Why Muslims are not allowed to celebrate their birthday

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Many believers are interested in the question of whether it is true that Muslims cannot celebrate their birthday, and if so, why. Let's look at it in more detail.

Controversial points in interpretation

Any secular holidays traditionally raise many questions among modern Muslims. A person decides to persistently observe the canons of Islam, and this deserves respect. But others sometimes forget that he has changed a lot in his life, and therefore can congratulate him on his birthday.

Some Muslims are not at all happy with such congratulations; moreover, they feel offended. But can such a reaction on their part be considered correct? Why is it forbidden for a Muslim to celebrate his birthday? And what should he do in order not to offend the one from whom this congratulation came?

Imitation of other religions

There is a well-founded answer to the question of why Muslims should not celebrate their birthday. Prophet Muhammad explicitly forbade his followers to imitate representatives of other religions.

When the laity turned to theologians for explanations, they explained the essence of such a prohibition many times. The point is that a Muslim should not do things that make others think that he belongs to their religion or other confession.

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If you do not follow the traditions of Islam, people can generally imagine that a person is an atheist. An example of inappropriate behavior is when a Muslim goes out into the street wearing provocative clothes and shaving off his beard, and then communicates with the people around him using foul language. Thus, he tries to look like everyone else, to seem like a "tough guy", which should be condemned.

What the Qur'an Says About Birthday

The date of birth certainly deserves special respect. Many nations around the world celebrate it. As for the Holy Quran, it says that a birthday is a remarkable holiday, moreover, one of the most important events in a person's life.

Not only individual religious groups practice congratulating someone on this event. That is why any Muslim can accept birthday greetings. This does not make him an unbeliever.

Also, do not be offended by people who decided to congratulate him on this event. But this does not mean that you can allow yourself to go to other extremes, for example, arrange festive feasts in honor of the date of birth.

What did the prophet say about this

Prophet Muhammad said that everything new that will be introduced into the world of Islam must be rejected. The best word he called the words of Allah. They, according to his statements, were taken as the basis of the holy book - the Koran, and it was he who should be the best guide for Muslims.

For the same reason, he insisted that celebrating a birthday is an innovation, and any innovation can be considered a delusion. The point is that a Muslim should not do things that make others think that he belongs to their religion or other confession.

This practice is perceived as an imitation of Christians and Jews. The Prophet in every possible way warned believers against observing such a tradition.

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He argued that following exactly the representatives of the other world could lead to other mistakes. The Prophet Muhammad said: "… if they enter the lizard's hole, then you will enter there too." By this he wanted to say that the one who will become like a certain people will become one of their number.

Gift giving

Another interesting question, besides why Muslims should not celebrate the date of birth. Islamic scholars are unanimous about this point. This is an uncharacteristic act. This is why scientists recommend refraining from gifts on the specified date.

On the other hand, they pay attention to the need to avoid resentment from others in response to such behavior. Therefore, if a Christian or a representative of another confession wants to please a believing Muslim with a gift, it should be accepted without fail, especially if there is a high probability that the giver will be offended.

Summarizing

1. According to the canons of Islam, it is impossible to celebrate a birthday by having a feast and receiving gifts.
2. On the other hand, a birthday is an important moment, which should serve as a reason to reflect on the past year, analyze your own mistakes and try not to repeat them in the future.
3. Islam recommends not to refuse a gift if it is presented by a non-Muslim who is motivated by good intentions.