an abuse of the celebration.
Later commercial and other exploitations of the use of Mother's Day infuriated Anna and she made her criticisms explicitly known throughout her time. She criticized the practice of purchasing greeting cards, which she saw as a sign of being too lazy to write a personal letter. She was arrested in 1948 for disturbing the peace while protesting against the commercialization of Mother's Day, and she finally said that she “wished she would have never started the day because it became so out of control …”.”
And Allah knows best.
Asalamu alaykum,
Aba Jenaan:
It is well known that the opinion regarding innovation in the fatwa is representative of the majority of the fuqahaa from the Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi' schools. The opinion of al-Shattibi (ra) you mentioned above, is that of the minority and followed in these days by the scholars of the Salafi group; is strongly contested even within the Maliki school.
Your assumption that those things mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet are forbidden or innovations unfortunately goes against the findings of the four major schools as the ruling for marriage is not an obligation, but permissibility, while others hold it to be a sunna. Imam Ahmed waited till he was forty to marry, Ibn Taymiyyah never did, nor did al-Nawwawi. The latter stating, as do the Malikis, that if one is engaged in worship and learning; is able to stay chaste, “Then it is better the he/she does not marry.” Sh. al-Dardir in al-Sharh al-Saghir, the most reliable book of Fatwa in the Maliki school states that marriage, “If it takes one away from the obligatory is forbidden.”
As for one who fasts everyday or prayers every night, then it is not acceptable to say either are an innovation nor forbidden as there were a large number of salaf who did so. Just as there were those who completed the reading of the Qur'an in less than three days such as Uthman bin Affan [r].
Mother's day is not an act of pure worship as noted by Sh. al-Qaradawi, Sh. Bin Bayyah and al-Azhar al-Sharif, but falls under the general scope of the permissible. If you follow a position that differs, then that is fine, but let's do so understanding that such an issue is open for ijtihad and interpretation according to the majority of the scholars of Usol.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing
SDW
Asalamu alaykum,
Many thanks for your comments. Sadly, what you have stated is true. But, the salafi group needs to realize just like the extreme sufis that if you are going to label people as innovators, undermine local scholars and institutions, as the former does in Egypt, then you are going to get it back. That is sad, but true. A quick glance at their forums and a searching of words like “Deviant” “innovator” and so on is telling. My intention for posting this was not to attack them. If I showed you the amount of hate mail and threats I've recieved from them as well as the sufis, you would be shocked. No worries, my skin is thick. But, as we say, “If you dish it, your gonna have to take it.”
SDW
As salaamu alaikum
Suhaib, again you didn't address the issue. My comment was with regard to their definition of bid'a, not the legislation of marrying, or not. If someone does so (not marryin/comtinuing fasting, etc) with the intention of getting closer to Allah then it has in effect become a bid'a.In terms of Shatibi's definition being a minority, this isn't proof of the weakness of his position. The opinion of the jmahoor is not Ijma'a and does not make an issue correct from the standpoint of the evidence. The first person to categorize bid'a into the 5 ahkaam of takleef was 'zz ibn abd as salaam, so how is this position the position of the jamhoor? Again, you didn't address the issue of the Prophet (peace be upon him)not doing this action even though the reason was there or of him not participating in holidays that were customary to the Arabs and weren't religious. Again, the positions established is weak in terms of the dalil. Also, by definition this would be considered an 'eid b/c it's being practiced on a yearly basis.
Asalamu alaykum,
Aba Jenaan:
May Allah reward you for commenting. I certainly appreciate your comments and pray that Allah will grant us insaf and justice in words and deeds.
SDW
Fatwa from Mohammad Ad-Dedew from his site. With regards to the twaqifiya in regards to holidays. (mainly the mawlid) Feel free to translate although, I'm qualified I leave it to you or one of your viewers.
توقيفية الأعياد الشرعية
بينوا لتا ما كان النبي وأصحابه يعظمون به مولده .
