Celebrating Bismillah for Child.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Secondly,
brother i asked a question a few months ago regarding celebrating `bismillah`
for a child at 4 years, 4 months and 4 days of age. i know it is not from the
sunnah but someone in my family who is from pakistan says that it is something
that happens in alot of families in pakistan and that there is no question of
this being an innovation –
please,
please, please do reply to me . JAZAK ALLAH KHERIAN.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Celebrating Bismillah
for Child
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
The determination of whether a celebration, or a
commemoration, or a particular rite or ritual of a religious nature is a ‘bida’
(innovation) or not, is not based on what happens in a particular land, or a
particular culture, or a particular society, etc…..but the determination of a
‘bida’ in Islam is based on whether that rite of worship is endorsed by Allah
and His Messenger (saws) or not!
If Allah and His Messenger (saws) have endorsed a
celebration, or a commemoration, or a particular rite or a ritual in Islam,
absolutely regardless of whether or not the whole wide world follows it, it
will be considered a deed acceptable to Allah Subahnah…..and if this religious
rite is not specifically endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws), absolutely
regardless of whether every single being on the earth practices it, it will
remain a ‘bida’ or an innovation in the Sight of Allah Subhanah!
A bida or innovation is something which
is invented, innovated, and added to the deen of Islam after the deen was
completed on Prophet Mohamed (saws). It especially concerns the rites and
rituals of worship, or any deed which
was not performed or endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws), but was added as a part of the deen after his
(saws’s) death. It also concerns any
innovated deed which one does and believes that by doing this innovated deed,
he is eligible to earn more reward from Allah Subhanah.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah
Ahzab verse 21:
There is indeed the best example
for you to follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks
forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.
Dear and Beloved brother in Islam, it is the solemn belief
of every true believer who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, that there
was, is, or never will be anyone in the annuls of creation who loved, and
feared, and worshipped Allah Subhanah more or better than the Noble Last and
Final Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws)!
Thus if anyone dares to comes up with any act of worship
like a celebration, or a commemoration, or prescribes importance to any prayer,
or fast, or night or day, or invents, innovates, or adds anything in the deen
of Islam which is not specifically endorsed by the Noble Prophet (saws), then
it implies one of three things:
Allah is our witness brother, if anyone in the annuls of
creation ever claims to have any of the above three qualities is nothing more
than a confirmed and manifest liar!; for Allah is our witness, no man in the
annuls of creation loved or worshipped their Lord more than Prophet Mohamed
(saws), no man in the annuls of creation had more knowledge of the Truth than
the Noble Prophet Mohamed (saws), and Allah is our witness, the Last and Final
Revelations of The Lord Most Majestic were revealed on Prophet Mohamed (saws),
and there is none who will or can receive revelations after him (saws)!
If one brings, invents, adds or innovates any act or deed
in religion which has not been specifically endorsed by Allah and His Messenger
(saws), then it has to be a ‘bida’ (innovation in the religion after the deen
was completed on Prophet Mohamed (saws)), and Allah is our witness, every
innovation in the deen of Islam is an error in the Sight of Allah Subhanah!
Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a
sermon: “The best speech is that which
is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran;
and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the
innovations (bida), and every innovation (bida) is an error.”
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If
anyone introduces an innovation (bida in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation (bida) or
gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (bida), he is cursed
by Allah, by His Angels, and by all the people!”
Your question:
…..regarding celebrating `bismillah` for a child at 4 years, 4 months and 4
days of age. i know it is not from the sunnah …….. and that there is no
question of this being an innovation --
To believe that a rite of a religious nature is not from
the ‘Sunnah’, and then to believe that the rite is not a ‘bida’….is a complete
and manifest oxymoron or a contraction in itself!
Allah is our witness brother, there is absolutely no
evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah whereby the Messenger of Allah
(saws) performed this so-called ‘rite’ of ‘Bismillah’ for his own children or
guided the believers to do so…..and if any commemoration, or celebration, or
rite or ritual of a religious nature is not endorsed from the Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah (saws), we absolutely assure you in the Blessed Name of
Allah Subhanah that it can be nothing but a manifestation of the heinous and
despised crime of ‘bida’ or innovation, which has unfortunately been imposed
without authority by some ignorant people in this pure and perfect deen of
Islam…..
Only the most daring and the bold from amongst the
ignorant might chose to ignite the Wrath and Anger of the Lord Most Majestic
Most Supreme by following a ‘bida’ in religion, especially after knowing that
it is not from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah!
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
