Mawlid al-Nabi ﷺ: Classical Scholars on Celebrating the Blessed Birth of the Prophet

🌙 Mawlid al-Nabi ﷺ: Classical Scholars on Celebrating the Blessed Birth of the Prophet

The blessed birth of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is a source of eternal mercy for all creation. Allah Himself reminds us:

“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:107)

From the earliest centuries of Islam, great scholars — Imams of Hadith, Fiqh, and Qur’anic recitation — wrote books, composed poetry, and gave sermons to honor this blessed event. Their works show that expressing joy for the Prophet’s birth, known as Mawlid al-Nabi ﷺ, has deep roots in Islamic scholarship.

📖 Classical Scholars Who Wrote About Mawlid

1. Imam Al-Hafiz Al-Iraqi (d. 806 AH / 1404 CE)

Book: “The Pure Spring on the Sublime Birth” (المورد الهني في المولد السني).
Imam Al-Iraqi, a great Hadith master, authored detailed works on the Prophet’s noble birth, describing it as a pure spring of mercy.

2. Imam Ibn Dahiyah (d. 633 AH / 1235 CE)

Book: “Enlightenment on the Birthday of the Bearer of Good News, The Warner” (التنوير في مولد البشير النذير).
His book is one of the earliest works dedicated to the Prophet’s Mawlid, describing his birth as a light for all humanity.

3. Imam Mulla Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 AH / 1606 CE)

Book: “The Quenching Spring on the Birthday of the Prophet” (المورد الروي في المولد النبوي).
The great Hanafi scholar described the Mawlid as a refreshing spring quenching the spiritual thirst of believers.

4. Imam Shams al-Din bin Nasir al-Dimashqi (d. 842 AH / 1438 CE)

Book: “The Spring for the Thirsty on the Birth of the Rightly Guided” (مورد الصادي في مولد الهادي).
He narrated the famous story of Abu Lahab:

When the Prophet ﷺ was born, Abu Lahab’s slave-girl Thuwaybah informed him. Out of joy, he freed her. Although condemned in the Qur’an, Abu Lahab’s punishment is reduced every Monday — the day of the Prophet’s birth.

If such a disbeliever, denounced in the Qur’an, receives relief in Hell for his joy at the birth of the Prophet ﷺ,
Then what about a servant who spent his whole life happy with Ahmad ﷺ, and died on Tawheed?

5. Imam Shams al-Din Ibn al-Jazri (d. 833 AH / 1429 CE)

Book: “The Scent of Notification on the Blessed Birthday” (عرف التعريف بالمولد الشريف).
Known as the Imam of Qur’an reciters, Ibn al-Jazri described the Prophet’s birth as a fragrance perfuming the world.

6. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH / 1200 CE)

He wrote:
“Peace and tranquility prevail during that year, and it is glad tidings for obtaining wishes and inspirations.”

7. Imam Abu Shamah al-Maqdisi (d. 665 AH / 1268 CE)

Teacher of Imam al-Nawawi. He said:
“The best of the innovations of our times is what is carried out on the day of the Prophet’s birthday ﷺ — where people give charity, do good deeds, express joy and happiness. This is undoubtedly a clear sign of love and reverence for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

🌹 The Scholars’ Unified Message

The Mawlid is an occasion of mercy.
Acts of joy, charity, and remembrance are noble expressions of love.
If even Abu Lahab is granted relief for expressing joy, the believer’s happiness brings immense reward.

🌟 Conclusion

The Mawlid al-Nabi ﷺ is not merely a cultural practice but a deeply spiritual expression of love for the Prophet of Mercy. For centuries, scholars have endorsed the practice of gatherings, poetry, and charity in commemoration of the Prophet’s noble birth.

In a world filled with distractions, the Mawlid reminds us of the greatest blessing Allah ever gave humanity: the arrival of His beloved Messenger ﷺ.