I think lessons can be learnt from the recent social media Mawlid debate between Imam Hussain and Dawah Man, especially the way in which the dispute spiralled out of control. Both parties should have had better etiquettes and more tolerance.

I personally believe that both Imam Hussain and Ibn Mansur should have had a sense of responsibility because many of their followers look up to them and adhere to their teachings. Both the preachers resorted to publicly humiliating, slandering and exposing each other and it had become a vicious cycle.

The arguments had a negative effect on the reputation and dignity of both the preachers. Whilst the preachers were updating the social media with new videos and comments, the followers were also responding instantaneously. Some of the followers carried out similar tactics as the preachers. For example, they were uploading insulting comments, which comes under the banner of cyber bullying. This was unfortunate as it created more animosity between both parties. 

Surely, we should be tolerant and respectful to one another and if discussions like these take place, then they should be done in the correct way. Both preachers have a great number of followers on social media, they should utilise the social media in a positive way rather than in a negative manner, and invest their energy and resources into issues which are going to strengthen and bring the community together rather than divide the community.

 Now the time has come to say

  

                                                                                            and thanks for reading, until next time ....

 

guys I agree with Imam Webb, Yasir Qadhi and Mufti Menk. I would like to ask those who continue to argue over this debate to think what are they actually going to achieve from the argument?  So ....

 

As there are so many bigger problems Muslims are facing all over the world and Muslims should be focused and united in order to overcome these issues.

 

My next post will be my final blog and in this I shall attempt to summarise some key points mentioned in my previous posts.

 

Whilst researching on the Mawlid debate, I found Imam Webb's video interesting which was posted by chin@mca1395 on twitter #Mawliddebate. Imam Webb is an American Muslim scholar and pro-Mawlid. He explains very clearly that the topic of whether one should or shouldn't celebrate the Mawlid is an issue of ijtihad (analogical reasoning). The scholars of the past have disagreed on this matter and Muslims should agree to disagree and must not abuse and neither fight with each other over this issue, as the companions of the Prophet disagreed but "didn’t let differences ruin their brotherhood".

Video about the Mawlid debate by Imam Suhaib Webb



   

        

     

Yasir Qadhi

Yasir Qadhi is also an American Muslim scholar, who himself does not celebrate the Mawlid, had posted similar views to Imam Webb, specifically asking Muslims to be more tolerant of other people's opinions.

Yasir Qadhi explains there has been a difference of opinion amongst scholars since the “last seven centuries (about the Mawlid celebration) …. and if you choose to follow one set of scholars, at least recognise that another set of respected jurists have chosen the other opinion, and respect that difference, even if you follow the other opinion”. Muslims should not be focused on the diverse views rather they should “see what motivates BOTH parties, is their love for the Prophet”. He questions whether the Prophet would have agreed to Muslims mocking, slandering and “hating one another?”

       Mufti Menk speaks about unity and tolerance
in Islam in the video below.

 

I believe that if Muslims started thinking like Imam Webb, Yasir Qadhi and Mufti Menk, then they wouldn't debate about the Mawlid in the manner that they do.

In contrast, other followers questioned whether Muslims should be even focusing on the debate of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday, and argued that the focus should be on greater problems that Muslims around the world are facing. For example, Hasib listed the issues concerning Muslims such as "poverty, racism, Islamophobic attacks on women and elderly, children, and hunger". 

On the right is a powerful and shocking  picture uploaded by Shafraz Jeal on Dawah Man's Facebook page. Through which he is expressing the view that Muslims "have bigger issues to worry about!".

Still these pictures and comments had no effect on both the preachers as the argument between them took another twist for the worse. Whilst the meetings were being arranged, both parties were recording each other's phone conversations and these were uploaded later by both sides onto social media to expose the opposite party. Overall, the debate had a negative effect on the reputation and dignity of both the preachers. In the following video Dawah Man presents the voice recordings. 

 

                                                        Below is  a video by Imam Hussain.

