What Is Islam?

ISLAM IN ARABIC MEANS "ENTERING GOD'S PEACE"//SUBMISSION AND OBEDIENCE TO ALLAH, HAVING SINCERE FAITH IN HIM, & LIVING LIFE AS WILLED BY ALLAH =)
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Friday, March 18, 2011

Can we celebrate birthdays?~



Bismillah.

Salam alaik to all,

I'm just wondering, is it wrong or it's discouraged for Muslims to celebrate birthdays? In the eyes of Islam, is it alright or it is not wise to do so? Hmm..

Shukran in advance for any answers.

Salam,
Liana.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Salam Liana,

I've heard someone (i trust) said that it is discouraged for Muslims to celebrate birthday because first, it is not sunnah. Our prohphet (pbuh) did not celebrate birthday, so why should we.
And, another thing is, as we get older, means that we are closer to death. so, birthday should be our 'time' to be more muhasabah of what we had done in our past....

wallahualam.

this is maybe not a good or strong answer, hopefully someone will clarify more about this later =)

Salam. :)

fuzzree said...

Salam Liana ,

since hari nie my birthday , let me answer . watch this video . (harap faham lah sek sek kelate kecek) .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQnMzgjijE0&feature=player_embedded

Arif said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Arif said...

Salam Liana,

This issue is a matter of ijtihad (scholarly opinion), therefore scholars differ in their opinion regarding it. Some are more strict, saying it imitates the kuffar and it is a bid'ah as the muslims never celebrate it before. However, some scholars note that birthday celebration is not a religious ritual (therefore bid'ah isn't an issue) and the act of celebrating birthday itself has no direct link with the rituals of any other religion.

As for imitating the kuffar, take for example you are a Caucasian American Muslim, what is your culture then? Is everything about you imitating the kuffar?

Anyway, here are references to scholarly opinions on the matter:

1. Islam QA answer taken from fatawa islamiyah: bid'ah and haram
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/1027

2. Mufti Ibn Adam's answer on Sunnipath: it depends, he outlines the logic for arriving at different conclusions for different situations.
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=2106&CATE=115

3. Shaykh Amjad Rasheed's answer on Sunnipath: Ok as long as the celebration does not include acts that are impermissible in syari'ah:
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=3&ID=3501&CATE=389

Wallahu'alam
Arif

qilaraf said...

an ustaz,ustaz nabir, minister of religion belfast, would say 'selamat meninggal dunia' instead of 'selamat hari lahir' to remind us that we're getting near to death...

a good reminder for me, i guess.. ^^
wallahu'alam