Title:
Celebrating the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Maulid) Is Paganism and Not Mentioned in the Qur’an
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba – Shimba Theological Institute
Published: Saturday, August 15, 2015
Introductory Questions to Muslims:
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Which verse in the Qur’an commands Muslims to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Maulid)?
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Whom do Muslims truly follow—Allah, Muhammad, the Qur’an, the Sahih Hadith, the Five Pillars, or Sharia?
Introduction
The pagan nature of Maulid (the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday) can be understood by examining three major areas:
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The history of Maulid.
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The lack of any specific birth date for Prophet Muhammad in the Qur’an or authentic Hadith.
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Scholarly consensus on the pagan origins of Maulid.
(a) The History of Maulid
This history reveals three key facts:
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Neither Prophet Muhammad nor his companions celebrated Maulid.
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The celebration of Maulid began over 300 years after the Prophet’s death.
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The originators of Maulid are linked to heretical or pagan sects.
Anyone who examines the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the history of his Companions, their successors (Tabi’in), and those who followed them faithfully up to the year 350 Hijri will not find any record of scholars, rulers, or common people celebrating Maulid. As noted by Al-Hafidh As-Sakhawi:
“The practice of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday was not carried out by the righteous predecessors of the first three generations. Indeed, it was introduced much later.”
(Subulul Hudaa war Rashaad by As-Salihiy, Vol. 1, p. 439).
So, when did Maulid start?
According to Sunni scholar Al-Imam Al-Maqrizi:
“During the rule of the Fatimids—who were Shi’a Isma’ilis—in Egypt, Maulid was instituted as part of numerous annual festivals. They introduced celebrations for the Prophet, Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, Husayn, and their living Imam.”
(Al-Khutwat, Vol. 1, p. 490)
In another work, Al-Maqrizi writes:
“During the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, people were compelled to light candles in streets and alleys in Egypt as part of Maulid celebrations.”
These practices began with the Fatimid rulers, particularly the Banu ‘Ubayd dynasty, falsely claiming descent from Fatimah. Scholars such as Shaykh Muhammad Bakhit al-Muti’i, Shaykh ‘Ali Mahfudh, and Shaykh Isma’il al-Ansari confirm this innovation in their works. According to ‘Ali Mahfudh:
“The first people to introduce the Prophet’s Maulid in Cairo were the Fatimid Shi’a rulers in the 4th century Hijri. They celebrated six Maulids: those of the Prophet, Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, Husayn, and the ruling Imam.”
(Al-Ibda’ Fii Madh-har al-Ibtidaa‘, p. 251)
Scholarly Opinions on the Fatimid Dynasty
Imam Shaamah, a historian and hadith scholar, describes the Fatimids as:
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Claiming false descent from Fatimah to justify their rule.
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Their founder, ‘Ubaydullah, is described as a Magian (Zoroastrian), a heretic, or even a Jew by descent.
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The dynasty promoted innovations and suppressed Sunni scholars.
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They manipulated religion for power and propagated extreme Shia ideology.
The dynasty ruled from 299 to 567 Hijri and created fertile ground for the rise of heretical sects like the Druze, Hashashiyyun (Assassins), and others. The Crusaders exploited this religious disunity until Salahuddin al-Ayyubi restored Sunni orthodoxy and liberated the lands.
Quotations from Muslim Scholars on the Fatimids
According to Imam Shaamah:
“They were apostates disguised as nobles. Their lineage was fabricated. They killed scholars, allied with Crusaders, and desecrated religious teachings.”
(Ar-Rawdhatayn Fiy Akhbaar Dawlatayn, pp. 200–202)
The so-called Mahdi of the dynasty is described as:
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A blasphemer who insulted the Prophet’s wives publicly.
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Claimed by his followers to be either the Mahdi, a prophet, or even Allah Himself.
Shaykh Abdullah Saleh Farsy confirms:
“The celebration of Maulid originated with the Shi’a Isma’ilis, who ruled Sunni lands from 297 to 567 Hijri. After their fall, the Sunnis adopted the Maulid of the Prophet and abandoned the others.”
(Tafsiri ya Mawlid Barzanji, Zanzibar, p. iv)
The first recorded Sunni celebration of Maulid occurred under King Muzaffar al-Din in Iraq in the 6th century Hijri, over 600 years after the Prophet’s birth.
(b) No Authentic Qur'anic or Hadith Evidence for the Prophet’s Birth Date
The exact date of the Prophet’s birth is unknown. It is neither mentioned in the Qur’an nor in any authentic Hadith. Scholars differ widely on the year and date.
Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri writes:
“Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born on a Monday, 9th Rabi’ al-Awwal, Year of the Elephant (571 CE).”
(Ar-Rahiq Al-Makhtum, p. 62)
Sirajur Rahman notes:
“The event of the Elephant occurred 55 days before the Prophet’s birth, in Muharram. This corresponds to late February or early March 571 CE.”
(Al-Mustafa, 1993, p. 11)
Thus, even scholars can only speculate the Prophet was born sometime between 25th Safar and 25th Rabi’ al-Awwal.
(c) Scholarly Evidence Declaring Maulid as Pagan Innovation
Several scholars have denounced Maulid as a Bid’ah (innovation):
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Imam Al-Shatibi in Al-I’tisam (1/34) listed Maulid as one of the religious innovations that must be rejected.
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Imam Al-Fakihani wrote a full treatise condemning Maulid.
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Imam Al-Haj Al-Maliki called Maulid a bid’ah in Al-Mudkhal (2/11–12).
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Abu At-Tayyib Shams al-Haq Al-Azimabadi and his teacher Bashir al-Din Qanuji condemned it in Ghayat al-Kalam fi Ibtal Amal al-Mawlid wal-Qiyam.
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Abu ‘Abdullah Al-Haffar Al-Maliki from Morocco stated:
“No generation of pious Muslims ever celebrated the Prophet’s birthday, including the Companions. They never distinguished that night for any specific activity.”
Final Questions for Reflection:
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Where in the Qur’an does it command Muslims to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday?
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Where in the Qur’an is the date of Muhammad’s birth or life explicitly mentioned?
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Why do Muslims celebrate something the Qur’an is silent about?
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Whom do Muslims truly follow—Allah, Muhammad, the Qur’an, Sahih Hadith, the Five Pillars, or the Sharia?
Conclusion:
The celebration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Maulid) is not Islamic but pagan in origin. It is not found in the Qur’an, was never practiced by the Prophet or his Companions, and was introduced centuries later by a heretical sect. True devotion to the Prophet is not through unauthorized innovations but through adherence to the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah.
Max Shimba Ministries
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
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