المولد النبوي Celebrating the Mawlid

[ابوالياس*]

What is the ruling on what is done every year of reading the entire Qur’aan on the night of the Prophet's birth (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and giving food to the poor and needy (on this occasion)?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Bringing people together to offer them food on the two Eids and on the days of al-tashreeq (the three days following ‘Eid al-Adha) is Sunnah, and it is one of the symbols of Islam which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prescribed for the Muslims.
Helping the poor by giving them food during the month of Ramadan is also one of the Sunnahs of Islam. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives food to a fasting person with which to break his fast will have a reward like his.”
Giving to poor reciters that which will help them to recite the Qur’aan is a righteous deed at all times, and the one who helps them to do that will have a share with them in the reward.
As for celebrating an occasion that is not one of those that are prescribed in Islam, such as one of the nights of the month of Rabee’ al-Awwal which is said to be the night of the Mawlid (Prophet's birthday), or one of the nights of Rajab, or the eighteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, or the first Friday in Rajab, or the eighth of Shawwaal, which the ignorant call ‘Eid al-Abraar, these are innovations which the salaf disapproved of and did not do. And Allah knows best. End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Taymiyah (25/298).