Indian Muslim groups have criticised a statement attributed to the Imam of Masjid e Nabawi at Medina, Sheikh Ali Hudaify that celebration of the birthday of Islam’s founder, Prophet Muhammad, has no scriptural sanction. One group, the Mumbai-based Raza Academy, has written to the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, to intervene in the matter and rein in the Wahhabi clerics whose fundamentalist interpolation of Islam has guided the Saudi Arabian regime since its founding in the early twentieth century.
The Imam of the mosque, one of the two most holy shrines of Islam, reportedly said on Friday that the celebrations are an innovation that has no decree in Islam. The Wahabi interpretation of Islam states that the prophet has to be respected as the messenger of God. However, the sect forbids his worship or adoration. This view led to the destruction of the tombs of the prophet and his family in the 1920s when the Saud family took control over Islam’s holy cities, Makkah and Medina from the Ottoman Empire. The new rulers subscribed to the conservative Wahhabi doctrine forbidding tomb worship. The tombs, located at the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery outside the Medina mosque, were reportedly demolished by a Wahhabi militia with permission from the new rulers. This was to discourage pilgrims from offering prayers at the tombs.
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Last week’s statement from the Imam of the mosque established by the prophet – the reason why it is called the ‘prophet’s mosque’ – came days before Muslims across India and many parts of the world, make preparations for grand processions to mark the birthday which is celebrated as Eid e Milad. In Mumbai, the community celebrated the festival on Monday. The processions, which were supposed to be taken out on Tuesday, will take place on Wednesday to avoid the Ganesh visarjan events.
Raza Academy is a Barelvi organisation that differs from the Wahabi interpretation of Islam and the injunction against the worship of saints and prophets. Saeed Nooru of the Raza Academy said, “He has hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims worldwide by stating that celebrating the birthday of the Holy Prophet of Islam and Mawlood celebration is an Innovation and has no decree in Islam.”
The Crown Prince, who is practically the ruler of the orthodox kingdom, has ushered in many changes, with more moderate and liberal social and religious rules. Raza Academy has said that while Mohammad bin Salman has been able to ‘put a leash’ on the Wahabi stranglehold on the kingdom, there are signs that there is resistance from the religious establishment. “We are asking the Saudi government that if they can celebrate the birthday of their country why cannot they commemorate the birthday of the prophet who reformed Arabian society that had evils like killing of female infants. We do not follow their interpretation of Islam,” said Maulana Amanullah Raza Shaikh of All India Ajeema Masjid Council, a Barelvi group.
