Post by faqir on Dec 3, 2016 20:13:30 GMT
This is an older post of Muzammil:
In essence, Mawlid is choosing a day to celebrate and express joy at the birth of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), and on mark of this celebration, distribute food and sing poetry. Imam al-Suyuti writes in his Husn al-Maqsid fi Amal al-Mawlid - which is a fatwa in favour of the Mawlid contained in his al-Hawi li l-Fatawa (vol 1 p. 189):
"The legal status of the observance of the Mawlid – as long as it just consists of a meeting together by the people, a recitation of apposite parts of the Qur’an, the recounting of transmitted accounts of the beginning of the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace – and the wonders that took place during his birth, all of which is then followed by a banquet that is served to them and from which they eat, whereupon they take their leave without doing anything else – is a good innovation, for which one is rewarded because of the esteem shown to the position of the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace -, that is implicit in it, and because of the expression of joy and happiness on his – may God bless him and grant him peace - noble birth." (translation from Nico Kaptein, Muhammad's Birthday Festival, p. 49)
In proving this basic principle, that is, celebrating and expressing joy at the birth of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) on a chosen day by reading poetry and distributing food, Imam al-Suyuti offers the following proof: Anas reported that "the Prophet performed 'aqiqah of himself after the prophethood." (عق النبي عن نفسه بعد النبوة)
This hadith is narrated through two chains, one weak and one sound:
The first is narrated by al-Bayhaqi, al-Bazzar, ‘Abd al-Razzaq and Ibn al-Madini through ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muharrar from Qatadah from Anas. ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muharrar is weak by consensus.
The second is narrated by al-Tahawi in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar (vol. 3 p. 78) through his shyakh al-Hasan ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Mansur al-Balisi from al-Haytham ibn Jamil from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna from Thumamah ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Anas ibn Malik from Anas ibn Malik. Al-Tabrani narrated it in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat through his shaykh Ahmad ibn Mas‘ud al-Khayyat al-Maqdisi via the same chain as al-Tahawi from al-Haytham ibn Jamil. Abu Dawud also narrated it with this chain from Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his transmission of Masa’il al-Imam Ahmad. Ibn Hazm also narrated it in al-Muhalla with the same chain. (see Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut's footnote to this hadith in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar)
The key part of this chain is, therefore, as follows: al-Haytham ibn Jamil – ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna – Thumamah – Anas. Al-Haytham ibn Jamil is trustworthy (thiqah) as mentioned in Taqrib al-Tahdhib; Ibn Hibban, al-Daraqutni, Ibn Sa‘d and Ahmad all said he is trustworthy (see al-Arna'ut's footnote to this hadith in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar). ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna is differed upon. Ibn al-Muthanna was declared thiqah by al-‘Ijli and al-Tirmidhi, although others like al-Nasa'i considered him weak. However, al-Bukhari used him as proof in his Sahih (which means he did not narrate any follow-up hadiths to support his narrations) when Ibn al-Muthanna narrated through his uncle Thumamah who narrated from Anas, showing his narrations through Thumamah are sahih as concluded by Bashshar Awwad Ma'ruf and Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut in their Tahrir al-Taqrib (vol. 2 p. 261). This chain is therefore sahih or hasan. Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut, however, graded it weak in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar apparently because of ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna but this would imply al-Bukhari’s narrations through him in his Sahih are weak opposing the near-consensus that all of al-Bukhari's muttasil hadiths in his Sahih are sahih, so al-Arna’ut’s final grading is incorrect.
Hence this hadith, that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalla) did his own 'aqiqah after prophethood, is sahih or hasan. Hafiz Ali ibn Abi Bakr al-Haythami (d. 807 H) said in Majma' al-Zawa'id (vol. 4 p. 94, Kitab al-Sayd wa l-Dhaba’i Bab Zaman al-‘Aqiqah wa Qada’iha) under this hadtih: "Narrated by al-Bazzar and al-Tabrani in al-Awsat. The narrators of al-Tabrani are the narrators of the Sahih besides al-Haytham ibn Jamil who is trustworthy."
In drawing evidence from this hadith, al-Suyuti writes: “[This he did] despite the fact it has been transmitted that his grandfather, ‘Abd al-Muttalib, had performed the ‘aqiqa for him on the seventh day after his birth and the ‘aqiqa should not be repeated for a second time. This must therefore be explained in such a way that what the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – performed was an expression of gratitude for the fact that God – He is Exalted – has given him life as “a mercy for mankind” and as a means of distinguishing his umma, just as he used to utter the prayers for himself. Therefore, it is also praiseworthy for us to express our gratitude for his birth by the meeting of the brethren, the giving of a banquet and similar pious acts and expressions of joy.” (Muhammad's Birthday Festival, p. 64)
This appears to be the clearest proof for the Mawlid celebration as it proves people may gather to celebrate the Prophet's birthday (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), express joy and distribute food on a chosen day, as this act of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) must have been for this reason. The asl of the Mawlid therefore may in fact be supported by strong evidence, so long as it is not corrupted by prohibited acts, as elaborated by al-Suyuti in his fatwa.