The above videos were longer, I have shortened these to give an indication of the way both  Imam Hussain and Dawah Man used voice recordings (the full videos have been linked to the preacher's names). Above was the last video uploaded by Imam Hussain. After this Dawah Man uploaded a final video and then eventually the debate between the preachers came to an end.

 Well no, is the answer. 



THEY DID



The dispute between the two preachers intensified further whilst both parties tried to make arrangements to meet each other. The social media was being updated with regular video footage and posts by Dawah Man and Imam Hussain. Dawah Man proposed to meet in London and the meeting was cancelled by Imam Hussain due to weather conditions. 

The following day Dawah Man proposed to come to Bradford but Imam Hussain didn't mind meeting in London, but this meeting was also cancelled due to the reason that Imam Hussain needed more time to discuss about the debate within his own circle of scholars.
 

Dawah Man uploaded consecutive videos and posts which showed that alongside himself, other scholars were waiting in London for Imam Hussain until 12 o'clock (midnight). In the videos Dawah Man and the scholars state that Imam Hussain had taken the oath of Allah and said he would meet anywhere, anyplace 

and because he did not keep his word he was a fraudster, a hypocrite, dishonest, and needed to repent publicly.

After cancelling the meeting, Imam Hussain uploaded 

a video of making his way to Birmingham asking Dawah 

Man and his party to make their way there.

 

Also, after Imam Hussain reached Birmingham he 

uploaded a video with scholars waiting

 for Dawah Man and his party.

 

The public responded to both the preacher's posts on social media, the views varied, some could see the humorous side Usman posted on #mawliddebate (twitter) “this 12 o'clock deadline is more tense than trying to submit your essay in time on turnitin"



Anas uploaded the following video

commenting "on his way to the Mawlid debate in the UK. I wonder what side he's on".

 

Contrasting views were expressed by other followers and these will be presented in the next post.



Following on from the previous post, the disrespect between the two preachers continued further. Dawah Man added a picture on social media depicting a cartoon illustration of Imam Hussain in which he referred to him as the Mawlid Imam.

Above is the cartoon depiction of 
Imam Hussain by Dawah Man

After seeing the video footage of Dawah Man and the cartoon depiction I was like "IS THIS FOR REAL?" It certainly wasn't a scholarly debate about Mawlid anymore. IT WAS PERSONAL.

The preacher's posts were going viral very fast and were being shared by many followers. The cartoon depiction of Imam Hussain received significant mix reaction and attention from the general public, including Imam Hussain, who commented on Facebook “It's sad to see that brother Imran has resorted to depicting me in this cartoon. I must say the turban is on point and I look whiter than usual. Very sad to see him depicting the Na'l Mubarak (Prophet ﷺ Blessed Sandal)."

Some of the general public were shocked and saddened at the behaviour of Dawah Man. Itaqilliah stated “fear Allah All those that follow imran and think he's amazing and all the rest. Allow the Mawlid debate for one second. Answer me this, when has Islam ever allowed to mock people by drawing cartoon of them? Mawlid Imam?” Yas Abbasi questioned “making cartoons about the imam. How low can you go?” 

In contrast, there were other followers on social media who saw the funny side of the cartoon illustration, Faissal Bensefia commented “Dude, did you do this artwork yourself? It's really good”. Other supporters posted similar comments as Zahid Ahmed “Masha'allah bro Imraan may Allah bless you and reward you for the amazing work you do for the ummah, may Allah keep you steadfast in'sha Allah, keep up the good, may Allah guide them all”.

Ali Dawah a close friend of Dawah Man also contributed to this discussion by uploading the following video online, in which he gave advice to both Imam Hussain and Dawah Man and their followers.

 

Was there any notice taken of what Ali Dawah had said? The answer to this question will be in the next post.



Here we go... 

Firstly I would just like to start by emphasising that in my last post I only mentioned some of the main arguments presented by both parties. There are many more arguments used by both sides which can be found on social media. Secondly, both sides have in the past and still continue to vehemently defend their arguments and refute the arguments presented by the opposition. Finally, I don’t want to start a debate of who is right and who is wrong, because this issue can be deemed not only controversial but also sensitive. From my experience the dispute  on this topic always seems to result in both parties wanting to be RIGHT and wanting to ...

