How do any of these verses prove that celebrating birthdays is forbidden? What do birthdays have to do with religion or theology? If this discussion was about celebrating Christmas, then these verses may be relevant.
Email and online forums are not part of this matter. Are they innovations that we should abandon? If not, why did you pick on birthdays?
You have not established that they are bid`a! A bid`a is not any innovation, otherwise cars and cell phones would be bid`a. A bid`a is an addition to or alteration of a religious matter. How is celebrating birthdays an alteration of or addition to the religion? They are an addition to social life. They have nothing to do with religion.
To be consistent with your interpretation of this hadeeth, you must not wear pants, only sirwaals, you must not buy a car, a cell phone, a computer or have electricity in your house because all of these are innovations created by the Jews and Christians. You must not get vaccinated or take any modern medicine because they were all invented by the Kuffaar!
The hadeeth talks about matters of religion, not everyday life. It warns Muslims against celebrating Christmas, for instance, since it is a religious holiday of the Christians. Muslims should not wear a yamaka like the Jews for instance. Muslims should not announce prayer times with a bell, for instance. That type of thing is what the hadeeth is talking about.
Ya ikhwaan ask yourself this....why would any muslim want to celebrate birthdays when there is nothing to gain from it? The way I'am thinking is that each year...month...week...day...hour...minute...second...your getting closer and closer to your death so why would any muslim be happy about that? The only ones I think about that would be happy to meet their end are the muslims that actually know with surety that they will go to jannah, but who from amongst us knows that today? Like Shiekh Anwar Al Awlaki said in the video we should take our lives very seriously as we don't have time for this non-sense. Below I underlined Shiekh Uthaiymeen's [May Allaah have mercy on him.Ameen]. fatwaa on this issue and it is very clear to me so his opinion is my opinion.
Her mother wants to give her a birthday party – what should she do?
I managed to find out that my mother, who is not Muslim, is planning to give me a surprise party on my birthday. What is the ruling on that? If it is not permissible, then how can I avoid upsetting my mother (by refusing)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
With regard to this observance which people call “birthdays” (eid milaad in Arabic),
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) issued the following fatwa:
“Everything which is taken as an ‘eid’ (something which is celebrated regularly) and is repeated each week or each year and is not prescribed in sharee’ah, is a kind of bid’ah (reprehensible innovation). The evidence for that is the fact that the Lawgiver prescribed ‘aqeeqah for the newborn, and did not prescribe anything after that. When they adopt these observances every week or every year, it means that they are making them like the Islamic Eids, which is haraam and is not permitted. There are no celebrations in Islam apart from the three prescribed Eids: ‘Eid al-Fitr, ‘Eid al-Adha, and the weekly ‘Eid’ which is Friday (Yawm al-Jumu’ah).
This does not come under the heading of customs because it is repeated. Hence when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and found that the Ansaar had two festivals which they used to celebrate, he said, ‘Allaah has given you something better than these: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.’ (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 1556; Abu Dawood, 1134; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah, no. 124), even though this was one of their customs.”
From Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, 1/382; see also Question # 1027.
Secondly:
With regard to how you should deal with your mother, I think that you should be frank with her, and tell her that this action is not permitted by Allaah, and that the religion of Islam forbids this, and that as this is the case you cannot come to this party. Tell her. “Were it not for the fact that Allaah does not allow it, I would have been happy to come, and I thank you, but it is not up to me or anyone else, it is up to Allaah Who issues His decree and we – the Muslims – have to submit to His will; it is not permissible for us to dispute that so long as it is the command of Allaah, the All-Knowing, Most Wise.”
Tell her all of that in the best possible manner and in the kindest way. If she is convinced and appreciates that, then praise be to Allaah, otherwise try to be outside the house at the time of this party, so that no one will pressure you to join in and so that you yourself will not weaken and given in. There is no sin on you for what your mother is doing, and pleasing Allaah comes before pleasing any of His creation. Be certain that if your mother objects vehemently to this matter today, perhaps Allaah will make her pleased with you in the future, in sha Allaah.
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