Celebrating birthdays and anniversaries

Reference: al-Bid’u wal-Muhdathaat wa maa laa Asla lahu – Page 224
Fataawa fadheelatush-Shaykh Muhammad as-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen – Volume 2, Page 302

Question: What is the ruling regarding celebrating children’s birthdays or marriage anniversaries?

Response: There are no [legislated] celebrations in Islaam except the day of Jumu’ah which is the ‘Eed of the week, and the first day of Shawwaal is the day of ‘Eed al-Fitr and the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of ‘Eed al-Adhaa. And often the day of ‘Arafah is called ‘Eed for the people of ‘Arafah (the ones performing Hajj) and the days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) are also the days of ‘Eed following on from ‘Eed al-Adhaa.

As for birthdays of people or children or marriage anniversaries and the like, then all of these have not been legislated and are an innovation.

He is a graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having graduated from the Institute of Arabic Language, and later the Faculty of Sharee'ah in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.

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