Is there ever a winner? I ask the question. From

my understanding there is never a WINNER.

Dawah Man

 Imam Hussain


This debate more than anything in my opinion just creates disunity within the Muslim community and I saw this first hand myself. I also witnessed how nasty this debate can get when I followed the latest debate on social media regarding the Mawlid between two preachers, Imam Hussain and Imran Ibn Mansur also known as Dawah Man. Both preachers have a respectable number of followers on social media.

The way in which this debate enfolded it made me question whether issues like this should even be discussed on social media. 

Those of you who are unfamiliar with the debate between the two preachers, I will explain how the debate escalated on social media. The debate began last year in January when Dawah Man released a video on Facebook regarding the impermissibility of celebrating the Prophet's birthday. To which Imam Hussain replied and provided evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah to show that celebrating the Mawlid is an acceptable practice and challenged anyone to bring forward any textual evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah which states clearly "not to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday”.

Both the videos mentioned some of the anti-Mawlid and pro-Mawlid points which I have discussed in my previous post, the videos are very long Dawah Man's video is 39 min & 05 seconds and Imam Hussain's video is 44 min & 44 seconds. I have linked the videos with the preacher's names above, so that if you guys would like to watch them you can do so.

Then approximately a year later Dawah Man posted an 1hr & 28-minute video explaining “I didn’t respond for the very purpose that I wanted to wait for the next Mawlid”. In this video he also stated “generally speaking when we discuss the issue of Mawlid in the West from both sides it is disgusting and a very shallow way and I hope with Allah's .... permission we are going to go into depth we are going to look at it from an academic and scholastic way and ... debate on the basis … of sincerity .... justice .... mercy and knowledge”.  In this video Dawah Man took the opportunity to also respond to Imam Hussain's arguments.

Imam Hussain replied by inviting Dawah Man to a meeting in Bradford which Dawah Man declined and further consecutive posts and videos were released from both sides on social media refuting each other’s arguments.

Then Imam Hussian uploaded the following video in which he sent a message to Dawah Man stating I will meet you "anywhere, any place".

  

 

 

 

It wasn’t long before the debate which began as a scholarly discussion between the two preachers on social media turned into a match of slandering and mocking with a video released by Dawah Man named “You Are Either a Liar or You Are Ignorant". In this adjacent video Dawah Man explains that Imam Hussain seems to advise his followers on social media to maintain good adab (manners/etiquettes) when discussing the Mawlid issue,

WARNING THE DURATION OF THIS VIDEO

 IS 27 MINS: 21 SECS.

 

but at the same time has responded by liking his own followers insulting comments about Dawah Man.

Prince Riz uploaded the above photo
 on Dawah Man's Facebook.

In the above video Dawah Man also questions Imam Hussain's scholarly ability as he argues that his Arabic is weak. This accusation led to the supporters of Dawah Man making fun of the Imam Hussain.

At this point, I had many thoughts going through my mind such as 

The act of sending abusive or humiliating messages, uploading photos on social media in order to laugh at a person or to hurt their feelings or to make them feel distressed is cyberbullying and this is wrong.
 

I will explain what happened next between the preachers and their followers, in my next post.

How are you all? 

I shall be continuing from my last post. 

Firstly, I will discuss some anti-Mawlid arguments.



Sheikh Assim al-Hakeem in the following video

explains why Muslim should not celebrate the Mawlid 

• One of the main arguments used is that the Prophet never celebrated Mawlid, neither did his companions. So why should we?
• The practice of Mawlid is an innovation and the Prophet forbade (bidah) innovation. Aisha (the Prophet's wife) reported that the Prophet stated "whoever introduces into this religion of ours something that we have not commanded it is to be rejected".
• The Prophet also stated “every (kul) innovation is a misguidance”. Therefore, the festival of Mawlid is haram and unacceptable and those who celebrate it will be punished in the hereafter. 

