5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

The custom of celebrating birthdays has become common all over the world today. People celebrate their birthdays in a special way, cut cakes, exchange gifts, and share happiness. But the question is, is this tradition permissible in Islam? Did the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his companions, or other prophets celebrate their birthdays? In this article, we will try to understand this issue in detail. 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

1. Did the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) celebrate his birthday?

If we examine the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), we find that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not celebrate his birthday in any special way. Nor did any of the companions give this day any special status. If celebrating birthdays were an Islamic practice, then surely the companions, the followers, and the followers after them would have practiced it, and we would have clear evidence of this.

There is no mention in the hadith books, including Bukhari and Muslim, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or any of his companions celebrated his own or anyone else’s birthday. On the contrary, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about the reason for fasting on Mondays, he said:

“This is the day on which I was born and on which revelation was revealed to me.” (Muslim, Hadeeth: 1162)

Here we learn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) associated his birthday with worship, not with rejoicing or holding any special event. 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

2. Is there any evidence for the actual history of celebrating birthdays?

According to historical references, celebrating birthdays began in ancient Egypt and Greece. The Greeks considered the birth of their gods to be an important day and celebrated it with great pomp.

They would make moon-shaped cakes for the moon goddess “Artemis” and light candles on it so that the smoke would reach the goddess and make her happy. This tradition continues even today when people light candles and make wishes by blowing them out. 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

3. The Church of Satan and Birthdays

Another interesting fact is that the founder of the “Church of Satan,” “Anton LaVey, has declared birthdays as the greatest festival in his book The Satanic Bible. He says:

“Every religion has some holy day on which God is praised, but in Satanism the most holy day is the day of man’s own birth. For the basic principle of Satanism is that man is everything to himself.”

It is worth considering here what the greatest worship is according to a Satanic belief; can it be permissible for a Muslim? 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

4. Real occasions to celebrate happiness in Islam

Islam is not against happiness, but it brings this happiness into a discipline. There are two major days of joy in Islam, namely “Eid al-Fitr” and “Eid al-Adha,” which are determined by the command of Allah. During these days, Muslims not only express their joy but also share love with each other, help the poor and needy, and increase their worship of Allah. 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

5. Is it necessary to celebrate birthdays?

In today’s era, celebrating birthdays has become a common social tradition, and people see it as just a day of joy. But we should think about whether we should really celebrate our birthdays in the way that Western civilisation or ancient polytheistic nations used to celebrate.

Before adopting any practice in Islam, its standard is the Book and Sunnah. If something is directly related to polytheistic civilisations, pharaonic ideologies, or satanic worship, should we adopt it? 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

Conclusion

There is no Islamic basis for celebrating birthdays, but it is related to ancient polytheistic customs and traditions and Western culture. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions never celebrated their birthdays, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) preferred to fast on the day of his birth. 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

Therefore, it is important for a true Muslim to organise his actions according to Islamic principles and not to follow un-Islamic traditions. Islam has given Eids and other lawful occasions to celebrate happiness, in which we can seek the pleasure of Allah. We should celebrate our happiness within the framework of Sharia and not adopt any customs that have an un-Islamic basis. 5 Points: Are Birthdays Permissible in Islam?

May Allah grant us the strength to follow the right path, Ameen.