Are baby showers and birthdays forbidden in Islam

[honey123]

Assalam Alaikum brothers and sisters!

Last week I had a discussion with another sister about baby showers and birthdays, she's with me in Quran class. She says that baby showers and birthdays r forbidden in Islam but i wasnt very convinced with what she had to say. My point is dat y r dey forbidden in Islam? Some of my muslim friends are throwing a baby shower for me, it is a ladies only function, they are gonna serve food and have some games over, the guests are gonna bring gifts and that's all. But this friend of mine is very against it n she told me I should stop my other friends from throwing a baby shower for me because this way I am following the culture of american ppl but I don't understand what's wrong in it. It's just a simple function, there's no such thing in the function that is against Islam, it's just that em sharing my happiness with my other muslim sisters and in a way it's gonna b a financial help for me too, they are gonna bring stuff for my baby which is gonna lessen the burden of my expenses for baby shopping.
Similarly she's very against birthdays too but i dont get the point. for example lets say if it's my birthday and i only invite some of my friends which are all ladies obviously, v just have dinner and some good chit chat n dey bring gifts for me dats all, I asked her if it's such a birthday party what's wrong in it according to Islam. she said dat v shud b sad on our birthdays as v r getting one year closer to death but my point is dat v all muslims know dat or life here is just an exam so instead of getting sad on our birthday y dont v think positive and be happy by considering dat v r one year closer to our result day.
I completely understand dat it's totally wrong to celebrate events like christmas, easter, diwali, holi etc cuz dese r the religious festivals of other religions and being muslims we shouldnt celebrate them but when it comes to anniversaries, birthdays, baby showers, these are all man made festivals, dey arent religious festivals, then why is it forbidden to celebrate them??
As far as i know Islam encourages socializing, exchanging gifts with friends and family and sharing your happiness with them. These kind of discussions really confuse me. I hope u guys cud help me out
Jazakallah!

 

[Hamza Asadullah]

Assalam Alaikum brothers and sisters!

Last week I had a discussion with another sister about baby showers and birthdays, she's with me in Quran class. She says that baby showers and birthdays r forbidden in Islam but i wasnt very convinced with what she had to say. My point is dat y r dey forbidden in Islam? Some of my muslim friends are throwing a baby shower for me, it is a ladies only function, they are gonna serve food and have some games over, the guests are gonna bring gifts and that's all. But this friend of mine is very against it n she told me I should stop my other friends from throwing a baby shower for me because this way I am following the culture of american ppl but I don't understand what's wrong in it. It's just a simple function, there's no such thing in the function that is against Islam, it's just that em sharing my happiness with my other muslim sisters and in a way it's gonna b a financial help for me too, they are gonna bring stuff for my baby which is gonna lessen the burden of my expenses for baby shopping.
Similarly she's very against birthdays too but i dont get the point. for example lets say if it's my birthday and i only invite some of my friends which are all ladies obviously, v just have dinner and some good chit chat n dey bring gifts for me dats all, I asked her if it's such a birthday party what's wrong in it according to Islam. she said dat v shud b sad on our birthdays as v r getting one year closer to death but my point is dat v all muslims know dat or life here is just an exam so instead of getting sad on our birthday y dont v think positive and be happy by considering dat v r one year closer to our result day.
I completely understand dat it's totally wrong to celebrate events like christmas, easter, diwali, holi etc cuz dese r the religious festivals of other religions and being muslims we shouldnt celebrate them but when it comes to anniversaries, birthdays, baby showers, these are all man made festivals, dey arent religious festivals, then why is it forbidden to celebrate them??
As far as i know Islam encourages socializing, exchanging gifts with friends and family and sharing your happiness with them. These kind of discussions really confuse me. I hope u guys cud help me out
Jazakallah!

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Principally, birthdays are not something that should be celebrated or to be happy about. When it is someone's birthday, one year of his/her life has decreased, and not increased. As such, what intelligence is there in celebrating and showing happiness when a year has decreased in one's life?