In essence, Mawlid is choosing a day to celebrate and express joy at the birth of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), and on mark of this celebration, distribute food and sing poetry. Imam al-Suyuti writes in his Husn al-Maqsid fi Amal al-Mawlid - which is a fatwa in favour of the Mawlid contained in his al-Hawi li l-Fatawa (vol 1 p. 189):
"The legal status of the observance of the Mawlid – as long as it just consists of a meeting together by the people, a recitation of apposite parts of the Qur’an, the recounting of transmitted accounts of the beginning of the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace – and the wonders that took place during his birth, all of which is then followed by a banquet that is served to them and from which they eat, whereupon they take their leave without doing anything else – is a good innovation, for which one is rewarded because of the esteem shown to the position of the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace -, that is implicit in it, and because of the expression of joy and happiness on his – may God bless him and grant him peace - noble birth." (translation from Nico Kaptein, Muhammad's Birthday Festival, p. 49)
In proving this basic principle, that is, celebrating and expressing joy at the birth of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) on a chosen day by reading poetry and distributing food, Imam al-Suyuti offers the following proof: Anas reported that "the Prophet performed 'aqiqah of himself after the prophethood." (عق النبي عن نفسه بعد النبوة)
This hadith is narrated through two chains, one weak and one sound:
The first is narrated by al-Bayhaqi, al-Bazzar, ‘Abd al-Razzaq and Ibn al-Madini through ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muharrar from Qatadah from Anas. ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muharrar is weak by consensus.
The second is narrated by al-Tahawi in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar (vol. 3 p. 78) through his shyakh al-Hasan ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Mansur al-Balisi from al-Haytham ibn Jamil from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna from Thumamah ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Anas ibn Malik from Anas ibn Malik. Al-Tabrani narrated it in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat through his shaykh Ahmad ibn Mas‘ud al-Khayyat al-Maqdisi via the same chain as al-Tahawi from al-Haytham ibn Jamil. Abu Dawud also narrated it with this chain from Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his transmission of Masa’il al-Imam Ahmad. Ibn Hazm also narrated it in al-Muhalla with the same chain. (see Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut's footnote to this hadith in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar)
The key part of this chain is, therefore, as follows: al-Haytham ibn Jamil – ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna – Thumamah – Anas. Al-Haytham ibn Jamil is trustworthy (thiqah) as mentioned in Taqrib al-Tahdhib; Ibn Hibban, al-Daraqutni, Ibn Sa‘d and Ahmad all said he is trustworthy (see al-Arna'ut's footnote to this hadith in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar). ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna is differed upon. Ibn al-Muthanna was declared thiqah by al-‘Ijli and al-Tirmidhi, although others like al-Nasa'i considered him weak. However, al-Bukhari used him as proof in his Sahih (which means he did not narrate any follow-up hadiths to support his narrations) when Ibn al-Muthanna narrated through his uncle Thumamah who narrated from Anas, showing his narrations through Thumamah are sahih as concluded by Bashshar Awwad Ma'ruf and Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut in their Tahrir al-Taqrib (vol. 2 p. 261). This chain is therefore sahih or hasan. Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut, however, graded it weak in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar apparently because of ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Muthanna but this would imply al-Bukhari’s narrations through him in his Sahih are weak opposing the near-consensus that all of al-Bukhari's muttasil hadiths in his Sahih are sahih, so al-Arna’ut’s final grading is incorrect.
Hence this hadith, that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalla) did his own 'aqiqah after prophethood, is sahih or hasan. Hafiz Ali ibn Abi Bakr al-Haythami (d. 807 H) said in Majma' al-Zawa'id (vol. 4 p. 94, Kitab al-Sayd wa l-Dhaba’i Bab Zaman al-‘Aqiqah wa Qada’iha) under this hadtih: "Narrated by al-Bazzar and al-Tabrani in al-Awsat. The narrators of al-Tabrani are the narrators of the Sahih besides al-Haytham ibn Jamil who is trustworthy."
In drawing evidence from this hadith, al-Suyuti writes: “[This he did] despite the fact it has been transmitted that his grandfather, ‘Abd al-Muttalib, had performed the ‘aqiqa for him on the seventh day after his birth and the ‘aqiqa should not be repeated for a second time. This must therefore be explained in such a way that what the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – performed was an expression of gratitude for the fact that God – He is Exalted – has given him life as “a mercy for mankind” and as a means of distinguishing his umma, just as he used to utter the prayers for himself. Therefore, it is also praiseworthy for us to express our gratitude for his birth by the meeting of the brethren, the giving of a banquet and similar pious acts and expressions of joy.” (Muhammad's Birthday Festival, p. 64)
This appears to be the clearest proof for the Mawlid celebration as it proves people may gather to celebrate the Prophet's birthday (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), express joy and distribute food on a chosen day, as this act of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) must have been for this reason. The asl of the Mawlid therefore may in fact be supported by strong evidence, so long as it is not corrupted by prohibited acts, as elaborated by al-Suyuti in his fatwa.