Class 9
WIDESPREAD BIDAHS RELATED FESTIVALS & CELEBRATIONS
Whenever people invent new religious celebrations, they are not merely adding culture — they are adding worship without permission.
This class examines popular religious festivals, why they are not from Islam, and what the Sunnah teaches us to do instead.
INNOVATED RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
Mawlid (Celebrating the Birthday of the Prophet ﷺ)
There is no command in the Qur’an or Sunnah to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday.
The Prophet ﷺ:
Did not celebrate his own birth
Did not instruct the Companions to do so
Explicitly warned against exaggerating his status
The Companions who loved the Prophet ﷺ the most, never celebrated it, they did not even discuss this idea.
He ﷺ said,
·“Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam. I am only a slave, so say: the slave of Allah and His Messenger.” (Sahih Bukhari)
“He who lives long enough will see many things which he will not recognise, therefore, hold on to my Sunnah and that of the rightly guided caliphs who succeed me; bite onto it (i.e., the Sunnah) with your molars. Stay away from innovations, because every innovation is misguidance.” (Ahmad, Abu Daawood and Tirmidhi).
What is authentically reported is fasting on Mondays, which is an individual act of worship, not a celebration or festival.
A Critical Question
If celebrating Mawlid was a sign of love:
Why did Abu Bakr not celebrate it?
Why did ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali not do so?
Why did none of the Sahabah do it?
Why did none of his wives or Ahle Bayt do it?
The generation that loved the Prophet ﷺ the most never expressed love through invented celebrations.
Another important point to note is that there are a lot of different opinions about the date of the Prophet ﷺ birth. So if it was so important the Sahaba would have preserved the knowledge of the date and passed it on.
Mawlid appeared centuries later, this was a time when bid‘ah became widespread. Read more details and refutations about Mawlid : https://learn-islam.org/class-7-mawlid-milaad-celebrating-the-birth-of-the-prophet
What to Do Instead?
He ﷺ said: “None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his child, and all of mankind.” (Sahih Bukhari). True love for the Prophet ﷺ is shown by:
Following his Sunnah
Prioritising his commands
Avoiding innovations
Living according to his teachings
Love is obedience — not anniversaries.
For more details about dos and don’t in the name of Love of the Prophet ﷺ things he ﷺ advised and warned us against, join our free course LOVE THE PROPHET ﷺ https://learn-islam.org/love-the-prophet
SHA‘BAAN & SHAB-E-BARAAT
Laylat al-Nisf min Sha‘baan (15th Night of Sha‘baan)
Many people:
Single out the 15th night for worship
Perform special prayers
Distribute food and sweets
Recite Yā-Sīn with fixed intentions
Some people call it Murdon ki Eid (Eid of the Dead) and visit and do all kinds of Bidahs in graveyards.
However:
No authentic hadith prescribes this
Special prayers (like 100 rak‘ahs) are fabricated
The night is like any other night
What to Do Instead in Sha‘baan
The Sunnah is:
Increased fasting in the first half of Sha’baan. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet ﷺ did not fast in any month more than Sha’baan…” (Bukhari & Muslim). And he ﷺ said: “When Sha’baan is halfway through, do not fast.” (Abu Dawood, classed as Sahih)
Increase recitation of Quran to prepare for Ramadan
Preparing spiritually for Ramadan
RAJAB & ASSOCIATED INNOVATIONS
Fasting & Worship in Rajab
Rajab is sacred, but:
No special fasts are prescribed
No specific nights are designated
No extra prayers are legislated
Fasting on the 27th of Rajab or singling it out for worship is bid‘ah.
Kunde of Rajab
This is a bidah celebrated on 22nd Rajab among Shia Muslims and unfoteunately followed by many other Sunni Muslim. People do this saying its for Isaal-e-Sawaab (pray for the dead). Clealy fabricated and has no basis in the Sunnah.
SalAt al-Raghā’ib
This prayer:
Appeared in the 5th century
Has no basis in Sunnah
Was unknown to the first three geenrations
Its timing, structure, and promises are all fabricated.
Night of Mi‘rAj
The Isra’ and Mi‘rāj are true events.
But:
The exact date is unknown
No celebration was prescribed
Neither the Prophet ﷺ nor the Sahabah commemorated it
Even if the date were known, celebrating it would still be impermissible.