Before understanding the legal ruling with regards to birthday celebrations, it is worth remembering here that imitation of the unbelievers (Kuffar) is something that Islam strictly disapproves of.

In a Hadith recorded by Imam Abu Dawud (Allah have Mercy on him) and others, The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said:

"Whosoever imitates a nation is amongst them". (Sunan Abu Dawud,)

It should be remembered here that not everything what the non-Muslims wear and do, is Haram and unlawful. Imitation, which is prohibited, is effected in one of the following two ways:

a) One does something with the intention of imitating the Kuffar, meaning one does so because one wants to be like a particular non-believer or non-believers.

b) Doing something that is unique and exclusive to the non-believers or it is part of their faith. This will also be considered imitation, thus Haram (unlawful). (See the Fatwa of Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani).

In light of the above, there are few situations with regards to the Shariah (legal) ruling on celebrating birthdays:

1)If it is celebrated by imitating the Kuffar in that all or some of the customs that are unique with the Kuffar are adopted, or acts that are unlawful in Shariah are committed, then there is no doubt in its impermissibility. The lighting of candles on a cake that number the years of one's life and then blowing on them, playing of music, singing, extravagant and lavish spending, showing off, etc are all unlawful and forbidden practices. Thus, if birthdays are celebrated by adopting the above-mentioned customs, it will not be permissible.

2)If the above-mentioned evils are avoided, then there are two possibilities:

a) If one celebrates birthdays with the intention of imitating the Kuffar meaning one does so because one wants to be like the Kuffar, then, as stated previously, it will be considered imitating the Kuffar, thus unlawful.

b) If there is no intention of imitating the Kuffar (and also the above mentioned evils are avoided) then the ruling on celebrating birthdays will depend on whether it originated from the religious customs of the non-Muslims and it is part of their faith. (It can not be considered to be unique with the Kuffar, for celebrating birthdays has become a widespread phenomenon that is carried out in many different parts of the world). I am personally unaware of whether celebrating birthdays has a connection with the Christian faith or other wise, thus I am unable to give a decisive ruling.

However, I have mentioned the criterion of which the ruling will be based. If the origins of birthday celebrations are connected to a particular faith, then there is no doubt in its impermissibility. If, however, it has no connections with the faith of the non-Muslims, then (and Allah knows best) it seems that it would be permissible to celebrate it (provided the evils mentioned above are avoided).

3)If one thanks Allah and shows gratitude for being blessed with one more year of his life, thus expresses happiness and joy, then there is nothing wrong with that. (See: al-Fatawa al-Rahimiyya (urdu), 6/320).

And Allah knows best

Source: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=2106&CATE=115


There is some evidence that birthday celebrations come from paganistic beliefs. The same goes for baby showers. Read more here:


http://www.pregnancy-period.com/baby-shower-history.html

So it would be far better to avoid celebrating birthdays. Instead just make dua for a better year etc. The same goes for baby showers. Maybe re-structure your event towards something more Islamic rather than calling it a birthday or baby shower. Just make it like a dawah for happiness of the birth of your child your friends where they may give you gifts etc.

And Allah knows best in all matters

 

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

There is nothing wrong with celebrations that are free of relgious overtones such as wedding anniversaries, birthdays etc according to the esteemed Sh. Bin Bayyah and other scholars. Please read the following:

The holidays which are forbidden [for Muslims] to observe are those with religious overtones, such as Christmas and Easter,1 not the festive gatherings people observe due to certain events. Therefore, people are allowed to celebrate wedding anniversaries, birthdays or any occasion as such celebrations are not related to religious holidays. It is imperative that we work to remove the confusion surrounding this misunderstanding and the doubts that have affected many people [regarding this issue]. [Because of this misunderstanding] people find hardship and difficulty in their religion. Especially when a religious minded person holds [such non religious celebrations] to be from the major sins or rejected acts when, in fact, they are not.

