The Prophet (s.a.w.) Emphasised Monday, the Day He was Born

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Ustadz Fakhr ad-Din Uwaysi al-Madani, wrote that the Prophet (s.a.w.) emphasised Monday as the day he was born.  Sayyidina Abu Qatadah ibn Rabi’ al-Answari (r.a.) narrated, as recorded in Swahih Muslim, Kitab asw-Swiyam, that the Prophet (s.a.w.) was asked about the fast of Monday, and he answered, “That is the day that I was born, and that is the day I received the prophecy.” 

Imam Muhammad Mutawalli ash-Sha’rawi (r.a.) said, “Many extraordinary events occurred on his birthday as evidenced in ahadits and history, and the night of his birth is not like the night of any other human being's birth.”  These events and the ahadits pertaining thereto, such as the shaking of Chosroes’ court, the extinction of the 1,000-year-old fire in Persia, and so forth, are related in Hafizh ‘Imad ad-Din Abu al-Fida’ Isma’il ibn ‘Umar ibn Katsir’s (r.a.) al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah. 

In Kitab al-Madkhal, Imam Muhammad ibn al-Haj al-‘Abdari (r.a.) wrote, “It is an obligation, that on every Monday of Rabi’ al-Awwal, we increase our worship to thank Allah (s.w.t.) for what He Gave us as a Great Favour - the Favour of sending us His Beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) to direct us to Islam and to peace.”  He continued, “The Prophet (s.a.w.), when answering someone questioning him about fasting on Mondays, mentioned, ‘On that day I was born.  Therefore, that day gives honour to that month, because that is the day of the Prophet,’ and he said, ‘I am the master of the children of Adam, and I say that without pride,’ and he said, ‘Adam, and whoever is descended from him, are under my flag on the Day of Judgement.’  These ahadits were transmitted by the Shaykhayn.  And Muslim quotes in his Swahih, the Prophet said, ‘On that day, Monday, I was born and, on that day, the first message was sent to me.’” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) emphasised the day of his birth and thanked Allah (s.w.t.) for the Great Favour of Bringing him to life by fasting on that day as is mentioned in the hadits of Sayyidina Abu Qatadah (r.a.).  The Prophet (s.a.w.) was expressing his happiness for that day by fasting, which is a kind of worship.  Since the Prophet (s.a.w.) emphasised that day by fasting, worship in any form to emphasise that day is also acceptable.  Even if we change the form, the essence is kept.  Therefore, fasting, giving food to the poor, coming together to praise the Prophet (s.a.w.), or coming together to remember his good manners and good behaviour, all of this is considered a way of emphasising that day.