The Darul Uloom Deoband's fatwa against celebrating birthdays, saying it is a western practice and has no sanction in Islam, shows the extent of Wahabi influence on Deobandis. Their claim about the Prophet's birthday is misleading. Once, the Prophet himself made a mention of his birthday to his companions. Absurd fatwas are detrimental to the growth of Muslims. Many Indian and non-Indian scholars have issued fatwas legalising the celebration of the Prophet's birth anniversary.
Shahid Jamal,
New Delhi
Deoband is not the voice of a majority of Indian Muslims. By issuing a fatwa against the celebration of the birth of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), it has proved that it imposes the Wahabi ideology, which has been rejected by almost all Muslims across the world. Its fatwas have a very limited significance in the country. The celebration of Eid Milad Un Nabi (PBUH) is not only a praiseworthy event. Muslims consider the birth of the Holy Prophet the greatest event in history for which they are thankful to Allah, the creator. Deoband scholars are regular speakers in the Sir Syed Day celebrations and the Eid Milad Un Nabi celebrations at Aligarh Muslim University. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind regularly leads Milad Un Nabi processions at Kanpur.
Syed Muhammad Qaudri,
New Delhi