‘ĀSHOORĀ’
Innovated Celebrations on ‘Āshooraa’
Common practices include:
Special foods
Especially taking a bath
Kohl, henna
Claiming guaranteed health or wealth
There is nothing from the Prophet ﷺ, nor from the Sahaabah, nor from the Taabi’een; neither in any saheeh hadeeth not even in a da’eef (weak) hadeeth; None of the imaams of the Muslims encouraged or recommended such things, neither the four imaams, nor any others. No reliable scholars have narrated anything like this. All such narrations are fabricated.
Read details : http://islamqa.info/en/ref/4033
Mourning Rituals on ‘Āshooraa’
Public wailing, chest-beating, and grief displays:
Are practices of jāhiliyyah
Were explicitly forbidden by the Prophet ﷺ
Do not honour al-Ḥusayn (RA)
Eating Special ‘Āshooraa’ Food
Preparing or consuming ritual food is:
A reprehensible innovation
Sometimes linked to shirk if sacrificed for other than Allah
What to Do Instead on ‘Āshooraa’
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Fasting on ‘Aashooraa’ expiates for the sins of one year and fasting on the day of ‘Arafaah expiates for the sins of two years” The Sunnah is clear:
Fast the 10th of Muharram (Ashura)
Preferably fast the 9th and 10th (if you miss the 9th than fast on 10th & 11th)
Do not treat it as a festival or a day of mourning.
INNOVATED EIDS
“Eid al-Abraar” (The Eid Of Righteous - 8th of Shawwāl)
Islam legislated one Eid, and recommended fasting six days of Shawwāl. Creating a second “Eid” is Completely unfounded and a clear bid‘ah
What to Do Instead in Shawwaal
Fast six days of Shawwaal. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah).
Seek consistency in worship that you were doing in Ramadan, like night prayers, Adhkaar, patience, Duas, etc
Giyaarhwee Shareef (11th of Rabī‘ al-Thaanī)
On the 11th day of Rabi‘ al-Thaani, many people observe Giyārhwee Shareef in the name of Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir al-Jilani, believing it to be his birthday (despite differing historical opinions).
Practices commonly include:
Fixing 11th Rabī‘ al-Thānī as a sacred date
Preparing Niyāz specifically in his name
Slaughtering animals for him
Lighting lamps (chirāgh)
Holding “noor-filled” gatherings with exaggerated praise
Believing he will intercede independently or guarantee salvation
All of this is done with the hope that Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir will, be pleased, remove hardships and intercede on the Day of Judgement. Even if—for the sake of argument—we assume that 11th Rabī‘ al-Thānī is his birth date: The issue is not the love of a righteous person, the issue is turning love into worship. The Core Problem is that Niyāz is done for Other Than Allah
What Is Niyāz?
Niyāz refers to:
Preparing food
Distributing it
With the intention of pleasing a deceased saint
Hoping for help, protection, or intercession in return
This makes Niyāz an act of worship, not charity.
All acts of worship — including sacrifice, vows, and offerings — are for Allah alone. Allah says: “Say: Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (Qur’an 6:162)
The Mushriks of Makkah said: “We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allah.” (Qur’an 39:3). Their intention sounded religious — but Allah rejected it completely.
This Is Not a Small Issue The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah has cursed the one who slaughters for other than Allah.” (Muslim)
There is no difference between a vertical idol (statue) or a horizontal idol (grave). Both are worship directed away from Allah.
Can Niyāz Be Eaten?
No. Allah explicitly forbids:
“That over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked.” (Qur’an 2:173, 5:3, 6:145, 16:115)
“Whoever helps an evil cause shares in its burden.” (Qur’an 4:85)
Even Classical Hanafi Scholars Rejected This
They clearly stated:
Niyāz for the dead is haraam
It is falsehood by consensus
Worship directed to anyone besides Allah is invalid
Believing benefit comes independently from the dead is kufr.
Common Excuses — and the Response
“We are only feeding the poor”. Then why:
Name it Giyārhwee?
Fix it to the 11th?
Attach it to a dead person?
May Allah protect us all and our families from falling into any sorts of innovations, may Allah keep us all on the Sunnah and make us die on it.
TIPS OF TEST
Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the msg being given.
There will be no questions from the extra links provided, they are for those who want more details.
Remember the Sunnahs
Memorise the Duas.
ASSIGNMENT
There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: -
Implement any 3 of the sunnahs taught in the last 5 classes. 5 Marks
Talk about any 3 topics/Sunnahs/deeds and their great rewards covered in this week’s classes with atleast 3 people. 5 Marks.
Pray for the Ummah, pray for the ease of all the poor & oppressed Muslims and pray that Allah make us all strong in imaan and give us the hidayah to work for the aakhirah and to help each other. - 1 Mark
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