Mufti Abdul-’Azeez Rejects Salman al-Awdah’s Fatwa on Birthdays
| Who is Salmaan al-Awdah? He is upon the misguided ideology of Ikhwan al-Muslimoon and its figurehead Syed Qutb - he is a political activist. Most major Sunni/Salafi scholars have refuted him at some stage (such as Al-Albaanee, Ibn Baaz, Ibn Uthaimeen, Muqbil bin Haadi, Rabee’ bin Haadee etc). Shaikh Ibn Baaz requested the religious authorities in Saudi Arabia to prevent his lectures from being distributed and that he be prevented from misguiding the people. He has visited the UK a few times and Yasir Qadhi (in opposition to the Scholarly rulings) was his chief translator - Qadhi introduced al-Awdah as a true scholar. Salman is known for his strange and deviated rulings, such as participating in the innovated, misguided celebration of Eid Milad an-Nabi (the Prophet’s birthday) alongside Sufis.
Grand mufti rejects Salman Al-Oadah’s fatwa |
| JEDDAH: Celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries has no base in Islam, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Alsheikh has said.
The mufti made the comments while answering a question from Al-Madinah newspaper after prominent Qassim-based scholar Salman Al-Oadah issued a fatwa saying that celebrating such occasions was not against the rules of Shariah. “Such a call is against righteousness. A Muslim should thank Almighty Allah if his children are healthy and if his married life is stable as the years pass by. He should say: Alhamdu Lillah for His generosity and kindness,” said Al-Alsheikh, who is also the chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and the head of the Presidency for Scientific Research and Religious Edicts (Dar Al-Ifta). Speaking on satellite television last week, Al-Oadah, who is the general supervisor of the Islamtoday website, created controversy after ruling that there is nothing un-Islamic in celebrating wedding anniversaries and birthdays. “It is normal for a son or daughter to celebrate birthdays. They can invite their friends for a meal on this occasion. I see nothing wrong in this,” he said. Al-Alsheikh, who is the highest religious authority in the Kingdom, said Muslims only have two official celebrations — Eid Al-Fitr, which is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, and Eid Al-Adha, which is celebrated on Dhul Hijjah 10. He added that Muslims also have a weekly Eid, which is Friday. The mufti said that the celebration of other occasions such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries and mother’s day were un-Islamic. Several prominent Muslim scholars have supported the mufti, adding that celebrating such occasions is in imitation of people of the Jewish and Christian faiths. |
