Are Mawlids Promoting Wrong Beliefs?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question: Assalam’aleykum,
1. At mawlids, people believe that the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) soul will be present. Is this true?
2. In some mawlids, they say some poetry that basically means, “the provider of provision is Muhammad” Is there any truth to this?
3. Can you stand up to give salam to the Prophet (peace be upon him)?
Answer:Walaikum assalam,
I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.
#1. The Coming of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
This is not what is commemorated. Rather, it is a celebration of the “coming of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)” to the world—when his noble birth is mentioned.
Related to this is the spiritual notion of the “presence” of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which isn’t a physical (rather, a metaphysical/spiritual) presence, well-established by hadiths: Can You Please Explain the Belief of The “Presence” of the Prophet?
#2. When sound, such texts indicate “means of…” — because Allah provides assistance or withholds by His love and favouring of elect servants—and the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him & his folk) is His Most Beloved.
Examples from the Companions:
First Poems of Praise for Prophet Muhammad
THE THEMES IN RELIGIOUS POETRY IN THE TIME OF OUR BELOVED PROPHET MUHAMMAD
#3. Standing up for salams is simply a customary expression of love, respect, and rejoicing. Neither standing nor these emotions are wrong—and there is nothing prohibited about such standing…
This became a norm from the 8th/9th Islamic centuries, and was first performed when the great poet al-Sarsari recited lines of praise of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the lesson of Imam Taqi al-Din al-Subki (a great Shafi`i jurist, recognized as a mujtahid). Since then, it has been a widely accepted legal position (if not the predominant, historical, position) that such standing is permitted and praiseworthy.
And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.
wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani
