Bismillahi Al-Rahmani Al-Rahim

Gathering For The Mawlid During The Month Of Rabi` al-Awwal

Q
As'salamu 'alaykum,

Is it permissible to gather during the month of Rabi` al-Awwal to remember the birth of the noble Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)?

A
Wa `alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

In his Lata'if al-Ma`arif, a book on what Muslims should do for each month and season of the years, the great hadith master Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali held three lessons. The first two lessons concerned the birth of the Prophet and the third and final lessons concerning his death. Allah bless him and his family and give them peace. As a bare minimum, this shows that Ibn Rajab considered teaching about the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) during the month of Rabi` al-Awwal to be something not only permissible, but of such importance that it should be done in public. While virtually no Muslims denies the permissibility of studying the biography of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), a vocal minority claims that this is a [blameworthy] innovation.ⁱ Mentioning the birth and death of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as things that Muslims should do during the month of Rabi` al-Awwal is a clear indication from Ibn Rajab that it is permissible

1. to learn about the birth and death of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)

2. to gather in public to do so

3. to emphasis doing it during Rabi` al-Awwal is permissible

While specific modalities of education about, reminding of, and commemoration of these things may take different rulings, they cannot be declared categorically impermissible.

[See: Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Lata'if al-Ma`arif. Damascus: Dar Ibn Kathir. 1999/1420 AH. pp158-216]

And Allah knows best.

Wa al-salamu `alaykum,
--Musa