Birthday Celebrations

Abstract 

Birthday celebrations are rooted in pagan worship of a supreme female deity. The Quran, Surah anNisa` (The Women) tells us that those who worship the supreme female deity are worshipping nobody else but Satan, who has vowed to lead people astray. 

Full Text 

وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا

إِن يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَّا إِنَاثًا وَإِن يَدْعُونَ إِلَّا شَيْطَانًا مَّرِيدًا

لَّعَنَهُ اللَّهُ وَقَالَ لَأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيبًا مَّفْرُوضًا

وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الْأَنْعَامِ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ الشَّيْطَانَ وَلِيًّا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًا مُّبِينًا

يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا

أُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ عَنْهَا مَحِيصًا

And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.

Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray.

They call upon instead of Him none but female [deities], and they [actually] call upon none but a rebellious Satan.

Whom Allah has cursed. For he had said, "I will surely take from among Your servants a specific portion.

And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah ." And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss.

Satan promises them and arouses desire in them. But Satan does not promise them except delusion.

The refuge of those will be Hell, and they will not find from it an escape.

[Al-Quran 4:115-121, Translation: Sahih International]

Note: For 'change the creation of Allah' please read World History & Future Implications and related posts.  

Surah anNisa` warns us that the polytheists worshipping the female deity are actually worshipping Satan, who has vowed to deceive and ruin humans. Those who do not open their hearts to polytheism and paganism, Satan constantly tries to mislead them from the straight path:   

قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

ثُمَّ لَآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَائِلِهِمْ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ

قَالَ اخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًا مَّدْحُورًا لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

[Satan] said, "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. 

Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You]."

[ Allah ] said, "Get out of Paradise, reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them - I will surely fill Hell with you, all together."

[Al-Quran 7:16-18, Translation: Sahih International]

Satan deceives us by causing us to incline away from and disobey the fundamental rules of the deen: command and worship are only for Allah; there should be no change in the creation of Allah...

Many Muslims celebrate birthdays not realising that birthday celebrations are rooted in pagan worship of a supreme female deity, which included offerings of cake. The Quran, Surah anNisa` (The Women) tells us that those who worship the supreme female deity are worshipping nobody else but Satan, who has vowed to lead people astray. One of his tools of deception is arousing desire... Offering cake to the fertility goddess, making a wish and blowing candles, etc. are rituals rooted in ancient traditions honouring a sky goddess:

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا لِيَسْكُنَ إِلَيْهَا فَلَمَّا تَغَشَّاهَا حَمَلَتْ حَمْلًا خَفِيفًا فَمَرَّتْ بِهِ فَلَمَّا أَثْقَلَت دَّعَوَا اللَّهَ رَبَّهُمَا لَئِنْ آتَيْتَنَا صَالِحًا لَّنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ

فَلَمَّا آتَاهُمَا صَالِحًا جَعَلَا لَهُ شُرَكَاءَ فِيمَا آتَاهُمَا فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

أَيُشْرِكُونَ مَا لَا يَخْلُقُ شَيْئًا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ

It is He who created you from one soul nafs and created from it its her her mate that he might dwell in security with her. And when he covers her, she carries a light burden and continues therein. And when it becomes heavy, they both invoke Allah , their Lord, "If You should give us a good [child], we will surely be among the grateful."

But when He gives them a good [child], they ascribe partners to Him concerning that which He has given them. Exalted is Allah above what they associate with Him.

Do they associate with Him those who create nothing and they are [themselves] created?

[Al-Quran 7:189-191, Translation: Sahih International, edited (in italics)]

Queen of Heaven

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_heaven_(antiquity) 

Queen of Heaven was a title given to a number of ancient sky goddesses worshipped throughout the ancient Mediterranean and Near East during ancient times. Goddesses known to have been referred to by the title include Inanna, Anat, Isis, Astarte, Hera, and possibly Asherah (by the prophet Jeremiah). In Greco-Roman times Hera, and her Roman aspect Juno bore this title. Forms and content of worship varied. In modern times, the title "Queen of Heaven" is still used by contemporary pagans to refer to the Great Goddess, while Catholics, Orthodox, and some Anglican Christians now apply the ancient title to Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_in_mythology

The Great Goddess often had snakes as her familiars - sometimes twining around her sacred staff, as in ancient Crete - and they were worshipped as guardians of her mysteries of birth and regeneration.

