Rabi’ul Awwal And Seerah

 Question:

There has been much discussion with regards to celebrating 12^th Rabī al-Awwal. You must be well aware of all the academic arguments in that regard. Without delving into academic gymnastics, your brief thoughts on this issue will be well appreciated.

 Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The code of our Imān is لا إله إلا الله محمد الرسول الله. That is to believe in the Oneness of Allāh Ta’ālā and the Nubuwwah of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam. Belief and reverence for Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam is an integral and inseparable component of our faith. Imān cannot be accepted without believing in and revering Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam.

The actual reverence of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam is to believe that:

1. Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam came to this world as the greatest human being. This is a reality and not just a fairy tale.[1]
2. Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam was chosen by Allāh Ta’ālā to be the recipient of divine revelation (Wahī).[2]
3. Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam was bestowed the responsibility of conveying the message of Allāh Ta’ālā to humanity, which he fulfilled in the best manner.[3]
4. Among the various Messengers of Allāh Ta’ālā, Rasūlullāh Sallallāh Alaihi Wa Sallam was the leader and most superior.[4]
5. Love of Allāh Ta’ālā and happiness in both the worlds lies only in following the Sunnats of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam.[5]

The salvation and Najāh of every human being is directly linked with believing in Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam. When one is placed inside the grave, he/she will be asked to recognize Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam. Consider the following narration:

يُقَالُ مَا عِلْمُكَ بِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ؟ (صحيح البخاري, ج 1, ص 28: دار طوق النجاة)

Translation: The deceased will be questioned in the grave: “What do you know about this man (Rasūlullāhāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam)?” (Sahīh Al-Bukhārī, Vol. 1, Page 28: Dār Tauq An-Najāh)

In order for one to be true in revering Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam, the overwhelming thought of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam should be present every moment of one’s life. The demand of love is that the lover yearns to be in the company of the beloved. If this is not possible, then one adopts the beautiful ways and lifestyle of the beloved in order to pacify the uncontainable passion within the heart that would otherwise gush out.

Even if one were to dedicate one’s entire life to serve the Sunnats and ways of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam, this would fall short of doing justice to the reverence that ought to be showed, keeping in mind endless efforts and sleepless nights of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam for the sake of his Ummah. Merely taking out one day or one month discussing different angles of the beautiful life of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam is not sufficient. [6] A Mu’min (believer) should spend every day of his life in imitating and spreading the Sunnats of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam. Nevertheless, we cherish any opportunity we get to talk about Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam and inculcate in us and others the love and reverence of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.