Periodical Occasions

In this article, Sh. Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjed shows the Islamic ruling on celebrating the middle of Shaban and illustates that celebrating something on religious basis needs an authentic Islamic evidence.

In this article, Sh. Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjed shows the Islamic ruling on celebrating the Prophetic birthday (peace be upon him) through the Prophetic traditions. He also tries to refute the specious arguments of those who consider it as permissible act through seven points.

In this article, Sh. Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjed shows the history of fasting on the day of Ashoura, its virtue, ruling of fasting a day before or after it and some common acts of religious innovations on that day.

This article provides our readers with some steps they should do before Ramadan in the month of Shaaban as a preparing themselves to Ramadan.

The setting of the start of the journey, and some details about the Prophet Muhammad’s early life, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. Prophet Muhammad reaches the Masjid al-Aqsa and meets some of the previous Prophets of God. The Prophet Muhammad’s journey through the heavens. Prophet Muhammad meets Prophet Abraham, and witnesses the realm wherein the angels are most densely arrayed in worship. In the presence of His Lord, Muhammad receives the commandment of establishing the five daily prayers. This great miracle and honour becomes a chance for the disbelievers to attack Islam as well as a test of faith for the Muslims.

Is it permissible to fast on the birthday of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on the basis of the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim, al-Nasaa’i and Abu Dawood, which says that when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays, he said: “That is the day on which I was born…” Also on the basis of this hadeeth, is it permissible for a person to fast on the day on which he was born, following thereby the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? Please explain.

It is well known that celebrating the prophets birthday is an innovation, A lot of people have Mawlids, but not to celebrate the prophets birthday but to teach about the prophet his life and so on so forth. If the event is not taking place on the prophets birthday is it still considered haram? Is it just the use of the word mawlid that causes the event to be considered haram? for example if I were to teach about the prophets life etc... but not associate the word Mawlid to it would it still be considered haram? In the same event people would be fed etc... I ask this because a wedding dinner will be held in the upcoming weekend on Saturday and since there will be a gathering of people the hosts decided to teach about the prophet after the dinner in the masjid. They called it a mawlid but neither does it fall on the day the prophet was born nor used to celebrate the birth of the prophet but instead to teach about the prophet. They are doing this instead of having dancing etc... so that people would benefit more from learning about the life of the prophet. Please advise. Secondly, If I were to have a gathering at the mosque just to teach about the life of the prophet and provide food to those who attend would this be considered haram?.

Is it haram to eat the special sweets made for the occasion of the prophet’s Birthday, a day before or after or on the same day? What is the ruling on buying these sweets especially that this type of sweets is related only to this occasion?.

Is it permissible to eat food that is distributed on the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Some people quote as evidence the idea that because Abu Lahb set free a slave woman on the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), Allaah reduced the torment for him on that day.

On every last Sunday of the month, we get together with a group of 30 or more sisters and each of us reads two or three hizb (portions of Qur’aan) until we complete the Holy Qur’aan in one and a half or two hours. We have been told that this will count – in sha Allaah – as a completion of the Qur’aan for each one of us. Is that correct? After that we make du’aa’ and ask Allaah to give the reward for our reading to the rest of the believers, living and dead. Will the reward reach the dead? They quote as evidence for that the words of our master Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge or a righteous son who will pray for him.” On the festival of the Prophet’s birthday (al-mawlid al-nabawi), they hold a ribaat (vigil) which starts at 10 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. They start with prayers for forgiveness, praise of Allaah, tasbeeh and takbeer, and sending blessings upon our master Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) silently, then they read the Qur’aan, and some sisters fast on that day. Is singling out this day for all these acts of worship regarded as an innovation (bid’ah)? We also have a lengthy du’aa’ seeking blessing that we say at the time of suhoor, for those who are able to say it. It is called du’aa’ al-raabitah. It starts by sending blessings and salaams upon our master Muhammad and his party and the other Prophets, and the Mothers of the Believers, and the female companions of the Prophet, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Taabi’een, and the righteous close friends (awliya’) of Allaah, mentioning each of them by name. Is it correct that mentioning all these names will make their owners recognize us and call out to us in Paradise? Is this du’aa’ an innovation? I feel that it is, but most of the sisters disagree with me. Will I be punished by Allaah if I am wrong? How can I convince them if I am correct? This matter is making me lose sleep and every time I remember the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which says that every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going-astray, and every going-astray will be in the Fire, my worry and grief get even worse.

What is the significance of the Prophet’s Birthday and when and how is it celebrated?

If a women is in impure condition on 9th 10th and 11th of Muharram, due to which she can not fast. is it possible to make up those fast on other days after her GUSUL?.

I am a student in the girls college and there is a huge number of shiah living among us. Currently they are wearing black for the occasion of Aashooraa . Is it permissible for us in response to wear bright colours and extra adornment for the sole purpose of annoying them?! Is it permissible for us to backbite about them and pray against them, knowing that they have clearly expressed hatred for us? And I have seen one of them wearing amulets on which are written mysterious words and she had a stick in her hand with which she was pointing to one of the students, and I was harmed by that and am still being harmed. May Allaah reward you with good.

Is it permissible to have family gatherings – among brothers and cousins – and to eat together on special occasions and Eids (by special occasions I mean the Prophet’s birthday, ‘Ashoora’ etc)? What is the ruling on one who does that? And what about gatherings after someone had memorized or completed the Qur’aan?.

What is the ruling on what people do on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, such as wearing kohl, taking a bath (ghusl), using henna, shaking hands with one another, cooking grains (huboob), showing their happiness and so on…? Has any saheeh hadeeth to that effect been narrated from the Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or not? If there is no saheeh hadeeth to that effect, does doing these things constitute bid’ah, or not? What about the things that the other people do, such as mourning, grieving, going without anything to drink, eulogizing, wailing, rending their garments, etc.? Is there any basis for that or not?

A colourful article reminds the wise people with the merits of Muharram and Ashura.