IS HONOURING THE BIRTH ANDDEATH ANNIVERSARY OF DIVINE PERSONALITIES HERESY?

The Wahabis consider the honouring of birth and death anniversaries of Divine leaders to be forbidden and heresy. They are the staunch enemies of the divine and holy leaders and consider the gatherings on their birth and death anniversaries to be prohibited.

'Mohammad Hamed Fagih' the leader of assembly of Ansar-ul-Senna-Mohammadia in his footnotes Al-Fath-ul-Majeed writes:

(1) الذكريات التي ملات البلاد باشم الاولياء هي نوع من العبادة لهم و تعظيمهم

"Remembering and celebrating on the days of birth and death of divine leaders amounts to worshipping them and is one kind of bowing before them".

The root of all their mistakes is that because they have not determined any limit and margin for Shirk (polytheism), Tauheed and specially the meaning of Ibadat', they think that every kind of respect and honour is worship. As you must have noticed, he has brought the word of lbadat and homage close to each other and imagines that both give the same meaning.

In the future section we shall explain the meaning of Ibadat' and clearly prove that every honour and respect to the virtuous people with the intention that they are the slaves of Allah, does not result in their worship at all. Therefore, we shall examine this discussion from another angle (not polytheism in Ibadat).

Undoubtedly, Quran has repeatedly praised the Prophets and divine saints with eloquent and rhetorical words. About Hazrat Zakaria, Yahya and ... Quran says:

انهم كانوا يسارعون في الخيرات و يدعوننا رغبا و رهبا و كانو لنا خاشعين

"Surely they used to hasten, one with another, in deeds of goodness and to call upon Us, hoping and fearing, and they were humble before Us".'(Surah Anbiya: Ayat 90)

Now, if in a gathering which is held under their name, someone portrays them in a similar manner which has come down in the contents of this Ayat and by this way honours them, has he done anything other than obeying the Holy Quran?

About the household of the Prophet, Allah Ta'ala says:

و يطعمون الطعام على حبه مسكينا و يتيما و اسيرا

"And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive". (Surah Dahr: 8)

Now if the followers of Ali come together on the birthday of Ameerul-Momineen and say that Ali is one who used to give his own food to the poor, orphan and the captive, have they by this act worshipped him?

If on the birthday of the Holy Prophet we translate the Ayat which praises the Prophet into a non-Arabic language or write a poem on a tablet and recite it in a gathering, have we committed a forbidden action!?

They are having enmity with the matter of honouring the Holy Prophet and divine leaders that they wish to stop this under the pretext of fight against heresy.

At this stage a question is brought up to which the loud-speakers amongst the Wahabis lay great emphasis and it is this: Since these assemblies and gatherings are held under the name of religion and are labeled as Islamic, they should be approved specifically and generally by the Islamic rules.

Otherwise it would be heresy and forbidden.

The reply to this question is clear because the Ayat of Quran, which draws our attention to the necessisty of honouring the Prophet, is sufficient on this case and these kinds of gatherings are not held for any reason other than respecting the divine leaders. That thing is considered to be 'heresy' which is not approved specifically or generally by Quran or the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet.

The purpose of these honourings, which is common amongst all the nations of the world, is nothing but paying respect and homage and this practice is common among all the Muslims of the world except for these dry Najdis'. If it was heresy and something new and not confirming with the general Islamic principles it was impossible that the Islamic Ulema` would celebrate on the birthday of the Holy Prophet and make grand the gatherings by reciting sweet monographs and poems.

Here are some reasoning's from Quran permitting such respect and honourings:

FIRST PROOF

The Holy Quran praises that group of people who honour the Holy Prophet:

فالذين آمنوا به و عزروه و نصروه و اتبعوا النور الذي انزل معه اولئك هم المفلحون

"So (as for) those who believe him and honour him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful". '(A'raf: 157)

The words which have appeared in this Ayat comprises of:

(2) آمنو به عزروه نصروه و ابتعوا النور···

Is it possible for one to think that the words آمنو به , نصروه and , و اتبعوا النور are confined to the period of the Holy Prophet? Certainly not. If such a probability cannot be given about these three words the word of عزروه which gives the meaning of honour and respect1 cannot be assigned to the period of the Holy Prophet and this sublime leader should be respected and hououred at all times.

Is it not that arranging memorial gatherings on the day of Besath and birth of the Holy Prophet and delivering speeches and poems on such occasions a clear evidence to عزروه ??

Surprisingly, the Wahabis pay homage and respect their leaders and rulers and honour even one ordinary person such that observing one hundredth of that with regard to the Holy Prophet, his pulpit and alter is considered to be heresy and anti-Islamic by them.

As a result they introduce Islam to the world as one dry religion lacking any sentiments and affections and think that the Shariat which is in fact simple and easy, matching with the human nature and feeling and generous enough to attract the people is a dry shariat' which does not consider the respect of divine leaders to be of any significance and does not possess the ability to attract the people of the world.

SECOND PROOF

What do the Wahabis who oppose any kind of mourning ceremonies for the martyrs in the way of Allah have to say about the story of Hazrat Yaqoob? If today, this great Prophet was living amongst these Najdis and the followers of Mohammad - bin - Abdul Wahab how would have they judged him?

