Proofs for the validity of Mawlid from the scholars of AHlusunnah

هذا الكتاب الحاوي للفتاوى تأليف الإمام الحافظ جلال الدين السيوطي المتوفى سنة 911 هـ. يقول: ” أن أصل عمل المولد الذي هو اجتماع الناس وقراءة ما تيسر من القرآن ورواية الأخبار الواردة في مبدأ أمر النبي وما وقع في مولده من الآيات ثم يُمدّ لهم سماط يأكلونه وينصرفون من غير زيادة على ذلك هو من البدع الحسنة التي يثاب عليها صاحبها لما فيه من تعظيم قدر النبي وإظهار الفرح والاستبشار بمولده الشريف”

This book is Al-Haawiy Lil-Fataawaa, authored by Al-Imaam Al-HaafiDH Jalaalud-Diyn As-SuyuTiyy (d. 911 Hijrah). As-SuyuTiyy says:

“The basis of celebrating the Prophet’s birth – which is by gathering people, reciting verses of the Holy Qur’aan, conveying the confirmed reports regarding the Prophet’s life, telling some of the marvelous incidents that were associated with his birth, providing a meal for the people to eat, and leaving out what is in addition to that(1), is among the praised innovations that the one who partakes in it is rewarded for because it indicates exalting the status of the Prophet and demonstrates the happiness and rejoicing at his honorable birth.”

(1) That is, those matters which are beyond the proper boundaries of the Qur’aan and Sunnah are not a valid component of the Mawlid and would not be included.

Furthermore, Al-HaafiDH Imaam An-Nawawiyy, author of the 40 Hadiths of An-Nawawiyy, writes in his book Tahdhiyb Al-Asmaa’i wal-Lughaat:

قال النووي: البدعة بكسر الباء في الشرع هي احداث ما لم يكن في عهد رسول الله صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم و هي متقسمة الى حسنة و قبيحة

{Meaning}

An-Nawawiyy said: “Al-Bida`ah – with kasrah on the letter baa – in the religion is the introduction of something which was not [practiced] in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and al-bid`ah is divided into what is good and what is ugly (bad)”
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Without a doubt, giving food as charity, reading the Qur’an, mentioning the virtues of the Prophet, some details about his biography, are all good and rewardable things in the religion, so the Mawlid is classified as a good innovation.