GRATITUDE TOWARDS ALMIGHTY ALLAH
By: Moulana Nabeel Hanif Ismail
All praise is due to Allah, Peace, Blessings and Salutations upon the greatest of Allah’s creation Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, his family and all the companions.
Alhamdulillah we are reaching the time of Meelad, in which we celebrate the birth of the Holy Prophet Alaihis Salaam.
Therefore Almighty Allah mentions in the Holy Quraan:
Verse 1: “Publicize well the favors of your lord!” (Surah Duhaa, Verse 11)
From this verse we understand that Almighty Allah is commanding us to publicize the favors of our lord. Which favors should we publicize?
If we are asked to publicize, we will not follow any command but the command of the Holy Quraan.
Almighty Allah has mentioned in the Holy Quraan:
Verse 2: “Almighty Allah has done a major favor upon Muslims by sending his Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam to them” (surah Aale Imraan, verse 164)
We understand from the first verse that Almighty Allah has commanded us to publicize the favors of our lord, and we understand from the second verse that Almighty Allah has done a major favor upon us by sending the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
Now if we take a worldly example for understanding purposes, if one of our Muslim brothers has to do a lot of favors for us, we will publicize the favor that is more beloved and holds more importance according to us. So if this is the case in the world, then it is clearly visible and proven from the Holy Quraan that we must publicize the favors of our lord.
According to the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, no favor holds more importance or has any comparison than the major favor of Almighty Allah upon us, which is the sending of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
From the proof available in the Holy Quraan, we celebrate Meelad upon the command of our lord. We are publicizing Almighty Allah’s major favor upon us.
Why do we express joy on this day and why are we spending so much of money?
Verse 3: “In the Bounty of Almighty Allah and in his mercy; therein let them rejoice. That is better than what (the wealth) they amass (gather together)” (Surah Yunus, Verse 58)
This verse is clearly proving to us to rejoice upon the bounty of Almighty Allah and after learning from the above verse that the Holy prophet is a Major bounty upon us, what stops us from rejoicing?
So what we are spending is better than what we are saving, so why not spend upon the greatest bounty of Almighty Allah which is the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
History
Another wisdom involved in celebrating Meelad is thanking Almighty Allah and showing gratitude for sending the best creation amongst us, who taught us how to eat, how to sit, how to keep ourselves clean, etc.
Before the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam could come in to this world, people were burying their daughters alive. They were regarding it as a disgrace to have a daughter born in the house.
When the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam came into this world, he taught mankind the importance of the women and that women hold more importance than men. Basically everything was taught by the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
So by performing Meelad, marches and celebrations, we show gratitude towards Almighty Allah upon the sending of the teacher of Mankind.
Modern world and celebration
Qasaaid (Poems):
It has to be in your attention that the modern celebrations display that we are showing our happiness by reading Qasaaid (Poems) that praise the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam which was done by the companions of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
When the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was entering Madeenah, the people welcomed him with the following words:
(Tala al Badru Alaina Min Thaniyya aatil Wadaa, Wajabash shukru Alaina Ma da aa lillahi daa)
The people praised him referring to the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam as the moon being revealed upon them from the darkness and in the second stanza they explained that gratitude is Waajib (necessary) upon them for this favor.
Hazrat Hassaan Bin Thaabit Radiallahu Anhu who was the companion of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, praised him with the following words:
“Yaa Rassolallah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, as beautiful as you my eyes have not seen,
As beautiful as you, no mother has given birth to,
You have been created free from all faults,
You have been created according to your desire.”
So we today are thanking Almighty Allah on the same day the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was sent and read Poems praising him in our languages.
Parade (Juloos):
In the Juloos, Durood is being sent upon the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, his family and companions.
So performing Juloos becomes a means of publicizing and publicizing is the command of Almighty Allah. So by doing so we are following the command of Almighty Allah.
Teaching Mankind:
Not only do we march and display our love and gratitude, but after we have read the Qasaaid and Durood, we gather the people and discuss the Seerah (life) of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
This takes place at the end of the Juloos and this is the Sunnat of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
So from our actions of Meelad, we have proven every act from the Holy Quraan and the actions of the Companions Radiallahu Anhum ajmaeen.
May Almighty Allah guide all of us,
May we become good followers of Islam.
Jazakumullah
Moulana Nabeel Hanif Ismail