Salutations upon the Prophet (s.a.w.) is Encouraged & Emphasised

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Some object to the Mawlid because according to them, it fosters the deification of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) due to the people over-exaggerating in praising him, and invoking too many prayers upon him, and that this poses the danger of shirk.  However, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is known to have encouraged frequent invocations of blessing, swalawat, upon him, as is established in the following hadits: 

Sayyidina Abu Mundzir Ubay ibn Ka’b (r.a.) said, “O Messenger of Allah, I make much swalawat upon you as a personal habit.  How much of my daily devotions should I devote to you?” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) answered, “As much as you like.” 

Sayyidina Ubay (r.a.) asked, “A quarter?” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) answered, “As you like, but if you add to that, it will be better for you.” 

Sayyidina Ubay (r.a.) then mentioned a third, then a half, then two thirds, and always the Prophet (s.a.w.) answered, “As you like, but if you add to that, it will be better for you.” 

Finally, Sayyidina Ubay (r.a.) said, “O Messenger of Allah, I want to devote my entire prayer to you.” 

Whereupon the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Then you will be Freed, from care and your sins will be Forgiven.”  Another version has: “Then Allah (s.w.t.) will Suffice you in the matter of your worldly life and your hereafter.” 

This was recorded by Imam Abu ‘Isa Muhammad ibn ‘Isa as-Sulami at-Tirmidzi (r.a.); Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hakim an-Nishaburi (r.a.), in his Swahih; Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.); Imam Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ayyub ath-Thabarani (r.a.), in his Mu’jam al-Kabir, through Imam Shibab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hajr al-Haytsami (r.a.), and Imam Zaki ad-Din ‘Abd al-A’azhim ibn ‘Abd al-Qawiy al-Mundziri (r.a.); Imam ‘Abd ar-Razzaq ibn Hammam asw-Swan’ani (r.a.); Imam Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Shaybah (r.a.); Hafizh Dhiyaʼ ad-Din Abu ʻAbdullah Muhammad ibn ʻAbd al-Wahid al-Maqdisi (r.a.), in his Ahadits al-Jiyad al-Mukhtarah min ma laysa fī Swahihayn; Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi (r.a.), in his Shu’ab al-Iman; Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Amr al-Bazzar (r.a.), in his Kashf al-Astar ‘an Zawa’id al-Bazzar ‘ala al-Kuttub as-Sittah; Imam Abi al-Muhasin ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Isma’il ar-Ruyani (r.a.); and others.  They all recorded this hadits as swahih.