أنه قد سبق التنبيه أكثر من مرة إلى أن التشريع توقيفي وأنه من أمر الله سبحانه وتعالى وحده، وأن الله وحده هو الذي يشرع لعباده، وأن الأعياد إنما هي عود لعبادة محددة، ولا يمكن أن يشرعها إلا الذي يشرع الأحكام ويحل ويحرم وهو الله وحده، وقد شرع الله للمؤمنين عيد الفطر من رمضان وعيد الأضحى في ذي الحجة ورتب فيهما عبادات مخصوصة، فمنها صلاة العيدين ومنها زكاة الفطر في عيد الفطر ومنها الضحية في عيد الأضحى ولم يشرع الله للمؤمنين عيدا سوى ذلك إلا عيد الأسبوع وهو يوم الجمعة ما سوى ذلك من الأعياد كله ابتداع وتشريع لما لم يأذن به الله، وقد قال تعالى: {أم لهم شركاء شرعوا لهم من الدين ما لم يأذن به الله} وقال تعالى: {قل أفرأيتم ما أنزل الله لكم من رزق فجعلتم منه حراما وحلالا قل آلله أذن لكم أم على الله تفترون} وقد بين النبي r بطلان كل تشريع لم يأذن به الله فقال: من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد، وقال: «من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد»، ومن المعلوم أن الذين يجعلون مولد النبي r عيدا إنما يتذرعون بمحبتهم للنبي r وتعظيمهم له، ومحبة النبي r وتعظيمه من الإيمان ولا يمكن أن يكون الإنسان مؤمنا ما لم يكن رسول الله r أحب إليه من والده وولده والناس أجمعين، ويجب على المؤمنين جميعا تعظيمه وتوقيره وإجلاله فذلك من حقه r ومن الإيمان به، لكن لا يمكن أن يكون ذلك إلا بما بين النبي r لأن ما سوى بيانه هو الهوى، والهوى بين الله سبحانه وتعالى خطره، وأن من اتبعه فهو سبب لأن يورده النار نسأل الله السلامة والعافية، وأضل الناس من اتبع هواه كما جاء ذلك في عدد من الآيات، ولهذا فلا يمكن أن يكون أحد أشد حبا لرسول الله r من أصحابه أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي وغيرهم من الصحابة، وهؤلاء لم يعظموا يوم مولده ولم يعرفوه من السنة ولم يخصوه بعبادة مخصوصة ولا بعادة، وكذلك جميع أصحابه وجميع التابعين لهم بإحسان، في القرون المزكاة، وأول ما عرف ذلك في أيام العبيديين، في سنة ثلاثمائة وعشر، ولهذا تجدون بعض أهل الغفلة من الفقهاء يقولون هذا عيد كانت مشروعيته في القرن الرابع من الهجرة، كيف تكون المشروعية في القرن الرابع من الهجرة، ألم ينزل الله على محمد r {اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتممت عليكم نعمتي ورضيت لكم الإسلام دينا} فكيف إذن تكون مشروعية شيء في القرن الرابع من الهجرة؟ هل عاش النبي r إلى القرن الرابع، هل نزل جبريل علينا بقرآن جديد فيه تشريع في القرن الرابع؟ ولهذا لا بد أن نعلم أن الابتداع هو زيادة على ما جاء به النبي r، فإن كان صاحبه يعتقد أن الدين كان ناقصا وأنه هو يكمله، أو أن الصحابة لم يفهموا محبة النبي r ولم يقدروه وهو يأتي بجديد يزيده، أو أن ما جاء به النبي r ناقص وغير كاف وهو الذي يكمله من عند نفسه فهذا كفر نسأل الله السلامة والعافية، وإن لم يعتقد ذلك لم يعتقد النقص في الدين ولكن رأى أن في ذلك مندوحة وأن فيه وجها يمكن أن يفعله الإنسان من تلقاء نفسه فهذا ابتداع وضلال مبين وهو مردود على صاحبه لا ينتفع به، ولذلك فقد قال مالك رحمه الله: لقد أنزل الله على محمد r {اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم} فما لم يكن يومئذ دينا فلا يكون اليوم دينا، وقال ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه: كل عبادة لم يتعبدها أصحاب محمد r فلا تتعبدوها فإن الأول لم يترك للآخر مقالا، ولما مر على قوم يقول لهم آمرهم: سبحوا كذا وكذا واحمدوا كذا وكذا وكبروا كذا وكذا وقف عليهم ابن مسعود فرأى ما هم فيه فقال: يا هؤلاء لقد جئتم جرما أو لقد فقتم أصحاب محمد علما، ونحن نعلم أنها الأولى قطعا فلم يفوقوا أصحاب محمد r علما.
I keep hearing fellow Muslims say “ever day should be mother's day”, as if that is an argument. By this, they mean to demean the “dirty kufaar” for “only having one day” for their mothers, whereas “we Muslims celebrate it every day.” This is such a pathetically weak argument. Did not the Muslims set up one day of the week to be dedicated to worship? i.e. Jummah….and what about one month of the year dedicated to worship, i.e. Ramadan? Would it be a good argument of some Non-Muslim to say that “we Non-Muslims worship year round instead of just during one month?”
Of course Muslims worship Allah [swt] year round, but we INCREASE our worship during the month of Ramadan. This is just based on the simple fact that humans were created in such a way that they cannot sustain such a high level for so long. So we set aside one month a year (Ramadan) and one day a week (Jummah) to boost our worship and recharge our Imaan cells.
So is not the matter the same with Mother's Day? The Non-Muslims still love their mothers the rest of the year. It's just one day set aside to boost that love. Same concept. So let's ditch these silly mantras that were invented by Pakistani uncles.
I certainly disagree with Imam Suhaib (hafidhuallah) when he says that there is such a thing as “good bidah”, but Mother's Day is not a religious holiday in the first place.
Fi Aman Allah
The only exception I take with this is the crack against Pakistanis. Lay off my peoples; we’ve had a rough week.
Pakistani uncles didn't invent this argument, scholars such as Shaykh Faysal Mawlawi and Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi have used it as well.
Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi said regarding Mother's Day:
The Arab tend to blindly follow the Western in their celebration of the Mother’s Day, without trying to understand the wisdom behind inventing such an occasion.
When the European found that children do not deal properly towards their parents nor give them their due right, they resorted to specifying an annual occasion for children to remedy the situation. But in Islam, mothers are to be given due respect and love every time, not only one day a year. For example, when one goes out, he kisses one’s mother’s hand seeking her pleasure and blessing.
A Muslim must not allow any gap between him and his mother, he must offer her presents every time. This indicates that Muslims can dispense with such an occasion, the Mother’s Day. Unlike the case in the West, where it’s a vogue for some children to show indifference to their mothers’ feelings, and, what’s more, it is so common to see some parents being dragged to infirmaries (as their kids have no time for them), dutifulness to parents in Islam, alongside with worshipping Allah, is a sacred duty.
In this concern, Almighty Allah says: (And We have commended unto man kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance, and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attaineth full strength and reacheth forty years, he saith: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favor wherewith Thou hast favored me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto Thee. And be gracious unto me In the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned unto Thee repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (unto Thee).) (Al-Ahqaf 46: 15)
Reflecting on the aforementioned Qur’anic verse, we find it stressing both parents’ right, but reviewing the following verses we find them paying special care to the mother and tackling the hardships she suffers in pregnancy, fosterage and rearing children.
In this verse, Almighty Allah informs man of the debt he owes his mother since he was a fetus, passing by the process of childbirth, infancy, childhood until he comes of age. A child normally forgets the hardship which his mother underwent during pregnancy. Hence Almighty Allah draws his attention to such hardships, laying emphasis on her great status in Islam.
Source: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pa...
As-salamu 'alaykum..
It's an interesting topic, and as I can clearly see that there is a scholarly difference on this issue, I certainly won't condemn anyone for following this view.
Personally, I would avoid it, because “leave what causes you to doubt..”
