Is it permissible to celebrate the Prophet's (PBUH) birthday?

Is it permissible to celebrate the Prophet's birthday (Allah bless him and give him peace)?

Taken from sunnipath.com (original article taken from The Muslim Magazine, 1998)

Assalamu alaikum,

The traditional scholars generally agree that it is in itself permitted to celebrate the Prophet's birthday (Allah bless him and give him peace), as long as the celebrations are free of the unlawful or reprehensible, such as free intermingling of the sexes, excessive wasteful spending, and the like, and it is not held to be something necessary to do such that those who chose not to participate are considered to be in error. Those traditional scholars who criticize it do not criticize the event itself, but these related excesses. As they themselves admit, if these matters are not found, the event itself is permitted.

The article below, by a recognized traditional scholar, Shaykh Isa Mani`, explains the permissibility of the Mawlid.

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Should we celebrate Mawlid (The Prophet's (s) birthday)?

Yes we should celebrate it every year
And every month and every week
And every hour and every moment.

Dr. `Isa al-Mani` al-Humayri, Department of Awqaaf, Dubai
Office of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dubai Administration of Ifta' and Research

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