The Truth Behind the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) Birth Date and the Practice of Fasting on Mondays

Understanding the Prophet’s (ﷺ) Birth Date and the Significance of Fasting on Mondays

They say, Prophet(ﷺ) used to fast every Monday, because he was born on that day, so one can hold gatherings, fast and increase in any act of worship on the day of Mawlid.

Answer:

The Prophet(ﷺ) commemorated the day of his birth NOT THE DATE.

Monday is a weekly occurrence but the Mawlid is celebrated yearly in month of Rabbi ul awwal.  He(ﷺ) did not follow up his fast by any celebration nor did he encourage it. Besides, this was not the only reason why he used to fast on this day. Other narrations mention that he also fasted on these days because Monday was the day when he started receiving the revelation (Muslim 1162), and Mondays and Thursdays are the days when the record of our deeds are raised up to Allah(ﷻ)(Tirmidhi 747). Also, it is forbidden to fast on an Eid day; if the Mawlid was a legitimate Eid then why did the Prophet(ﷺ) fast on it? Just think with an open mind my brother/sister.

Furthermore, there is not a single narration from the 6 collections which mention an exact date for the Prophet(ﷺ) birth. It is important to mention here that within Arab custom, an individual is recognised by the date of his death and not by the date of his birth. In fact, the date of birth is often not known, hence, the difference of opinion with regards to the date of the Prophet(ﷺ)’s birth are:

1. Those who simply state that it is unspecified.

2. In the month of Rabbiul-Awwal, but do not specify a date. Amongst those who held this opinion was Al-Qastillaanee in his book “Al-Mawaahib Al-Ladunniyya”

3. It was on a Monday as stated in a hadith from the collection of Sahih Muslim(1162). The vast majority are in agreement upon this alongside the dates they have postulated.

4. 2nd Rabī al-Awwal. Abū Ma’shar al-Sindī (d. 171 AH), Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (d. 463) and narrated by Al-Waaqid

5. 5th Rabbi al Awwal (Seerat e Tayyaba page 76).

6. 7th of Rabee’ Al-Awwal. A rejected position which Ibn Dihyah Al-Kalbi narrates from some of the Shi’ah.

7. 8th of Rabī al-Awwal. Those who agree with this date are:

a) Ibn Ḥazm (d. 456 AH),

b) Imām Mālik (d. 179 AH),

c) Az-Zuhrī (d. 128 AH)

d) Ibn Diḥyah Al Kalibi (d. 610 AH),

e) Al-Qutb Al-Qastillaanee states 

f) Al-Qudaa’ee  stated there is a consensus upon this date amongst those learned in date keeping based on astronomical calculations.

g) Ahmed Raza Khan Bareilvi, (Fatawa Rizwiyah, Volume 26, Page 412, 415, Anjuman Faizan Raza and Nutq ul Hilal pg 12 and 13). 

8. 9th of Rabee’ Al-Awwal. Those who agreed with this date are:

a) Amongst those who held this opinion was Egypt well known scholar Paasha Al-Falaki Al-Masri [“At-Taqweem Al-‘Arabi Qabl Al-Islam”  (Az Memood Pasha) pg.36-39, taba’ Qatar, Hadaiq-ul-Anwar page#29, jild 1

b) Allahmah Qazi Suleman Mansurpuri (Rehmatul Alameen 1/40)

c) Allahmah Shubli Naumani (Seerat un Nabi 1/1/71)

9. 10th of Rabī al-Awwal. Those who agree with this date are:

a) Ibn Asākir (d. 571 AH),

b) Abū Ja’far al-Bāqir (d. 114 AH),

c) Ash-Sha’bi[] and 

d) Muhammad Al-Baaqir 

e) as well as being authenticated by Al-Haafidh Ad-Dimyaati Ash-Shaafi’i. 

10. 12th of Rabī al-Awwal. Those who agree with this date are:

a) Ibn Isḥāq (d. 150), who reported it without any reference.

b) Ahmed Raza Khan Bareilvi (Malfoozat 220/2)

c) Mubarakpuri in Sealed Nectar (Ar Raheeq al Maqtum, page 101)

11. 17th of Rabī al-Awwal. This is the opinion of some Shi’ite scholars.

12. 22nd of Rabī al-Awwal. This opinion has also been attributed to Ibn Ḥazm.

13. Multiple dates by Ibn Kathir: 

a) 2 Rabi ul awal

b) 8 Rabi ul awal

c) 10 Rabi ul awal

d) 12 Rabi ul awal

e) 17 Rabi ul awal

f) 18 Rabi ul awal

g) 22 Rabi ul awal [Al-Bidayah wal nihaya , vol 2 pg 320] In the month of Ramaḍān, without a specific date, in the ‘Year of the Elephant’. This was the opinion of the famous early historian al-Zubayr b. al-Bakkār (d. 256).

14. 12th of Ramaḍān, in the ‘Year of the Elephant’. This opinion was reported by Ibn ʿAsākir as being held by some early authorities.