I am using this post to wish all muslims who are members of this forum and all our muslim brothers and sisters across the nation a Happy Id-El-Maulud Celebration.

I invite all lovers of peace and unity to join in felicitating all our muslim brethren as they celebrate the birth of Prophet Mohammed.

Easter, Hajj, and Spiritual Awakening




Easter and Hajj are perhaps the most important festivals of Christianity and Islam respectively - two world religions that have so much in common in their essence but which are at loggerheads in so many parts of the world. The focus of both religions has been on organizations, which provide material benefits and earthly influence for their leaders and close associates. Their common core has become veiled as the emphasis has shifted from individual search for truth and individual relationship with the Creator. Easter is preceded by the Holy Week, the last week of Lent, a 40-day penitential period of prayer and fasting (which reminds one of the Muslim Ramadan). The Friday before Easter is the so-called “Good Friday”, commemorating the death on the Cross-of Jesus Christ, while Easter celebrates Christ’s resurrection. Easter is central to the whole Christian calendar. The dates of all movable Christian feasts (in contrast to festivals like Christmas whose dates are fixed) are based on the date of Easter. Moreover, the whole liturgical calendar of worship (the dates for observing various Church rituals) is arranged around the date of Easter. There are two major celebrations in Islam. The first marks the completion of Ramadan, the month during which Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset as part of an effort towards self-purification and betterment. This celebration is known as Eid ul-Fitr. The second major Islamic celebration takes place during the time of the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj is one of the “five pillars” of Islam, and thus an essential part of Muslim faith and practice. Although only the pilgrims in Mecca can participate fully in the Hajj, all other Muslims in the world join with them by celebrating the Eid ul-Adha or Festival of Sacrifice.

Many countries of the world (especially the developing countries) have never had so many churches and so many mosques have never known a greater intensity of religious activities and zeal. And yet in these same countries we witness so much hatred and distrust among religious individuals and a dogged resistance against peaceful and just solutions to the multifarious national and global problems. Those who are most flagrantly unjust and corrupt and those who grossly abuse public office are to be found in the ranks of the self-proclaimed staunchest religious champions. What can be the explanation? Is it possible that these religions no longer have the power to make us good human beings? Is it the case that we do not really understand the teachings brought by Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him)? Both teachings came from God, and both are emphatic about justice and love, and respect for human lives and human rights. May it be that we are mere hypocrites and that we have no conviction in these teachings? We do not need to think deeply before we come to the conclusion that Christian and Muslim ideals are patently lacking in the social, economic, and political life of today’s world.

The period of Lent leading to Easter is a time for reflection, genuine change, and a genuine striving to live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. Hajj presents the same opportunities with respect to the teachings of Prophet Mohammed. Let us be reminded that both Easter and the Hajj are about spiritual awakening, about inner change, about being truly born again. Parenthetically, I should note that there is widespread misunderstanding and debasement of the spiritual concept of being “born again”. The Hajj is meant to be an opportunity to seek forgiveness of sins accumulated throughout one’s life. Prophet Mohammed is reported to have said that a person who performs Hajj properly “will return as a newly born baby”, determined not to sin again, and resolved to forgive the sins others may have committed against him or her. The pilgrimage also enables Moslems of different races, ethnic groups, and languages from all over the world to come together in a spirit of universal brotherhood and sisterhood. The Hajj is not a religious jamboree but a deeply spiritual event. The rites of the Hajj include going around the Ka'bah seven times and going seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa. In the knowledge that the number seven signifies “spirit”, one can say that the rites testify to the deep spiritual nature of Hajj. Whoever does not celebrate it in spirit gains nothing.

The term “Easter” was first used when Christianity was introduced to the Saxons. Before this time, the Saxons had held an annual feast in honor of the ancient Teutonic goddess of Spring called Eostre. The name was transferred to the Christian observance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Spring is the season that marks the awakening of nature following the slumber or “death” during the Winter months. In the Tropics, which unlike the Temperate Zone, has only two seasons (wet and dry) this “death” and resurrection of nature is not as dramatic as it is in the Temperate Zone. But the phenomenon does exist. In the dry season, grasses die, some trees shed their leaves, and the activities of some species of animals are curtailed, similar to the conditions of Winter. At the start of the rainy season, there is a new growth of grasses and leaves and a revitalization of animal activities, reminiscent of Spring.

Easter has always been closely linked with Spring, the season of the awakening or the “resurrection” of nature. In the early years of Christianity, Jewish Christians observed the resurrection and Passover together on the 14th day of Nisan, the Jewish month roughly corresponding with April. However, Gentile Christians celebrated the resurrection every Sunday with a special emphasis on the Sunday closest to the 14th day of Nisan. To settle this difference, church leaders fixed the date for Easter at the Nicene Council in 325 AD. They decided that Easter would be the first Sunday following the Paschal full moon. The Paschal full moon is the first full moon after the vernal equinox, which occurs on March 21; March 21 marks the official beginning of Spring. The system that was agreed at the Nicene Council for fixing the date of Easter is still followed today. Therefore, Easter Sunday moves between March 22 and April 25. However, the Eastern Orthodox Church follows a slightly different calculation. As a result, the Orthodox Easter, although sometimes coinciding with that of other Christians, can fall one, four, or five weeks later. But it still remains a springtime celebration. It is interesting to note the dependence of the date of Easter on the moon, just like Muslim festivals.

