Fighting Shirk & Bid'ah - Reviving Tawheed & Sunnah (Islamic Book)

IN#22 CELEBRATION OF MOTHERS DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY

 Fatwas of Ibn Baz

The Islamic ruling on celebrating mother's day and family day

I have read an article published in Al-Nadwah magazine issued in 30/11/1384 A.H. under the title "Honoring the Mother and Honoring the Family". I noticed that the writer partially approved of the Western innovation of specifying a day to celebrate the mother. Further, he said that many thinkers have disregarded feelings of grief and sorrow of the children who have lost their mothers while watching others honoring theirs. 

The writer suggests honoring the entire family and explained that no similar feast is known in Islam, since Shari'ah (Islamic law) obligates honoring the mother and treating her kindly at all times without specifying a day for her.The writer is correct as he says there is no similar feast in Islam and as he mentions its disadvantages, which were overlooked by those who invented it. Yet, he did not mention that this Bid'ah (innovation in the religion) contradicts the authentic texts confirmed by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and leads to many evils and imitation of Mushriks (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and Kafirs (disbelievers). 

In a few words, I wish to warn the writer and others from the evils of Bid'ah introduced by ignorant people and enemies of Islam, thus giving a false idea about Islam and driving people away from it. Only Allah (Glorified be He) knows how much evil and dissension occurs as a result.

ANSWER:

It is confirmed in many Sahih (authentic) Hadith related from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he warned against innovation in Islam and against imitation of the enemies of Allah among the Jews, the Christians and other Mushriks. He (peace be upon him) stated, "Whoever introduces something into this matter of ours (Islam) that is not from it, it will be rejected."(Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) In another narration by Muslim, he (peace be upon him) stated, Anyone who does an action which is not stated in this matter of ours (Islam) will have it rejected. It means that such actions will be rejected. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say in the Friday Khutbah (sermon), "The best of speech is Allah's Book (Qur'an), the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the worst matters are novelties (introduced into the religion) and every Bid'ah is misguidance." (Related by Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) book of Hadith)

There is no doubt that marking a specific day to celebrate the mother or family is an innovation that was not a practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or his righteous Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet). Therefore, it is obligatory to abandon this practice and warn people against it; holding fast only to what Allah and His Messenger have ordained.The writer has already mentioned that Shari'ah honors the mother and promotes kind treatment toward her at all times. This is true, it is the duty of all Muslims to fulfill Allah's Commands in being dutiful to the mother, honoring her, treating her kindly and obeying her in what is good at all times. Muslims should also beware of innovations in Islam - as Allah has warned - that lead to imitating the enemies of Allah and following their Bid'ah. This does not refer only to the mother, for Allah has ordered Muslims to be dutiful to their parents and to treat them kindly and to keep good relations with kith and kin. 

He (Glorified be He) warns Muslims against ungratefulness and severing ties of kinship, especially with the mother who assumes a huge responsibility and endures hardships in caring for and bringing up the child. Allah (Glorified be He) states: And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. Allah (Exalted be He) states: And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years - give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination. He also states: Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship? Such are they whom Allâh has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their sight. 

Further, it is confirmed that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated, "Should I inform you of the most grievous major sins?" It was said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" He said, "Associating anything with Allah and ingratitude to parents." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was reclining, and then he sat up and said, "And false testimony or false utterance." 

It is also reported in another Hadith: A man once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah! Who among the people is most deserving of my kind treatment?" He (peace be upon him) said, "Your mother." He, again, said, "Then who?" He (peace be upon him) said, "Your mother." He said, "Then who?" He (peace be upon him) said, "Your mother." He (again) said, "Then who?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, "Your father, then the nearer and then the nearer (to you)." He (peace be upon him) also stated, "The person who severs [ties of kinship] will not enter Paradise." He meant the person who severs the bonds of kinship.

Moreover, it is confirmed that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated, "Whoever would like to have their wealth increased and their life prolonged, should keep good relations with their family." There are many Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) and Hadith stressing the importance of being dutiful to parents and maintaining the ties of kinship; those dedicated to the mother and stressing her right are even more of which we have stated quite enough. All of this evidence shows the obligation of honoring, respecting and treating both parents kindly, as well as all relatives at all times. They also show that being undutiful to parents and severing the ties of kinship are among the worst qualities and gravest sins which lead to incurring Allah's Wrath and entering Hellfire, may Allah save us. These meanings are greater and far more important than what the Westerners do of marking a day to celebrate the mother while neglecting her the rest of the year, in addition to neglecting the rights of the father and other relatives.

Such celebrations hold many evils apart from their contradiction to Shari'ah and leading to falling into what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has warned Muslims against.

Similar to the mother's day celebration, others have innovated celebrating birthdays, independence days, ascension to the throne and other occasions. These are all Bid'ahs which Muslims have taken from the enemies of Allah, neglecting the warnings and prohibitions of Shari'ah. 

Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated,  "You would follow the same path as those before you, like an arrow following an arrow. So, if they entered into a lizard's hole, you would follow them." It was said, "O Messenger of Allah! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?" He (peace be upon him) said, "Who else?" In another narration, he (peace be upon him) said, "My nation would followt he same path as those before it, hand span by hand span and arm's length by arm's length." It was said, "O Messenger of Allah! Do you mean the Persians and Byzantines?" He (peace be upon him) said, "Who else?" i.e. they are the ones intended

.Indeed, the above mentioned saying given by the truthful Prophet (peace be upon him) took place in the sense that many Muslims follow in the footsteps of those from previous nations, such asthe Jews, the Christians, the Magi and other Kafirs in their morals and deeds, until Islam is estranged and Muslims prefer the guidance of the Kafirs over that of Muslims. 

Many Muslims see good deeds as evil and evil deeds as good and acts of Sunnah as Bid'ahs while Bid'ahs are regarded of the Sunnah due to their ignorance and negligence of Islamic teachings, morals and deeds. Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return. May Allah guide Muslims to understanding His Way, set right their affairs and guide their rulers to what is good. May Allah grant scholars success and aid writers to promote Islam and warn people against Bid'ahs that give it a false reputation, for Allah is Omnipotent over all things. Peace and blessings be upon Allah's Slave and Messenger Muhammad, his family, Companions and those who follow his guidance and Sunnah until the Day of Resurrection.