Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Is it true that if a muslim person eat birthday party cake his all gooddeeds is wipe away.

is it true that after esha prayer one should not talk to anyone and if he does all the ebadath that was done by him is wasted.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Eat cake and talk after isha

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Ref: the ruling on celebrating birthdays.

Every people have a culture and Islam too has its own culture; and celebrating or commemorating one’s birthday or anniversary with a feast or a party cannot be considered a part of Islamic culture. Islam guides towards the notion that every single day one is blessed to be alive is a day of celebration and a cause to be grateful and thankful to the Lord Creator for his innumerable blessings and favors. Besides, Islam has nominated its own special days of joyous commemoration and celebration, namely the two blessed days of Eid (Fitr and Adha) and every Friday of the week.

If one celebrates one’s birthday or anniversary with a feast or a party amongst loved ones, cuts a cake, lights candles, sings the nominated song ‘Happy Birthday to you…..’, gives presents, etc.; one cannot say with conviction that this rite or ritual has a religious connotation…..but without an iota of a doubt, this rite and ritual of celebrating birthdays and/or anniversaries is an imitation of the unbelievers; and it definitely does not behove and befit a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to imitate the pagans or their rituals in any matter whatsoever!

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.780 Narrated by Nafi

Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Do the opposite of what the pagans do!”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4020 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘He who copies any people is one of them.’

Ref: Ruling of holding a gathering/conversation after ‘Isha’

Al-Muwatta Hadith 7.6

Yahya related from Malik that he had heard that Said ibn al-Musayyab (r.a.) heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say, "Sleep is disapproved of before ‘isha’ and conversation after it."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.543 Narrated by Abu Barza

Allah's Messenger (saws) disliked to sleep before the 'Isha' prayer and to talk after it.

It was the tradition and culture of the Arabs during the days of ignorance before Islam to hold gatherings and sit and talk vain and futile talk late in the nights. Although there are some incidents recorded in the authentic and established Sunnah whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) himself met one or more of his companions after the ‘Isha’ prayers was concluded and held a conversation with them, by and large, the Messenger of Allah (saws) disliked and disapproved of gatherings and meetings after ‘Isha’. The main wisdom behind this disapproval was that if one slept late, one would not be able to get up and worship their Lord during the time of ‘tahajjud’, or it would become a burden for them to offer their ‘fajr’ prayers.

The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) regarding the meeting and/or gathering and/or conversations after ‘Isha’ is of disapproval rather than of outright prohibition. They are of the opinion that if, in this day and age, one gathers or meets or has conversation after the ‘Isha’ prayers for a religious purpose or a good cause, there is no harm. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Your Statements:

Is it true that if a muslim person eat birthday party cake his all gooddeeds is wipe away.

is it true that after esha prayer one should not talk to anyone and if he does all the ebadath that was done by him is wasted.

Although there is merit in the first part of both of the above statements, it is the second part, whereby a specific punishment is attached to the deed, which is of grave concern!!!

Only Allah and His Messenger (saws) have the sole Right to Declare what good deed will be accorded what reward, and what evil deed will be accorded what penalty…..no one, and we reiterate, absolutely no one has the right to invent a reward or punishment from themselves and attach it to a particular deed when it is not endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws)…..for that then would be to invent a falsehood and attribute the lie to Allah and His Messenger (saws)!!!

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, one may conclude that it would not befit a believer to celebrate ‘birthdays’ or hold conversations after ‘Isha’….but to declare a specific punishment for the deed, when the punishment for that deed is not specifically endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws) would be utter misguidance and a grave sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah! And Allah is our witness sister, there is absolutely nothing in the Quran or the Sunnah which implies, leave alone declares that all the good deeds of the one who eats a ‘birthday’ cake will be wiped away, or all the worship of one who talks after ‘Isha’ will be wasted!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 61 Surah Saff verse 7:

7 Who doth greater wrong than one who invents falsehood against Allah even as he is being invited to Islam? And Allah guides not those who do wrong.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 37:

37 Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects his Signs?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 29 Surah Ankabut verse 68:

68 And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects the Truth when it reaches Him? Is there not a home in Hell for those who reject faith?

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.667 Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr

The Prophet (saws) said ‘Whoever tells a lie on me intentionally, will surely take his place in the (Hell) Fire."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.109 Narrated by Salama

I heard the Prophet (saws) saying, "Whoever (intentionally) ascribes to me what I have not said then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.217 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever intentionally ascribes something to me falsely, he will surely take his place in the (Hell) Fire.”

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan