The First people to Celebrate the birthday of the Prophet.

The First people to Celebrate the birthday of the Prophet.

 

The first people to innovate this celebration of the birthday of the Prophet sws were the tribe of Banee ‘Ubaid al-Qaddaah (1), those who called themselves the Faatimids, and they claimed ascription to the children of the Prophet’s cousin, ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib and his wife Faatimah, the daughter of Allaah’s Messenger sws.

 

They appeared during the Abbaside Caliphate and ruled Egypt from 360AH onwards for two centuries, and were a sect of the Sh’iites known as the Isma’eelees, due to their connection to Isma’eel Muhammad bin Ja’far – and it is for this reason they are called Isma’eelees. They had many oppositions to the Islamic belief and to Islamic monotheism (Tawheed), and they committed clear unbelief, to the point that their leaders claimed divinity for themselves and were worshipped by their followers. And from them was their Ruler, al-‘Ubaidee. The Muslim historians mention that their real origins far from Faatimah and ‘Alee- rather their origins lie with Magian fire-worshippers of Persia and to the tribe of ‘Ubaid al-Qaddaah. So it is more appropriate that they be called ‘Ubaydees and Isma’eelees, and they remain till this day. They used to believe that Allah is in-dwelling in His creation, in the concept that the Revelation has hidden esoteric meanings that are only known to their own scholars and “saints”, leading them to be considered as unbelievers by the great Scholars of ahlus-Sunnah on that time.

 

Before them, there was no celebration of the Mawlid of Allah’s Messenger (2). Imaam Ahmad bin ‘Ali, Taqiyy ad-Deen al-Miqreezee (died 845AH) known as the Shaikh of the historians of Egypt has a work famously entitled Kitaab Khitat al-Miqreeziyyah. He lists in this work (3) those Days which the Isma’eelee Shi’ah would take as days of celebration, and the condition of the people during these periods and what they would do. So throughout the year they would single out days for festivities, rituals and celebrations.

 

NOTES

 

1: ‘Ubaid bin Maymoon al-Qaaddah was the founder of the state of the ‘Ubaidiyyah in Tunis, North Africa at the end of the 3rd century Hijrah. Imaam al-Dhahabee said in as-Siyar (15/141): “Ubaidullah Abu Muhammad, the first of the Caliphs of the Kharijite ‘Ubaidee Baatinees who overtuned Islaam, proclaimed [the religion of] ar-Rafd (the Shi’ah rejection and hatred of the Companions) whilst concealing the doctrine of Isma’eeliyyah. They sent out callers to misguide the ignorant and the mountain dwellers. This leader claimed he was a Faatimee, from the offspring of Ja’far as-Saadiq.” This ‘Ubaid was the son of Maymoon, a Persian Jew of Magian influence. He ruled the ‘Ubaidee state until 322AH. It was then ruled over by his son, Abul-Qaasim al-Qaa’im bi-Amrillaah until 334AH, then his son al-Mansoor Isma’eel until his death in 341AH, and then his son Abu Tameem al-Mu’izz li-Deenillah who expanded the Isma’eelee Baatinee state into Egypt in the year 358AH. Many wars took place between the Sunni rulers and these Isma’eelee Baatinees. Al-Mu’izz himself was an astrologer believing in the influence of the stars, and he also established tombs and taught the people to seek tabarruk (blessings) from them, leading to the introduction of shirk (directing acts of worship to other than Allaah) into Egypt. Al-Haakim bi-Amrillah, the ruler who came after al-Mu’izz claimed divinity for himself. It was the likes of these who innovated the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday and making it a day of ‘Eid, thus including it amongst the other celebrations of the Shi’ah such as the day of Ghadeer, and the birthdays of Alee, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn and also the celebration of Christmas as is established from them by al-Maqreezee in al-Khitat. The Ubaidee state was set up to spread disbelief and to fight against Sunni Muslims, their rulers and their states, using the veil of Shi’ism as a cover. (Refer to bidah.com)

 

2: See Kashf ash-Shubuhaat, explanation of Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan and the explanation of Shaykh Saalih bin ‘Abdul-Azeez Aalush-Shaykh. See also al-Khitat al-Miqreeziyyah 1/490.

 

3: See al-Khitat al-Miqreeziyyah 1/490.

 

From the book:  The Origins of the Prophet Celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday by Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wahid Alam pages 11-14.