Celebrating the birthday of Mawla Ali

Discussion in 'Hanafi Fiqh' started by Aqdas, Mar 1, 2021.

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  1. Aqdas

    Aqdas Staff Member

    1. Zayd loves the remembrance of Mawla Ali.
    2. So Zayd commemorates the urs of Ali.
    3. But Zayd feels celebrating the BIRTH of Ali is something specific to shiah.
    4. So he avoids the celebration and asks the same of others.
    5. He thinks to celebrate it would be imitation (tashabbuh) of shiah.
    6. Not that he considers the celebration itself forbidden.
    7. The celebration in itself would be permitted (mustahabb).
    8. It can be argued whether or not it would come under tashabbuh.
    9. Zayd might be wrong in his conclusion.
    10. But he cannot be accused of hatred for Ali because he isn't opposing it due to the remembrance, but because of what he perceives as imitation.
    11. Therefore, this is a fiqh issue of what does or doesn't constitute imitation.
    12. Those who make it an issue of aqidah are bereft of basic understanding.

    رضي الله عنه
     
  2. Aqdas

    Aqdas Staff Member

    Tashabbuh means imitation. When an act that is specific to non-Sunnis is imitated by Sunnis.

    So the reason why I feel some ulama voiced opposition to the celebration of the birth of Mawla Ali wasn't because the act is wrong per se but because until very recently, maybe even this year, it was a specific hallmark of shiah. It was not something Sunnis marked.

    Again, to reiterate, it is NOT because the day itself is inconsequential. No. It is the birth of Mawla Ali, the lion of Allah.

    But because of perceived tashabbuh, some ulama said we should refrain. Instead, we should continue doing the urs of Mawla Ali. That has been an age old practice of Ahl al-Sunnah and NOT something specific to shiah.

    That's all. They didn't oppose out of hatred. The debate can be had whether or not we should mark it and if it's still a practice specific to shiah. But to say it was opposed due to hatred shows a total lack of understanding. It is a fiqh issue and it is ignorance to turn it into an aqidah one.

    Some gave examples of them celebrating their own birthdays or those of pirs et al. It is an incorrect analogy as that isn't tashabbuh.
     
  3. Aqdas

    Aqdas Staff Member

    If a person commemorates the urs of Mawla Ali but opines that celebrating his birth shouldn't be done, then it is nonsensical to say his opposition to the latter is borne out of hatred.

    We have to employ common sense.

    If he indeed hated Mawla Ali, why would he do the urs? That in itself proves he likes the remembrance of Mawla Ali.

    What makes more sense is to conclude that his opposition to the celebration of the birth is for other reasons, such as imitation of shiah.

    Whether he is right or wrong, in this day and age, to adjudge that it is tashabbuh is something that can be debated. But he certainly can't be ruled an enemy of ahl al-bayt.

    If he also opposed the urs of Mawla Ali, then I'd agree. But because urs is a practice of Ahl al-Sunnah, he partakes in it.

    We should accord husn al-zann that his opinion is for other reasons, right or wrong.
     

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