• Also the Prophet had revealed in his last meeting in Arafat “today I have perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me shall be your religion” (Verse, 5:3). As the Prophet had declared he had completed the religion of Islam then nothing can be introduced or innovated into the religion of Islam such as the practice of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday.

Certainly, some interesting points made by the anti-Mawlid party, read further to find out some of the pro-Mawlid arguments.

One of the main argument presented by those who celebrate the festival of Mawlid is that: -

·   The Prophet was born on a Monday and he used to celebrate his birth by fasting on Mondays.

Shaykh Muhammad al-Husayni al-Ninowy 

briefly explains why the Mawlid is permissible.

·   Verse 10:58 “Say: ‘In (this) bounty (fadl) of God and in His grace (rahma) - in this then, let them rejoice: it is better than all (the worldly wealth) that they may amass!" is used by the pro-Mawlid party, in order to justify the practice of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday. It is considered that the word rahma in this verse refers to Prophet Muhammad, which Allah has commanded to rejoice. The pro-Mawlid party deduce that the word rahma refers to Prophet Muhammad because the Prophet is referred to rahma in numerous verses in the Qur’an such as in verses 3:164, 21:107 “and We have sent you (oh Muhammad) but as a Mercy (rahma) for Mankind” (21:107).

·      Not all innovations are prohibited as there are two types of innovations good and bad.

Shaykh Giles Sadek describes in a short video the 

notion of the two types of innovations

     

·         Bidah is split further into five categories and Mawlid is a bidah hasanah (good).

  Bid'ah and Mawlid - Sheikh Abdal Hakim

 Murad explains that Mawlid is good bidah

                                                       





    ·  The pro-Mawlid party explain that not everything which has been invented after the demise of the Prophet is unacceptable such  as Hajj visas, and the use of hotels in Makkah and Medina,  alarm clocks, phones, laptops and driving a car etc. According to the principles of Islamic jurisprudence a practice can only be classified as being prohibited, if it opposes the Qur’an or either the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad or the Shariah (Islamic Law). They also consider that the celebration of the Prophet's birthday "has its roots in the Shariah".

Definitely, some thought-provoking points made by the pro-Mawlid party also. 

One thing which can be noticed is the clear difference in how bidah is defined by both parties. 

• The anti-Mawlid party argue that innovation is bad and unacceptable and because Mawlid is an innovative practice it is impermissible. 

• Whereas, the pro-Mawlid party consider that there is a twofold definition of bidah, there is good and bad innovation and Mawlid is a good innovation.



I'm just going to take a break and have a

 

and I shall return soon with a post on how
 this debate creates disunity within
the Muslim community.
 

Above is a picture of al-Maqrizi

I didn't know much about the history of the Mawlid before I started researching about the practice. To my surprise I realised that the celebration is understood to have been originally practised by the Shiite Fatimid dynasty in Egypt. But the exact date of when the practice was initiated is unknown. The earliest account of a Mawlid celebration is dated back to the year 517/1123 which has been documented by al-Maqrizi (d.845/1442). It is understood that whilst the practice of celebrating the Prophet's birthday became more and more popular it also received criticism from a small number of Muslims scholars such as Taj al-Din al-Fakihani and Ibn Taymiyya. 

The objection of this festival came in the form of fatwas (which are the opinions of scholars on a point of law). Equally, fatwas were also issued by Muslim scholars who defended the practice as being acceptable. For example, by al-Suyuti and Ibn Hajar. 

A quick history lesson. I hope you guys haven't 
gone to sleep as I use to during my history lessons. Lol.

 

 

In the past Muslim scholars expressed their opinion
through fatwas declaring what is permissible

and impermissible,

but in contemporary times, anybody and everybody has the

 ease and accessibility of using the social media to express

 how they feel about any topic at their fingertips.

The topic of Mawlid is no different. 

For those of you who are thinking what is all the fuss about?

 What are the arguments presented by those who oppose or accept the practice of Mawlid? 

I will mention some of the anti-Mawlid and pro-Mawlid arguments which can be found on the social media in the next post.