Day and night he was weeping for his separation from Yusuf and all the time he was asking the people about the whereabouts of his beloved son. He was so much inflamed by the separation of his son that he lost his eye - sight. (3)

Sickness and loss of eye - sight did not deter Yusuf from forgetting his son. Instead, as the promise of re-union was drawing closer the flames of love towards his son increased manifold and he could smell Yusuf miles away. (4)

And instead of the star (Yusuf) pursuing the sun (Yaqoob) it was vice - versa.

Why expression of such affection during the life of the loved one (i.e. Yusuf) is correct and confirms to Tauheed but after his death when the heart becomes more prone to pain and suffering it amounts to polytheism and becomes forbidden.

Now if the Yaqoobs of our time gather together every year on the death anniversary of their Yusufs and speak about the value of his moral qualities due to which they start crying, will such an act amount to worshipping of their sons. (5)

THIRD PROOF

Undoubtedly, love towards kinship is one of the Islamic obligations that Quran explicitly commends us towards it. Now, after fourteen centuries if someone wishes to act upon the religious obligations then what should we do? Is it not that he should rejoice on their joyous days and become sorrowful on the days of their grief and sorrow?

Now, for expressing one's own pleasure, if someone holds a gathering wherein he reveals their historical life and sacrifices and describes their innocence and their deprivation from their rightful claims then, has he done anything other than expressing his affection and manifesting Mawaddat-zil-Qurba'? (مودت ذوي القربى)

If, for showing more affection, such a person visits their progeny and comes near their graves and holds such gatherings near their graves then, has he in the eyes of the wise and intelligent people, done anything other than manifesting his love and affection!?

Except that the Wahabis may say: Such love and affection should be kept secret and confined to the heart and no one has the right to manifest and express them (openly).

During the time of the Holy Prophet and the period after him which was the period of change of thoughts and beliefs, different tribes and nations with different culture and customs were turning towards Islam and by reciting the Shahadatain' (creed) their Islam was accepted. The position of Prophet and the leaders was never to censor and thaw (by establishing the section for scrutinizing of beliefs') the entire rites and customs of the nations and tribes and bring them out in another form different from the previous ones.

Respect of leaders, establishing memorial ceremonies, attending the graves and expressing love for their signs and traces was and is the custom of all nations and tribes. At present too, the people of East and West stand for hours in que waiting to pay visit to the mummified bodies and graves of ancient leaders in order to express their love and shed tears in their grief. They consider this to be one way for expressing respect and honour.

It was never seen that the Holy Prophet would accept the Islam of people only after investigating their beliefs- and examining their practices and customs in life. Instead expressing the Shahadatain' was enough for him. If these practices and customs were forbidden and or amounted to worship then, it was necessary to accept the Islam of nations and tribes (only) after taking allegiance and promise from them a bout their exoneration while such was not the case.

FOURTH PROOF:

We see Hazrat Isa (a.s) asking for table (with food) from the Almighty Allah and introduce the day of its descension as the day of celebration and says:

ربنا انزل علينا مائدة من السماء تكون لنا عيدا لاولنا و آخرنا و آية منك و ارزقنا و انت خير الرازقين·

"O Allah, our lord! send down to us food from heaven which should be to us an ever - recurring happiness, to the first of us and the last of us, and a sign from Thee, and grant us means of subsistence, and Thou art the best of the Providers". (Surah Ma'ada Ayat 114.)

Is the value of the Holy Prophet's existence lesser than one heavenly table which Hazrat Isa(A.sJ declares the day of its descension to be the day of 'Eid'. If such a day is declared to be the day of Eid' because of the table being a divine sign, then is not the Holy Prophet the greatest divine sign!?

Woe to those who are ready to celebrate the day of descension of one heavenly table which feeds the stomachs but ignore and consider as heresy the celebration of the day of descension of Quran and the day of appointment of Prophets which has fed the minds of the people.

FIFTH PROOF:

Quran says:

و رفعنا لك ذكرك·

"And exalted for you your esteem". (Surah Inshiraah Ayat 4.)

Is it that arranging gatherings for celebrating the days of birth of the Holy Prophet having any purpose other than elevating his name and fame I Why in this case we should not follow the Quran? Is not Quran an example and a model for us?

Notes:

1- Fath-ul-Majid page 154, At this time when these pages and papers are being arranged and in the entire Islamic countries celebrations are being held on the occasion of the birth of the Holy Prophet, the Mufti of Saudi, Bin Ban declared as forbidden and heresy any kind of respect for the birthday of the Holy Prophet. But the same person addressed Faisal Saudi during his kingdom as "Amir-ul-Momineen" and this action was biting and shocking to the extent that "khan too understood and apologized for accepting this courteous title.

2 - Refer to Mufradaat - e - Ragheb.

3- و ابيضت عيناه من الحزن Surah Yusuf: 84.

4- اني لا جد ريح يوسف لولا ان تقندون Surah Ysuf Ayat: 94.

5 - Moreover, reliable traditions have come down from the Infallibles about holding of mourning ceremonies and in this connection, Allamah Amini has collected in one chapter of his book titled: 'Siratuna wa Sunnatuna' all the traditions from Sunni books.

Wahabism, by Ayatullah Ja'far Subhani

Translated by Jalil Dorrani.