Sources that don't raise issue of complexity edit
Ibn Taymiyya considered mawlid an "illegitimate innovation."[1]
The Wahhabbi movement derived its arguments for their opposition to the mawlid celebrations mainly from Ibn Taymiyya.[2]
Ibn Taymiyya considered mawlid a "heretical innovation"[3]
Memon says of Ibn Taymiyya view of Mawlid: "Maulid especially is a heretical innovation whose basis clearly comes from the festival of Christmas."[4]
My proposed edit edit
In his Kitab Iqtida al-sirat al-mustaqim fi mukhalafat ashab al-jahim (Following the Straight Path Against the Proprietors of Hell), Ibn Taymiyya famously argued against celebrating Mawlid:[5]
"...It is rather the Christians and Jews who turn the eventful days in the lives of prophets into festivals, in particular the former who commemorate events in the life of Jesus. A shar'i festival means only one thing: whatever God has laid down must be followed and that which is not of the original faith must not be innovated.
Under this heading come also the practices of some Muslims undertaken in imitation of the Christian observances of Christmas or out of love and reverence for the Prophet of Islam. God may reward them for this love and effort (ijtihad), not for innovations such as celebrating the Prophet's birthday (Maulid) as a festival, while people are not even sure of the actual date of his birth. The Salaf would have none of that, though it may have been expected and though there could have been no objection. If such a practice had been good, entirely or preponderantly, it would have been natural to expect the Salaf to have instituted such a celebration, what with their greater love and reverence for the Prophet and their zeal for the good. Indeed the most complete expression of one's love and reverence of him lies in following and obeying him, in carrying out his command, upholding his Sunna both in inner as well as external life, and in advancing the cause of Islam with heart, hand and tongue. Such was indeed the way of the earliest Muslims, whether Muhajirun or Ansar, and of those who followed them in piety.
Notwithstanding their good intent and rewardable effort, most of those people who are eager for these novelties are found rather lukewarm in complying with the Prophet's expressed command...."[6]
- ^ Charlene Tan (2014). Reforms in Islamic Education: International Perspectives. A&C Black. p. 227. ISBN 9781441177551.
- ^ Bosworth, C.E.; Donzel, E. van; Heinrichs, W.P.; Pellat, Ch., eds. (1991). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Volume VI (Mahk-Mid). BRILL. p. 896. ISBN 9789004081123.
- ^ Memon, Muhammad Umar, ed. (1976). Ibn Taimiya's Struggle Against Popular Religion: With an Annotated Translation of His Kitab iqtida as-sirat al-mustaqim mukhalafat ashab al-jahim (reprint ed.). Walter de Gruyter. pp. 12–13, 242–3. ISBN 9783111662381.
- ^ Memon, Muhammad Umar, ed. (1976). Ibn Taimiya's Struggle Against Popular Religion: With an Annotated Translation of His Kitab iqtida as-sirat al-mustaqim mukhalafat ashab al-jahim (reprint ed.). Walter de Gruyter. p. 13. ISBN 9783111662381.
- ^ Krawietz, Birgit; Tamer, Georges, eds. (2013). Islamic Theology, Philosophy and Law: Debating Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (reprint ed.). Walter de Gruyter. p. 211. ISBN 9783110285406.
- ^ Memon, Muhammad Umar, ed. (1976). Ibn Taimiya's Struggle Against Popular Religion: With an Annotated Translation of His Kitab iqtida as-sirat al-mustaqim mukhalafat ashab al-jahim (reprint ed.). Walter de Gruyter. pp. 12–13, 242–3. ISBN 9783111662381.