(11/12/16) - The "Birthday" of the Prophet ﷺ

بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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There is a big dispute amongst the Historians and Ahlul-Hadeeth regarding the date of the birth of the Prophet ﷺ. Some said the 2nd, others said 9th, others said 16th. Some claimed it was Ramadan. No one knows the date, we only know the day, because of the Hadith where the Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on Mondays, and he ﷺ said:

 "ذلك يوم ولدت فيه، ويوم بعثت أو أنزل علي فيه"

"That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received Revelation." [Muslim #1255]

He never mention the date of his birth. If it was important, he ﷺ would have mentioned it, and the companions would have known it. But year after year the 12th of Rabi Al-Awwal passed by and there was no celebration; there is not even a mention that it was the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ in a Hadith. This indicates that it is not important.

However, on the 12th of Rabi Al-Awwal the Prophet ﷺ passed away, and the Scholars are all in consensus regarding this. Therefore those who celebrate on this day are celebrating the death of the Prophet ﷺ. This is a day, the Fajr of which the Prophet ﷺ removed the curtain from between the door of Aisha's house and the Masjid and smiled at the companions who were getting ready to pray. They were glad and Abu Bakr retreated to let the Prophet ﷺ lead, but he gestured telling them to continue. He closed the curtain and from that moment the agonies of death began with him and he was on Aaishas lap. He asked for the Siwaak, cleaned his teeth with it, then looked at the heavens, pointed his finger, and said, 

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالرَّفِيقِ الأَعْلَى

"O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me, and join me with the Highest Company"

then his hand fell down and he died. This happened in the 12th of Rabi Al-Awwal. This is what you should remember about this day. 

When he was born he was not a Prophet, so his birth was like the birth of anyone else. But when he became a Prophet the companions watched him, saw him, followed him, so they remembered the day and date of his death.  are not even supposed to commemorate his death date, but many Muslims do not know that this date is the date of his death.