Laws about birthdays (chapter 133)

133.1 Celebrating birthdays is not allowed. (Fatwa 1027) The evidence in the Quraan and Sunnah indicates that celebrating birthdays is a kind of bidah or innovation in religion, which has no basis in the pure shareeah. It is not permitted to accept invitations to birthday celebrations, because this involves supporting and encouraging bidah. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): Or have they partners with Allaah (false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allaah has not allowed? [al-Shoora 42:21] Then We have put you (O Muhammad) on a plain way of (Our) commandment. So follow that, and follow not the desires of those who know not. Verily, they can avail you nothing against Allaah (if He wants to puish you). Verily, the zaalimoon (wrongdoers) are awliyaa (protectors, helpers, etc.) to one another, but Allaah is the Wali (Protector, Helper) of the muttaqoon (pious). [al-Jaathiyah 45:18-19] Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord, and follow not any awliyaa (protectors, helpers, etc.) besides Him. Little do you remember! [al-Araaf 7:3] According to saheeh reports, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever does something that is a not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) will have it rejected (reported by Muslim in his Saheeh); and The best of speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The most evil of things are those which have been newly invented (in religion), and every innovation is a going astray. There are many other ahaadeeth that convey the same meaning. Besides being bidah and having no basis in shareeah, these birthday celebrations also involve imitation of the Jews and Christians in their birthday celebrations. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, warning us against following their ways and traditions: You would follow the ways of those who came before you step by step, to such an extent that if they were to enter a lizards hole, you would enter it too. They said, O Messenger of Allaah, (do you mean) the Jews and Christians? He said, Who else? (Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: Whoever imitates a people is one of them.(Fataawa Islamiyyah, 1/115); (Islam Q&A) 133.2 Is it permissible to make a cake to give to a child on his birthday without having a party? (Fatwa 175577) Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: In Islam there are only two celebrations, namely Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha; anything other than these two celebrations is an innovated festival or occasion and it is not permissible to celebrate it or to help others to do so. The scholars of the Standing Committee said: It is not permissible to celebrate the occasion of Laylat al-Qadr or any other night, or to

commemorate other occasions, such as the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan (laylat an-nusf min Shabaan), the night of the Miraaj (Prophets ascent to heaven), and the Prophets birthday (Mawlid), because these are innovations that have been introduced into Islam and that were not narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or from his Companions. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) will have it rejected. It is not permissible to help others to hold these celebrations by means of money, gifts or distributing cups of tea, or by giving speeches and lectures on these occasions, because that comes under the heading of approving of them and encouraging them. Rather one should denounce them and not attend them. End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daaimah, 2/257-258 Based on that, it is not permissible for you to make cakes for these and similar occasions, because that comes under the heading of helping others to celebrate them. Celebrating them is not permissible, so helping others to do so is not permissible either, because of the general meaning of the words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning): Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment [al-Maaidah 5:2]. The scholars of the Standing Committee also said: Exchanging gifts is something that creates love and harmony among people, and dispels resentment and hatred. It is something that is encouraged in Islam; the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to accept gifts and reciprocate, and that is something that is commonly done among the Muslims, praise be to Allah. But if the gift is accompanied by a reason that is not acceptable in Islam, then it is not permissible, such as giving gifts on the day of Ashoora or in Rajab, or on the occasion of birthdays and other innovated occasions, because that is helping in falsehood and participating in bidah (innovation). End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daaimah, 16/176 Making a cake and giving it to the child on this day, and telling him that this is his birthday so as to make him happy, comes under the heading of celebrating, even if his family do not call it a celebration. Undoubtedly celebration may take many different forms, but this does not mean that it is permissible. They have only chosen this day to give the child a gift because in their hearts they feel some love for this occasion and are trying not to let the day pass without celebrating it, even if that is only by giving a gift to the child. And Allah knows best. (Islam Q&A) 133.3 Ruling on attending an invitation knowing that it is for the occasion of someones birthday. (Fatwa 104446) Praise be to Allaah. It is not acceptable to celebrate the birthday of anyone, because if that is done as an act of worship in order to draw closer to Allaah, it is an innovation (bidah) because it is not mentioned in shareeah. If it is done repeatedly, as a habit, then it becomes an innovated festival or eid, and an imitation of the non-Muslims from whom these celebrations have been taken.

If a person is invited to a meal and he knows or thinks it most likely that it is a celebration of the birthday of one of the people, then it is not prescribed for him to attend, because his attending is approval of the evil deed and helping in it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment [al-Maaidah 5:2] And Allaah knows best. (Islam Q&A) 133.4 Ruling on accepting gifts and food such as sweets on her birthday from her family who celebrate it. (Fatwa 146449) Praise be to Allaah. Celebrating a persons birthday and taking it as an eid or festival that comes every year is an innovation and imitation of the kuffaar. Hence it is haraam to celebrate it whether that is done as an act of worship or as a custom and tradition. You have done well by not celebrating it, and we ask Allah to reward you with good for that. If your family celebrates that, then you have to do two things: 1. 2. Offer them sincere advice and explain that this is something that is not allowed in our religion. Do not take part in the celebrations and avoid doing anything that could be understood as approval.

These guidelines will help you with regard to gifts that are given to you and with regard to eating food or sweets that are made on these occasions. The basic principle is that you should not accept any kind of gifts that come on such occasions, whether they are given to you on the same day or afterwards, because accepting them implies approval of the occasion and helps to perpetuate it. So you should excuse yourself from accepting them, with the best of manners. If you are afraid that it will spoil the relationship between you and your friend, then explain to her that you are accepting this gift because of her friendship, not because of this innovation, and explain to her that you will not accept that in the future and you will not give her a gift on her birthday. With regard to food or sweets that are made for this occasion, you should definitely avoid them, because making and eating them are part of the celebration; not eating it means that you are clearly objecting to this innovation, and that may be a cause of their giving it up. And Allah knows best. (Islam Q&A)