As a celebration of the awakening of nature, Easter should become a festival of spiritual awakening and renewal for all human beings, regardless of religion. We should consider Easter a time for the awakening of the inner self; a “resurrection” of our individual spirits from spiritual slumbers. It is a time to rededicate ourselves to doing the Will of God so that we who have journeyed as immature spirits into the deep vale of the World of Matter may one day be able to ascend into Paradise, our permanent home. May all peoples, particularly Christian and Muslim political leaders around the world, be imbued with the sense of love, justice, humility, and tolerance that comes with genuine spiritual renewal, which is the essential purpose of both Easter and Hajj. And may such love, justice, humility, and tolerance translates into actions, so that ray of spiritual light may begin to break through the ethereal darkness that envelops the earth. Amen.

Efforts to make the individual countries of the world as well as the global system more loving, more just, and more equitable deserve the support of every true follower of the teachings of Jesus and/or of Prophet Mohammed through concrete deeds and not by mere words. The good news is that, in line with the special spiritual nature of our times, all genuine good volition is supported strongly by invisible, non-physical powers. Therefore, we should not be afraid of the apparent might of human beings and governments that may be bent on perpetuating injustice and evil; they must fail, sooner or later. In the end, the power of the Light will shatter the ethereal darkness hanging over the earth. Spiritual light will shine brightly on us and with the destruction of ethereal darkness and its agents, materialism and religiosity will give way to a genuine desire to learn and to do the true Will of God, which is once again revealed to us at this time of the Cosmic Turning Point in the work entitled “In the Light of Truth, The Grail Message” by Abd-ru-shin (civil name Oskar Ernst Bernhardt). We would do so as independent individuals who jealously guard our God-given Free Will and who refuse to be mere tools in the hands of leaders of religious and related organizations as well as other manipulators.By Stephen Lampe

Thank you, Diakim! May the almighty Allah continue to bless you (Amin).

Also, kudos to "Hnd - holder" for sharing with us that insightful write-up. Thanks.

Can we Celebrate the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad?

There is nothing in the Qur’aan to say that we should celebrate the Mawlid or birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet himself (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do this or command anyone to do it, either during his lifetime or after his death. Indeed, he told them not to exaggerate about him as the Christians had exaggerated about Jesus (upon whom be peace). He 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 Allaah and His Messenger.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari). What has been reported is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made the day of his birth a day of worship, which is different to celebration. He was asked about fasting on Mondays, and he said: “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was entrusted with the Mission or when I was first given Revelation.” (Reported by Muslim, al-Nisaa’i and Abu Dawood).

Moreover, we know that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) were the people who loved the Prophet most. Was it reported that Abu Bakr, who was the closest of people to him and the one who loved him the most, celebrated the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Was it reported that ‘Umar, who ruled for twelve years, or ‘Uthmaan, did this? Was it reported that ‘Ali, his relative and foster son, did this? Was it reported that any of the Sahaabah did this? No, by Allaah! Is it because they were not aware of its importance, or did they not truly love the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? No one would say such a thing except one who has gone astray and is leading others astray.

Did any of the imaams – Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafi’i, Ahmad, al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Seereen – do this or command others to do it or say that it was good? By Allaah, no! It was not even mentioned during the first and best three centuries. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in a saheeh hadeeth: “The best of mankind are my generation (or my century), then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then there will come a people who will not care if their testimony comes before their oath or vice versa (i.e., they will not take such matter seriously).” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Muslim and al-Tirmidhi). The celebration of the Prophet’s birthday appeared many centuries later, when many of the features of true religion had vanished and bid’ah had become widespread.

Thus this celebration became a sign of one’s love for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? But can it be possible that the Sahaabah, the imaams and the people of the best three centuries were unaware of it, and it was only those who came later who were aware of its importance?! What the Qur’aan tells us is that love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is demonstrated by following the guidance he brought. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Say: ‘Obey Allaah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away, then Allaah does not like the disbelievers.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:31-32]

The first aayah explains that love is just a claim, but the proof of sincerity is following what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought. The second aayah reaffirms the importance and necessity of obeying Allaah and His Messenger. Hence Allaah ended the aayah with a very stern warning in which those who refuse to obey are described as kaafirs, and Allah does not love the disbelievers. We ask Allaah to keep us safe from that. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us of the danger of not obeying him, and the danger of adding to what he brought. The celebration of Mawlid or his birthday is indeed an addition to what he brought – as all the scholars agree. He said: “The best of speech is the Book of Allaah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The most evil of things are those which are newly-invented (in religion), and every innovation is a going astray.” (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa’i).

We ask Allaah to protect us from bid’ah and to bless us by helping us to follow. Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

The celebration of Al-Mawlid is a reprehensible Bid’ah and its celebrators have strayed away from the truth, because the religion of Allah is complete and perfect. Allah says that which translates as: "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as a religion." (Al-Maa’idah: 3).

Imaam Maalik, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "What was considered at that time (i.e. the time of the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and his companions) as a part of the religion is the religion, otherwise it is not a part of the religion."

It is a historical fact that the Bid’ah of Al-Mawlid was initiated by Al-‘Ubaydiyyoon, who were the atheists that ruled the Faatimi state. This Bid’ah was definitely and undoubtedly not practiced by the distinguished first three generations of the Muslim nation, it is a new innovation and it is misguidance. The Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: "Every Bid'ah (innovation) is misguidance" (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and others). All new innovation are rejected by Allah because the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “He who does something which is not according to what we (i.e., the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and his companions) are upon then it is rejected” (Muslim). Imaam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "‘Rejected' meaning false and not considered by Allah at all." He also said: "This Hadeeth lays down one of the great fundamentals of Islam, which rejects and refutes any new innovation in Islam." He further said: "This Hadeeth must be spread and used as a means to negate all new evils."

Therefore, the Bid’ah of Al-Mawlid is misguidance which is rejected and has no significance to the religion of Islam.