Merit To Celebrate Milad

Bilalishah Zuhoori on Tamilan TV
Published in Muslim Murasu, July 2011

“They remember God morning and evening. Keep thy company with them”. God commanded so to our holy prophet. Duniya(materialism) should stay out of our hearts. God should be present in our hearts.
Many scholars and people those who love prophet participate in Milad celebrations. Scholars who have served a long time in the muhalla or madrasa also take part. When in such an event where descendants of prophet have turned up in numbers, if one thinks ‘my speech should be the best’ then it is sign of kufr. I should exalt prophet more than anyone else. If anyone thinks like this, if they desire first prize, then they are totally unfit to praise the prophet.
Everyone should praise our prophet. Everyone should speak well. In fact, others should speak better than me. And by that, all admirers of prophet should feel delighted. Allah Himself should feel pleased. If you have this status of mind, then give speech.
We have smell of sweat in our hands. When we apply sandal in our hands, it gives pleasant odour. Sandal will have its own odour even when no one uses it. But when applied on hand, it gives its odour to our hands. But at the same time, sweat smell from hand clings on to sandal and impacts it. While we get pleasant odour, we should not forget the effect we cause on sandal.
In the name of ‘praising’ and ‘glorifying’, we unmeritorious people bring disrepute to our prophet. Because we are unqualified for praising him, we unwittingly give disgrace to him. To think that I praised better, so first prize belongs to me is wrong. After praising prophet, one should repent. I praised prophet while I don’t have any merit to do so. Ya Allah! Please forgive me, forgive me for the sake of our prophet. One can praise prophet with these humble thoughts.
Kalima should occupy our hearts and thoughts. In fact to utter kalima, to understand kalima, to see kalima and to become kalima can be listed as shariath, thareekath, hakeekath and mareefath. La ilaha illallahu muhammadur rasoolullah – 24 letters. 24 hours in a day. When a person says kalima, 24 letters in kalima earns him forgiveness for sins of 24 hours. Everyday he becomes a pure infant.
Shaitan considered him loftier than prophet Adam. This led him to kufr, and he was damned and cursed. The elephant army of Abraha was shattered. Koonu ma sadhikeen. However heavy be your prayers, you should find company with people seeking Allah’s pleasure. Having friendship with wrong doers will bring ruin even if your prayers are sincere.