The reality is that twelfth rabiul awwal was never part of islam, in fact it was started in shia Fatimid dynasty by a ruler, King al-Muzaffar Ab^u Sa'^id Kawkab^uri, the King of Irbil, at the end of the sixth century or the beginning of the seventh century AH. According to another historian Abu Shamah, the first person to celebrate this event was Shaykh 'Umar ibn Muhammad al-Mal^a, one of the well known of righteous people and then followed by the king of Irbil, Allahu Alam.
Hafiz Ibn-e Kathir, in his book al-Bid^ayah wa'l-Nih^ayah (13/137) writes about king Al-Muzaffar, "He used to observe the Mawlid in Rab^i' al-Awwal and hold a huge celebration on that occasion. Some of those who were present at the feast of al-Muzaffar on some occasions of the Mawlid said that he used to offer in the feast five thousand grilled heads of sheep, ten thousand chickens and one hundred thousand large dishes, and thirty trays of sweets. He would let the S^uf^is sing from Dhuhr until Fajr, and he himself would dance with them."
According to Ibne Kathir, in his book Wafiy^at al-A'y^an (3/274), he wrote about the people who celebrated Eid milad as, "When it is the first of Safar they decorate those domes with various kinds of fancy adornments, and in every dome there sits a group of singers and a group of puppeteers and players of musical instruments, and they do not leave any one of those domes without setting up a group (of performers) there. The people give up work during this period, and they do no work except going around and watching the entertainment. When there are two days to go until the Mawlid, they bring out a large number of camels, cows and sheep, more than can be described, and they accompany them with all the drums, songs and musical instruments that they have, until they bring them to the square... On the night of the Mawlid there are performances of nash^ids after Maghrib in the citadel."
This was the manner of those innovators who innovated an event to satisfy their meaning of islam in a totally opposite and un islamic way. Islam does not like lavishness, instead, every muslim is instructed to be simple in living so that no one feels ashamed or complexed by seeing the lavish display of wealth. Secondly, the love for beloved prophet Muhammad pbuh does not need display of wealth or stupid dancing or wasting of useful time. All it needs is to be obedient to ALLAH swt and His prophet Muhammad pbuh, that's it.
Prophet Muhammad pbuh was a great and excellent example for all of us to follow. What he did and what he appreciated and told us is the best and rest of it, which he never spoke of or approved is not islam. This is as plain and simple as that.
In a hadith, Porphet Muhammad pbuh said, "I urge you to follow my Sunnah and the way of the rightly-guided khal^ifahs after me; adhere to it and cling to it firmly. Beware of newly-invented things, for every newly-invented thing is an innovation (bid'ah) and every innovation is a going-astray." (Narrated by Ahmad, 4/126; at-Tirmidh^i no. 2676).
this saying indicates in clear words that we are not suppose to do what is not part of islam. And what it is not part of islam, no matter how good it looks, it is biddah which is a sin.
All^ah swt says in Quran, (interpretation of the meaning):
"This day, I have perfected your religion for you." [al-M^a'idah 5:3]
when deen is perfected by ALLAH swt Himself, how can some one innovate and introduce something in it like that. This is the point every muslim should think about before doing something out of way of islam.
There are many false and alien things associated with mwalid ( birthday of Muhammad pbuh). Mostly, it is believed that Muhammad pbuh is not dead like other human beings. He is present and in every mwalid celebration, He visits the celebrations and blesses the people who are participating. This is weird as islam does not support such a thing as being present. Similarly, people actually pray to see Muhammad pbuh in dream on the night of mwalid. Again, some people tell stories that after their mwalid celebrations, Prophet Muhamamd pbuhh visited their homes. Some people see Him while some people smell His fragrance and so on. All these stories are not only absurd but a huge lie in the name of Muhamamd pbuh and a great sin.
Therefore, 12 Rabi ul awal is no part of islam as proved by famous historians. It is an innovation and following it is a great sin.
Credit: master-of-tarot.blogspot.com
