The holy Quran taught us that one is free to rejoice on the blessings of Allah but it must be done in conformity with Islamic ways such as merry making without alcoholic drinks or serving pork and any related by-products of alcohol and pig.
The Quran says in chapter 10:58 ˹O Prophet, “In Allah’s grace and mercy let them rejoice. That is far better than whatever ˹wealth˺ they amass.”
One needs no explanation and further fatwa on holding celebrations and anniversaries just to make merry or feel good about one-self, achievement or community development as lawful and permissible. After all, Islam is not an archaic religion or set of inflexible rules.
Assembling people at one place to feed them and rejoice, to recite the Quran and tell them the proper narratives of Prophets and Messengers of Allah as indicative in the Quran and Hadith is what we call Mawlid or Mawlud.
It’s a simple symbolic acts of showing gratitude to Allah having sent His Beloved Creation, the Sealed of all Prophets and Last Messenger of Allah on Earth unto us and for being the Ummah or Generation that received the words of Allah through His last Messenger in good faith and in submission wholeheartedly.
Last two weeks, His Eminence the National Chief Imam and Grand Mufti of the Republic of Ghana, Sheikh (Professor) Osman Nuhu Sharubutu organised the biggest health walk ever held in Ghana and the largest Islamic function in Ghana in commemoration of the birth of Prophet Muhammed (SAW).
Among the dignitaries were former President John Mahama, high powered Government delegation, Sheikh Prof. Ibrahim Ahmed Maqari, the Chief Imam of the Abuja Central Mosque, the Chief of Faidah of North America, Chief Alhaji Mohammed Kassim, the president of the National Council of Zango Chiefs, Sheikh Abdul Kadir Tahir, Sheikh Abdul Wadudi Haruna, the President of the Tijjaniya Muslims Movement of Ghana (TMMG).
Also in attendance were representatives of Tijjaniya Sufi Order from Nigeria, Niger, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium and many countries from Europe, Asia and around the world.
Over 50 cows, 5,000 pieces of fowls and hundreds of rams and goats, turkey and camel were slaughtered for people to rejoice on the advent of Prophet Muhammed (SAW) as Mercy to all of mankind. The Quran was recited from head to cover over hundreds of times. Poets and speeches were made in honour of the Sealed of Prophet.
And why not, when Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) came to bring emancipation for women and children in the dark days of the World when children and Women were buried alive and women denied rights to live and inheritance.
Anas ibn Malik reported in the Musnad of Aḥmad, Hadith no. 12453 that “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “No people gather to remember Allah, only desiring by that His countenance, except that it will be announced for them in the heavens: Stand forgiven! Your bad deeds have been replaced with good deeds!”
It was reported by Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to a group of people in the mosque and said, to them that “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) came to a group of his Companions in the mosque and said, ‘Why are you sitting?’ They said, ‘We are sitting remembering Allah and paying our thanks to Him for His favour of guiding us to Islam.’ The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Do you say that on oath that is what has made you sit here?’ They submitted, ‘By Allah we are sitting here only for this purpose.’ The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, ‘I have not made you take oath for any doubt but the truth is that Gabriel came and told me that Allah is expressing His pride on you in front of angels.’”
This is how flexible Islam is.
One could easily asserts that the Almighty Allah narrates to Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) the stories of Prophets and Messengers of Allah before Him and the Almighty said to Him that I’m narrating all these stories to you (Mohammed) for you to be steadfast, strong and firm in what you are doing and for you to know that you are not exception to those who came before you in terms of trials. This is one way of consolation. The prophets before Mohammed (SAW) were assaulted, mistreated, humiliated, called names and mostly rejected by their people. And so, if Mohammed (SAW) finds himself in these conditions, he must keep focus and move on the straight path as directed by Allah.
So, if stories of past prophets and messengers of Allah has become important and worthy for the beloved Prophet and Messenger of Allah, Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) to be told then who is more important to learn and be told about those stories and histories of past prophets and Messengers, certainly, we are because time has past, stories and histories are being diluted and corrupted to serve certain interest and parties.
This is the argument put forward by one of the greatest Islamic scholar by all standards in the 21st century, Sheikh Alhaji Ibrahim Niass, Kaolakh, Senegal who is also the foremost Reviver of the Tijjaniya Sufi Order, when he was confronted by group of Islamic scholars in Beirut, Lebanon in the late 1940s, on his justification for holding gatherings and merry making functions to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammed (SAW).
Sheikh Ibrahim said the words of Allah to Prophet Muhammed (SAW) in Quran 11:120 “And each [story] We relate to you from the news of the messengers is that by which We make firm your heart. And there has come to you, in this, the truth and an instruction and a reminder for the believers”, is instructive and enough justification for anyone to bring people together to tell and narrate to them the exemplary lifestyle of Prophet Muhammed (SAW) whom Allah has sent as mercy to mankind as the Quran says 21:107 “And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
We do this by marry making, sharing of foods, feeding orphans, reciting the holy Quran and telling people and congregants about the life of Prophet Muhammed (SAW).
What is even more important is the fact that we are the beneficiaries of the Messengership and the birth of Prophet Mohammed (SAW).
The Quran says 8:33 “But Allah would not punish them while you, [O Muhammad], are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness”.
Assembling people at one place to feed them and rejoice, to recite the Quran and tell them the proper narratives of Prophets and Messengers of Allah as indicative in the Quran and Hadith is what we call Mawlid or Mawlud.
This year marks 75 years since the adoptation and declaration of the Universal Human Rights of all people that includes the rights to live, practice your religion, access to good education, health care and peaceful coexistence with all people especially your neighbor. All these can be easily traced in the holy Quran which was revealed to Prophet Muhammed (SAW) some 1445 years ago.
We learn from the Quran that Justice comes before Peace and there can be no Justice when people are oppressed to the bone. I stand for two-states solution and peace in Israel-Gaza.
By Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman
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The writer is a member of the National Peace Council of Ghana (NPC).Executive Secretary of the Tijjaniya Muslims Movement of Ghana (TMMG).Co-founder and Executive Director of the Christian-Muslim Forum for Dialogue and Mutual Relations in Ghana.
