Reality of Barelwis – Should we Celebrate the Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wasallam)

It is not permissable to celebrate the birthday of the prophet (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) as celebrating birthdays is an innovation in the religion. The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) did not celebrate his birthday at any time in his life, and he was the conveyor of this religion and carried out the rulings conveyed to him from his lord, the Most Glorified. And he did not command others to celebrate it, neither the righteous caliphs or the rest of the companions. And none of the successive generation known as the tabieen celebrated it or those that followed them! And they were the best of mankind and the closest to the prophet in terms of following his example and their love of him. The prophet (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) said: ” the best of mankind is my generation, then those that follow them, then those that follow them.” (bukharee)

So therefore it is a forbidden innovation known as a bidah. And the propet (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) said: ” whoever innovates into this affair of ours that which is not from it, will have it rejected” (Bukharee). And in another wording of Muslim: “whoever performs a deed which is not from this affair of ours, will have it rejected.”

So whether one initiates a new act of worship, or merely imitates an innovated act of worship, it is rejected by Allah since it is not in conformity with the revealed texts. Acts of worship have to be based only upon the Quran and Sunnah, one cannot introduce new acts of worship into the religion. This is due to the fact that our religion has been perfected and completed, as Allah has said:

“this day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you and I am pleased with islam as your religion.” (5:3)

that which has been completed and perfected by The Lord of the universe requires no further perfection, completion or addition! Allah forbade any legislation or worship to be added to his completed religion.

“or have they partners alongside Allah who have legislated for them from the religion that which Allah has not ordained” (42:21)

So celebrating the birthday of the prophet is a newly invented religious act, which does not conform with the texts of the Quran and Sunnah. It was innovated into this pure religion centuries after the passing away of Allahs messenger (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) who used to say during his Friday sermon:

“Verily, the best speech is the book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of the Muhammad, and the worst of all affairs are the newly invented matters (in religion), and every innovation is misguidance. And every misguidance is in the fire.” (Muslim and Nisaa’ee)

If celebrating the prophets birthday was legislated, the earlier generations would have been the first to celebrate it, since they were the best of generations and the closest to the noble prophet and the most beloved to him from mankind. The companions would have been the first to celebrate it had it been legislated or something good, and they would have called others to it, and the knowledge of it would be present in their authentically reported statements and actions. Yet, this celebration was unknown to the earliest three generations of noble believers, and is rejected by religious text. So a muslim should keep away from these newly invented celebrations as they don’t bring you closer to Allah or increase you in goodness.

Reality of Barelwis – Is the prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) Light

The light of the prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) is the light of the message and the guidance by which Allah guides whom he wills. Without doubt the light of the message and and the light of the guidance are from Allah. Allah the Most Highs says:

“it is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless it be by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or that he sends a messenger to reveal what he wills by his leave. Verily, he is the Most Wise. And thus we have sent you (O Muhammad) as inspiration of our command. You knew not what is the book, nor what is faith. But we have made it (this Quran) a light wherewith we guide whosoever of our slaves we will. And verily, you (O Muhammad) are guiding mankind to a straight path. The path of Allah, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on the earth…” (42:51)

Allahs messenger was created from a father and a mother and he was a human being. Allah the Most High stated: 

“say (o Muhammad): ‘indeed I am only a man like yourselves” (18:110)

and the messenger (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) said: 

“indeed I am a man like yourselves, I forget like you forget. So if I forget, then remind me.” 

(Bukharee and Muslim)

the affirmation of these texts does not entail any belittlement of our noble prophet, indeed we state as Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) stated: 

“…and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad .” (Muslim)

and as Allah the most high said:

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘if you truly love Allah then follow me, and then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.” (3:31)

“indeed in the messenger of Allah, you have a fine example” (33:21)

as for narrations which claim that Allah created the light of the prophet or that Allah filled his hand with light from his face and that this handful of light was was Muhammad, or that Allah created the whole of creation from the light of the prophet Muhammad, then none of these narrations can be authentically narrated from Allah’s messenger (sallalahu alayhi wasallam). It is not permissable to describe the prophet with descriptions that are not established in the Quran and Sunnah.

 

 

Reality of Barelwis – Is the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) Dead or Alive

Our Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) is alive in his grave, living the life of barzakh, where he is enjoying the ease and comfort which Allah has prepared for him as a fitting reward for that which he earned in the life of this world. But his soul is not returned to him as it was in this world or in the manner as it will be on the day of resurrection. Rather, it is the life of barzakh, which is in between the life of this world and the life of the hereafter. And everyone will go through these stages. Based upon this it is clear that the Messanger of Allah died, just as the prophets before him died. The only exception being Eesaa (alayhisallam), who was raised up to the heavens and will descend at the end of time, after which he will die. 