Understanding an Important legal maxim [The origin of things is permissibility unless there is a text to the contrary]

The origin of things is permissibility so there is no problem with you attending such an event. The school of Ahmed [Hanabliah] allowed the celebration of al-’Atirah which was a sacrifice, during the month of Rajab, observed by the people who lived prior to the advent of the Prophet [may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him]. Although the school of Imam Malik [Malikis] considered it disliked, since it was a practice from those days, the school of Ahmed allowed this practice since there was no text [from the Qur'an, Sunna or Consensus] that explicitly forbade it. Thus, this practice remained upon its original ruling, permissibility [here the sheikh is showing us how the scholars utilized the legal maxim mentioned above]. So, if people gather together to sacrifice there is no objection for them to congregate, celebrate, enjoy themselves and commemorate the independence of their country. Therefore, there is no hardship in celebrating such occurrences.

With regards to the statement [of the Prophet may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] that “Allah [The Exalted] has given you better than those (feasts): Eid al-Adha (Sacrificing) and the ‘Eid al-Fitr”, then “those feasts” were those with strict religious over tones: one a Christian holiday and the other a pagan one. In addition, the Prophet [may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him] mentioned that the Islamic holidays were two: ‘Eid al-Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adha. But it is not understood from this that he [may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him] forbade people from gathering and celebrating [other non-religious occasions]. Even if a person considered [such gatherings] disliked there is no need for him to bother others by making things difficult that were not prohibited by the Qur’an, the Sunna, the consensus [of the scholars] and where no agreement was reached within the schools of Islamic law.

This is because ease in matters [such as these where there is no prohibition and the origin is that of permissibility] is a must, and those statements that create hardship and burden [related to such matters], that are not based on explicit texts [that prohibit them], are weak. Thus, there is nothing that prohibits us from facilitating such matters for the people and giving them some breathing room because ease and facilitation are from the foundations of Islam: Allah says, “And He did not make any hardship for you in religion.” [Surah al-Hajj 78] and “Allah wants to lighten your burdens.” [Surah al-Nisa V. 28] and “Verily, with hardship there is ease. Verily with hardship there is ease.” [Surah al-Sharh V. 5-6]. The Prophet [may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Facilitate [things] and do not make things difficult. Give glad tidings, and do not cause others to flee.” In closing, we reiterate that the foundation of Islam is ease and the independent interpretation of the legal sources [ijtihad of scholars] is respected but is not [equal to] texts from the Shari’ah [Qur'an and Sunna].”

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/islam-studies/islamic-law/sh-bin-bayyah-on-holidays-free-of-religious-overtones/​

In addition, much confusion is caused by incorrect citations of the hadeeth that states that the one who imitates a people is from them, please read the following for a balanced and scholarly discussion:
http://www.suhaibwebb.com/islam-stu...ation-on-the-hadith-of-imitation-suhaib-webb/

 

[Snowflake]

Isn't the fact that you're celebrating a birthday, even if it void of imitation of the kufar, still an imitation since birthdays are a pagan invention and were not celebrated during the times of the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam)? I try to imagine how much the Prophet (saw) loved his grandsons (ra), Aisha (ra), Fatima (ra). No less than we love our children/family. Yet he did not celebrate their birthdays. Surely it's more pious not to then?

 

[Snowflake]

Assalamu alaykum Sis,

I forgot to say what I think about baby showers. Baby showers aren't associated with any religious belief. They were traditionally held to prepare a woman for motherhood, and she was given advice and gifts to start her on this new journey. Therefore there's nothing wrong with doing that provided it takes place after the birth. Holding this gathering before the baby's born suggests that we know the future, and that we are sure the baby will be born alive. This is shirk, since only Allah has that knowledge and we don't. Thus as long as it is free from shirk, and done after the birth, I don't see any problem with it. It's a lovely way to make a new mother feel special and help her out at this blessed but trying time of her life.





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