AL-KAFI SERIES 192: THE RULING OF CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS AND WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
Question:
Assalamualaikum Datuk Mufti. What is the ruling of celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Pertaining to this matter, some scholars are of the view that it is permissible, but with certain guidelines like not claiming or believing that the celebration is one of Islamic practice, a Sunnah or is encouraged. I would like to cite a statement of our teacher Fadhilatus Syeikh Rusdi Salim al-Qalam, where he said: “It is not a custom of a Muslim to celebrate many forms of festivities. This is because, in Islam, there are only two festivities; ‘Eid al-Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adha.”
Meanwhile, merely remembering and manifesting happiness as well as muhasabah (self-reflection) on how close death is as we are growing older and by revising our past actions, or maintaining the relationship of married life and trying to mend the bond between husband and wife, then this is permissible.
However, if it results in the mixing between non-mahram men and women, utterances which are detestable to Allah SWT, indecent singing and dancing, then it is impermissible because they are gatherings of transgression and falsehood.
Hence, let us follow and obey Allah’s Shari’a. May Allah ease our lives and make us from among His blessed servants. Ameen.
Wallahua’lam.