Allah the Most High said: 

“And we granted not immortality to any human being before you (O Muhammad). Then if you are to die, would they live forever?” (Al-Anbiya:34)

“whatsoever is on the earth will perish. And the face of your lord, full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever” (Ar-Rahman:26-27)

Allah also informed the messenger Muhammad in a clear verse of the Quran. 

“verily you (O Muhammad) will die and verily, they too will die” (Az-Zumar:30)

And there are many other such examples among the verses which prove that Allah brought death to the prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wasallam). The companions washed his body and prayed over him and buried him. Had they considered him to be alive, as in the life of this world, they would have not have buried him in the ground!

And to seal the discussion, when Allah’s messenger died, his closest friend, companion and successor, Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) entered and kissed the messengers forehead and said, ‘May my mother and father be your ransom! You were good in life and in death.’ then he said, ‘he who worshipped Muhammad, then know that Muhammad has died. But he who worships Allah, then Allah is above the sky, he lives and does not die.’ (Authentically reported by Ad-Daarimee) 

 

Reality of Barelwis – Does the Prophet have Knowledge of the Unseen

Whoever believes the prophet (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) has knowledge of the unseen, then he has disbelieved in Allah and his messenger as this entails rejection of the statements of Allah and his messenger.

“say (o Muhammad): ‘ none in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah” (an-Naml:65)

“say (o Muhammad): ‘I do not tell you that with me are the treasure of the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me'” (Al-An’aam:50)

“say (o Muhammad): ‘I posess no power of benefit or hurt upon myself except as Allah wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I would have secured for myself an abundance of wealth and no evil would have touched me. I am but a warner and bringer of glad tidings to those who believe'” (Al-A’raaf:188)

Reality of Barelwis – Seeking Aid From Awliyaa

Worship is a comprehensive term that incorporates everything that Allaah loves and is pleased with from the statements and actions, both inward and outward.

Thus there are many different types of worship and when something is considered worship It is not permissible to be directed to other than Allah.

Dua (invocation, supplication) is one of the greatest forms of worship and has thus been dealt with extensively in the Quran in refutation of those who worship others besides Allah.

“so call you (oh Muhammad and the believers) upon (or invoke) Allah alone, making (your) worship pure for him (alone)” (40:41)

“and the mosques are for Allah (alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allah” (72:18)

“and invoke not along with Allah another ilah ( god, deity), lest you be among those who receive punishment” (26:213)

“and who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the day of resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them. And when mankind are gathered (on the day of resurrection), they (false deities)will become enemies for them and deny their worshipping” (46:6)

It should be understood that the above verses refer to invoking (making dua to) other than Allah in matters which only Allah has the ability to carry out, whether the person being invoked is alive or dead. As for asking a living person for help in that which has the ability of then that is not considered shirk, such as asking someone for food or a glass of water. So whoever invokes someone other than Allah, in matters that only Allah has the ability to fulfill, then he has committed shirk, regardless of whether the person being invoked is a prophet or so called righteous person.

Calling upon other than Allah is a common practise with the Barelwis, because the Barelwi folk-religion is founded upon veneration of the saints, the dead and righteous figures, upon the belief that they will solicit and win their intercession if they invoke them and venerate them, coupled with the belief that there is no way to salvation and reaching Allaah except through these intermediaries who are in effect the gateways to salvation to them. This is the most evil suspicion about Allaah, in that no-one can approach Him directly and must work through intermediaries if he hopes to ever achieve salvation. There is no doubt that this goes against the Quran, Sunnah, the way of the companions and is tantamount to shirk.

As for their argument that they believe only Allah has the power and control and they deny all power and control for those whom they invoke and call upon, then how can it be shirk?

The answer to this is what is found in the Quran.

“and if you were to ask them: ‘who has created the heavens  and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?’ They will surely reply ‘ Allah’. How then are you deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)?” (29:61)

“If you were to ask them : ‘who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and gives life there with to the earth after it’s death?’ They will surely reply, ‘Allah’. Say, ‘all the praise and thanks be to Allah!’ Nay! Most of them have no sense” (29:63)

And if they believe that those whom they call upon besides Allah have something of power and control, then this is also falsified in the Quran and by the prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

“Say (oh Muhammad): ‘I invoke only my lord (Allah alone), and I associate  non as partners along with him”. Say:’it is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to the right path.’ Say ( Oh Muhammad): ‘ none can protect me from Allah’s punishment, nor should I find refuge except I him'” (72:20-22)

The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) also said:

“I cannot avail you with Allah anything” (Bukhari)

And if they claim that they invoke them as a means to seeking their intercession then this is also wrong and falsified in the Quran. Take a look at https://islamnotts.wordpress.com/2014/04/17/understanding-intercession/