A few reasons as to why I have doubt:
1 who decides if celebrating a certain day is good or not? And if we permit this, then we can't really disallow celebrating Father's Day, birthdays, new year's day, etc. where is the line drawn? Are we not satisfied with the celebrated days and events that our deen offers us?
2 if this was really 'good' – wouldn't the Prophet [s] have practised it or told us to do so? One could argue that Islam commands us to be good to our mother's generally, so making it specific to do extra on a certain day could be going against that. A danger could be that we end up for example refraining from giving our Mothers gifts except on Mother's Day – I'm sure many people do this. Is that a good thing?
3 there is an incredible amount of good that comes from Islam, why do we go into matters where there is debate on whether it is allowed or not? Is it not better to avoid? Wouldn't you prefer to do a good deed – an act of 'ibadah – instead on this day rather than follow something invented by non-Muslims?
I'm not saying the above points prove that it's not permissible, these are just things that cause me to doubt.
And Allah knows best.
Zi
Assalaamu'alaikum abujenaan,
As I am reading your comments there is a disrespectful tone that is felt. Please read your comments twice before posting bi izhnillah and please be more gentle. I assume your intention is not to be disrespectful, however, please be aware that this is how it is perceived.
Yusuf – Cincinnati
I found this comment,
“It is well known that the opinion regarding innovation in the fatwa is representative of the majority of the fuqahaa from the Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi' schools. The opinion of al-Shattibi (ra) you mentioned above, is that of the minority”
VERY interesting. Could you please comment on what exactly ARE the 2 differing opinions (majority vs. minority) of bid'a? I know that Imam Shatibit (r) has a book al-'Itisam where he expounds on the def. of bid'a (that I can't read since I don't know Arabic…I'm wack).
To be more exact…What part of Imam Shatibi's definition is there contention with?
Yusuf – Cincinnati
Fatwa from Muhammad Ad-Dedew stating that the any 'eid is tawqifiya' needing dalil to be celebrated.
توقيفية الأعياد الشرعية
بينوا لتا ما كان النبي وأصحابه يعظمون به مولده .
أنه قد سبق التنبيه أكثر من مرة إلى أن التشريع توقيفي وأنه من أمر الله سبحانه وتعالى وحده، وأن الله وحده هو الذي يشرع لعباده، وأن الأعياد إنما هي عود لعبادة محددة، ولا يمكن أن يشرعها إلا الذي يشرع الأحكام ويحل ويحرم وهو الله وحده، وقد شرع الله للمؤمنين عيد الفطر من رمضان وعيد الأضحى في ذي الحجة ورتب فيهما عبادات مخصوصة، فمنها صلاة العيدين ومنها زكاة الفطر في عيد الفطر ومنها الضحية في عيد الأضحى ولم يشرع الله للمؤمنين عيدا سوى ذلك إلا عيد الأسبوع وهو يوم الجمعة ما سوى ذلك من الأعياد كله ابتداع وتشريع لما لم يأذن به الله، وقد قال تعالى: {أم لهم شركاء شرعوا لهم من الدين ما لم يأذن به الله} وقال تعالى: {قل أفرأيتم ما أنزل الله لكم من رزق فجعلتم منه حراما وحلالا قل آلله أذن لكم أم على الله تفترون} وقد بين النبي r بطلان كل تشريع لم يأذن به الله فقال: من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد، وقال: «من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد»، ومن المعلوم أن الذين يجعلون مولد النبي r عيدا إنما يتذرعون بمحبتهم للنبي r وتعظيمهم له، ومحبة النبي r وتعظيمه من الإيمان ولا يمكن أن يكون الإنسان مؤمنا ما لم يكن رسول الله r أحب إليه من والده وولده والناس أجمعين، ويجب على المؤمنين جميعا تعظيمه وتوقيره وإجلاله فذلك من حقه r ومن الإيمان به، لكن لا يمكن أن يكون ذلك إلا بما بين النبي r لأن ما سوى بيانه هو الهوى، والهوى بين الله سبحانه وتعالى خطره، وأن من اتبعه فهو سبب لأن يورده النار نسأل الله السلامة والعافية، وأضل الناس من اتبع