Saheeh Seerah Al Albaanee English

ﷺ Chapter 2: The Birth of the Messenger of Allaah
The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ was born on a Monday, as was reported by Imaam
Muslim in his Ṣaḥeeḥ.
Abu Qataadah رضي ‏ُاهلل ‏ُعنه reported: The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ was asked about
fasting on Mondays. He ﷺ said: ❝That is the day on which I was born and on which
I was commissioned with Prophethood or the day on which I received Revelation.❞ 13
14
He ﷺ was born in the year of the elephant. This was reported by Al-Baihaqee (in
رضيُ‏ Dalaa’il al-Nubuwwah [Signs of the Prophethood]) on the authority of Ibn `Abbaas
Khayyaat. 15 and there is a consensus about it as mentioned by Khaleefah Ibn اهللُعنهما
13 Ṣaḥeeḥ Muslim (1162)
[TN: This is the Ḥadeeth which many wrongly interpret to support Mawlid al-Nabawee (celebrating the Prophet’s
birthday). The points that should be considered: 1) Imaam Muslim mentioned this Ḥadeeth under: “The Book of
Fasting”. If it was a day of Eid or celebration, why did he not mention it under: “The Book of Eid” or under: “The
Book of Aqeeqah”? 2) The Ḥadeeth encourages Fasting and not Feasting or Celebrating. 3) Monday does not
come once a year; rather, Monday comes every WEEK; four times a Month on an average and fifty-two times a
Gregorian YEAR and even less in a Hijri YEAR. 4) The Ḥadeeth clearly mentions the Merit of the DAY, i.e.
“Monday” and not of a particular DATE. If it was so, then why did not the companions take a note of that DATE?
That way there would not have been a doubt about the EXACT DATE of the Prophet’s birth. [Most of the reports
which mention 12 th Rabee` al-Awwal as the most likely DATE of the Prophet’s birth, also mention that 12 th Rabee`
al-Awwal is the DATE of the Prophet’s DEATH. – So are they going to celebrate his birthday or mourn his death?]
5) The Companions knew the DATES of the two Eids. But why did they fail to take a note of the DATE when the
Prophet ﷺ was born? Did they not understand Islaam better than us? 6) The MOST important point: If the
birthday of the Prophet ﷺ was to be taken as a day of Eid or special occasion, then fasting in it would not have
been allowed, like how it is not allowed to fast on the days of the two Eids. Even on Fridays, it is not allowed to
fast on its own (unless a person fasts a day prior to it or after it). And this Ḥadeeth CLEARLY mentions about
Fasting and not Feasting.]
14 I (al-Albaanee) say: As for the exact date of birth of the Prophet ‏,ﷺ then there are conflicting reports
regarding the date and the month which Ibn Katheer had mentioned in his book, and all are “Mu`allaq” – i.e.
without a chain of narration. Some said that he ﷺ was born on the 8 th of Rabee` al-Awwal. This was reported
by Imaam Maalik with an authentic chain, on the authority of Jubair Ibn Mut`im who was a Taabi`ee, and this is
why many historians accepted it to be true it and relied on it. But al-Ḥaafiẓh al-Kabeer, Muḥammad Ibn Moosaa
al-Khawaarizmee said that this chain of narration is “Maqtoo`” (broken), and the majority of the scholars are of
the opinion that he ﷺ was born on the 12 th of Rabee` al-Awwal. And Allaah knows best.
رضيُاهللُ‏ 15 I (al-Albaanee) say: al-Ḥaakim also reported it in “al-Mustadrak” (4180) on the authority of Ibn `Abbaas
and he said: “It is “Ṣaḥeeḥ” as per the condition of the Shaikhain”, and it is as he had said. This is further عنهما
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