Note: For more on snakes and change in creation, please read Jinn-Human Hybrids & Blue-Eyed Criminals  

Regarding the jews who broke their covenant and disbelieved in the signs of Allah, it is stated that the people stated a great slander against the virgin Mary:  

وَبِكُفْرِهِمْ وَقَوْلِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ بُهْتَانًا عَظِيمً

And [We cursed them] for their disbelief and their saying against Mary a great slander,

[Al-Quran 4:156, Translation: Sahih International]

Surah alMaidah informs us that Jesus never claimed or asked to be taken as a deity, neither himself nor his mother:    

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَٰهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ 

قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلَا أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ

And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah ?'" 

He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.

[Al-Quran 5:116, Translation: Sahih International]

The Quran clearly declares that God has no companion! 

بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُ صَاحِبَةٌ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
[He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a companion and He created all things? And He is, of all things, Knowing.
[Al-Quran 6:101, Translation: Sahih International]

Sayings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  

Q4:115, the first in the set of ayaat quoted at the beginning of this post, states that: 

And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.

As I have not studied the hadith literature, I hesitate to quote from it. However, many scholars agree that the festivals of non-Muslims should not be imitated.   

Regarding the prescription for fasting in Ramadhan, it is stated in The Quran: 

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.

[Al-Quran 2:185, Translation: Sahih International]

It is believed that when our dear prophet was asked why he fasted on Mondays, he gave a list of reasons, among which one was that the day he was born was a Monday. 

As optional fasting is permissible, fasting to express gratitude to Allah for this life - this opportunity to earn His forgiveness - seems to me a brilliant thing to do. However, I do not know if any of the companions of Prophet Muhammad fasted on his or their own birthday.  

...... 

On a personal note, I confess that I have always been a big fan of birthdays: an opportunity to express my love for the people in my life, celebrating it as much as I could. So, it is not surprising that people close to me are confused by my sudden renouncing of birthday wishes, gifts and celebrations. I hope this post will help them understand that by celebrating the cherished tradition of birthdays, we have been upholding a pagan ritual of worship. Satan has been deceiving us in mindlessly carrying on a tradition thinking it has nothing to do with our religion. I hope and pray this post helps them leave the practice themselves. May Allah guide us away from all forms of shirk, all falsehoods, forgive our sins: both deliberate and mindless, and grant us the most delightful birthday on the day we are resurrected; Allah well-pleased with us, and we with Him.  

Contemporary Birthday Celebrations

Analysing the contemporary celebrations associated with birthdays, the following do not seem right: 

• Date: No human really knows what time is. Allah has appointed the lunar calendar for calculations of time.  Most people who celebrate birthdays annually do so using the solar calendar. 
  For more on calendar, please read: 
  https://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2020/06/draft-detailed-guidance-in-surah-alkahf.html 
  https://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2020/06/wronging-nafs-iii-calendar.html 
• Cake: Most modern birthdays and weddings have adopted this symbolic ancient offering of the womb.
• Cake Cutting: While most Muslims know clearly to never eat any meat on which someone other than Allah's Name has been pronounced, cakes are cut while singing the name of the person whose birthday is being celebrated. 
• Wishing Upon & Blowing the Candle: who is being invoked, and/or what is being proved? 
• god-self: increasingly, people are taking their own self or their desires as their god... 
• Birthday Messages & Duas: Haven't we been told to not to mix truth and falsehood? Why must we send prayers and messages on an incorrect date to celebrate something that has pagan roots to make a person feel important?   

فَهَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ

أَن تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَتُقَطِّعُوا أَرْحَامَكُمْ

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمْ وَأَعْمَىٰ أَبْصَارَهُمْ

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا

Then would you perhaps, if you are given* that  you cause corruption in the earth and cut off your wombs. Those, (are) the ones Allah has cursed them, so He made them deaf and blinded their vision. Then do not they ponder (over) the Quran or upon (their) hearts (are) locks?

[Al-Quran, Surah Muhammad, 47:22-24]

أَرْحَامَكُمْ literally translates as wombs. More on this in Guarding the Womb. 

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ الرَّحِيمُ

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

He (is) Allah, the One Who, (there is) no god but He, (the) All-Knower (of) the unseen and the witnessed. He (is) the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

He (is) Allah, the One Who, (there is) no god but He, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Giver of Peace, the Giver of Security, the Guardian, the All-Mighty, the Irresistible, the Supreme. Glory (be to) Allah from what they associate (with Him).

He (is) Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner. For Him (are) the names the beautiful. Glorifies Him whatever (is) in the heavens and the earth. And He (is) the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

[Al-Quran 59:22-24]

Last updated on: March 4, 2021