هواه كما جاء ذلك في عدد من الآيات، ولهذا فلا يمكن أن يكون أحد أشد حبا لرسول الله r من أصحابه أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي وغيرهم من الصحابة، وهؤلاء لم يعظموا يوم مولده ولم يعرفوه من السنة ولم يخصوه بعبادة مخصوصة ولا بعادة، وكذلك جميع أصحابه وجميع التابعين لهم بإحسان، في القرون المزكاة، وأول ما عرف ذلك في أيام العبيديين، في سنة ثلاثمائة وعشر، ولهذا تجدون بعض أهل الغفلة من الفقهاء يقولون هذا عيد كانت مشروعيته في القرن الرابع من الهجرة، كيف تكون المشروعية في القرن الرابع من الهجرة، ألم ينزل الله على محمد r {اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتممت عليكم نعمتي ورضيت لكم الإسلام دينا} فكيف إذن تكون مشروعية شيء في القرن الرابع من الهجرة؟ هل عاش النبي r إلى القرن الرابع، هل نزل جبريل علينا بقرآن جديد فيه تشريع في القرن الرابع؟ ولهذا لا بد أن نعلم أن الابتداع هو زيادة على ما جاء به النبي r، فإن كان صاحبه يعتقد أن الدين كان ناقصا وأنه هو يكمله، أو أن الصحابة لم يفهموا محبة النبي r ولم يقدروه وهو يأتي بجديد يزيده، أو أن ما جاء به النبي r ناقص وغير كاف وهو الذي يكمله من عند نفسه فهذا كفر نسأل الله السلامة والعافية، وإن لم يعتقد ذلك لم يعتقد النقص في الدين ولكن رأى أن في ذلك مندوحة وأن فيه وجها يمكن أن يفعله الإنسان من تلقاء نفسه فهذا ابتداع وضلال مبين وهو مردود على صاحبه لا ينتفع به، ولذلك فقد قال مالك رحمه الله: لقد أنزل الله على محمد r {اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم} فما لم يكن يومئذ دينا فلا يكون اليوم دينا، وقال ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه: كل عبادة لم يتعبدها أصحاب محمد r فلا تتعبدوها فإن الأول لم يترك للآخر مقالا، ولما مر على قوم يقول لهم آمرهم: سبحوا كذا وكذا واحمدوا كذا وكذا وكبروا كذا وكذا وقف عليهم ابن مسعود فرأى ما هم فيه فقال: يا هؤلاء لقد جئتم جرما أو لقد فقتم أصحاب محمد علما، ونحن نعلم أنها الأولى قطعا فلم يفوقوا أصحاب محمد r علما.
As far as I know Shaykh ad-Dedew (hafidhahullah) is of the view that holidays without religious overtones are permissible. He states that they are not 'Eids but occasions (مناسبات), even though they are known among the people in Arabic as an 'eid, such as 'Eid al-Umm in the case of Mother's Day. He said this on the TV show he comes on “Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi” (watch episode) not too long ago when Mother's Day was being celebrated in the majority of the Muslim world. So in that case his above fatwa wouldn't contradict this, since he doesn't view it as a real 'Eid but as an occassion. (Source)
This is similar to the point that Shaykh al-Qaradawi states, which is that it shouldn't be called 'Eid but Yawm (day), so as to avoid it being considered a celebration rather than an occasion. He is of the view that it isn't haraam since he believes there is no clear text to prohibit, but at the same time he discourages it from the angle of us as Muslims not being in need of it as well as it falling under imitating non-Muslims. (Source)
It seems – and Allah knows best – that the best way to present this issue, and similar issues, to the rest of the Ummah is to explain that there is a difference of opinion held between qualified scholars. Then it should be stressed that we must strive to worship Allah based on the opinion we honestly feel is closer to the truth and that we should be aware of Shaytaan and our nafs tempting us to follow either of the two opinions, halaal or haraam. This helps us keep our objective in focus, which is the worship of our Lord in the way that pleases Him, and also it keeps us on guard from following our desires. My worry is that our brothers and sisters will follow either opinion – saying “Happy Mother's Day” or “Audhubillah this is an innovation” – with neither based upon the actual evidence of either opinion but rather what pleases our nafs.
