The Al-Azhar Electronic Fatwa Center has responded to the question: What is the ruling on celebrating the Prophet’s birthday (Mawlid al-Nabi)? The center stated that commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a form of honoring and reverence towards his noble status. It symbolizes the deep love that is an essential part of faith.
The purpose of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday is to gather people for remembrance (dhikr), chanting praises, and expressing gratitude for his life. It often involves feeding the needy as charity for the sake of Allah, fasting, and performing extra prayers. These acts serve as an expression of love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) and as a joyous declaration of the blessed day when he entered this world. His birth was a birth of life itself.
Allah Almighty has honored the birthdays of the prophets and made them days of peace, as He says: “Peace be upon him the day he was born” (Qur’an 19:15). The day of birth is a blessing of existence and the cause for all other blessings that follow. The birth of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the source of all goodness in both this world and the hereafter.
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays, he said: “That is the day I was born.” This indicates the permissibility of celebrating his birthday by fasting on the day of his birth.
Al-Sakhawi (one of the great Islamic Scholars) said: “The people of Islam in various lands and great cities have continuously celebrated the month of the Prophet’s birth (peace be upon him). They organize grand feasts filled with delightful and elevated acts of worship, and they give charity during its nights in various forms. They express joy, increase in good deeds, and pay special attention to reading about his noble birth. This brings immense blessings upon them.”
Therefore, celebrating the Prophet’s birthday is permissible and is a way to express love for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