The last situation we want to be on when we meet Allah on the Day of Judgment is with a life of following our desires pretending that we have a Shar'i evidence for it. This is the behavior of a person – may Allah protect us all – who thinks that he or she will fool or trick Allah on that Day and sneak into Jannah. This is similar to what is narrated in the hadeeth about the first to enter into the Hellfire – the scholar, the charitable person and the mujaahid. Even up until that very point they will be claiming they did it for Allah's sake and Allah will tell them that they have lied and order for them to be taken to the Hellfire – may Allah protect us all.
In summary, often times the solutions to issues we find difficult as Muslims is not found in the books of fiqh, but rather in the books of tazkiyyah and raqaa'iq (heart softeners). And Allah knows best.
Brother Suhaib, since you said the fatwa is based on usul principals I wanted to say this.
We know that Mother’s day originated from pagan Greeks who had a special day for the mother of their false gods. In addition, this practice was modified several times by the Romans before and after they accepted Christianity.
And so based upon the following principal: “al-hukm ‘ala shay far’un ‘an tasawurihi” it seems like such practice would be haram, right?
I mean what is the hikma of posting this fatwa when it goes against the clear text which prohibits the celebration of the non-Muslims?
Asalamu alaykum,
Aba Zaid:
I can certainly respect those who hold that such events are forbidden. I am not censuring that opinion, respect it and hold that this is an issue open for discussion.
What I fail to understand is the infatuation with censuring others who follow a sound opinion. As al-Nawwai stated as well as Ibn Salah that issues open for ijtihad, if presented by scholars, are not to be censured nor rebuked? Perhaps some of our dear brothers could elaborate on that because according to my limited understanding, that goes against the jumhur. Not that the latter is a sin of course, but if the majority hold something as acceptable, why are people trying to censure and force their understandings on others?
let us live with both in harmony. As Sh. al-Qaradawi said, “If Allah told the Prophet to say to the non-Muslim, 'To you is your faith and to mine is mine.' Then why can't we say as Muslims, “To you is your opinion and to me is mine?”
I have nothing but respect for you and pray for the best.
SDW
asalamu alaykum,
excuse my french, but why do these salafi brothers who have their own opinions and like to argue, post their comments if the intent is to just argue to prove others wrong. its a known fact salafis don't agree with the four schools because the madhabs have sound principled methodologies (which they don't agree with). imam suhaib clearly gave the daleel (something salafis crave for yet can't decipher) and yet brothers will post rudimentary arguments stemming from the statement of the prophet (saw) “whoever rejects my sunna then he is not from me”. salafis rogues (not the ulema like bin baz or uthaymeen) don't even know the conditions or the context of the hadith, yet will use it whimsically not realizing it's a general statement not a specific one from which a ruling can be legislated. some of the salafi brothers on this board have stated some of the “great scholars of our time” consider it a bidah. with much respect to those scholars, none of them belong to or follow one of the accepted madhabs. hence, they will differ alot due to the differences in methodology, and they do. having said that, i hold great respect for even those scholars, from whom the salafis should learn manners before daleel, because it's apparent they lack it. follow the scholars you propagate properly, and we wouldn't have these arguments all the time. sorry to sound negative, but the obvious disrespect in tone and the obvious intent of argumentation for argument sake by individuals (who probably do not have the same level of knowledge as imam suhaib or Sh. bin bayyah) on this thread really frustrated me. if you disagree that's fine, but don't try to convince the shaykh or followers of a school we are wrong or quetion our usool. btw, shaykh abdallah bin bayyah is a scholar amongst scholars, so just be respectful to him and his opinions especially. ironically, he teaches in saudia. jazakallah khayr.
mashallah!
Aba Jenaan:
May Allah reward you for commenting. I certainly appreciate your comments and pray that Allah will grant us insaf and justice in words and deeds.
SDW