what importance does birthdays have in Islam?And how do we celebrate?

CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS%0D%0A%0D%0AIt is not necessary that everything the West does is according to logic. The%0D%0Abiggest proof that it is the invention of the west are the song words%0D%0Awithout which this function is not complete viz. 'Happy birthday to you.' No%0D%0Aone says, 'Happy birthday celebration' or 'Happy Blessed birthday' or any%0D%0Aother words of this kind. This disease of celebrating birthdays was never%0D%0Aprevalent among Muslims before, but since Muslims started living alongside%0D%0Athe non-Muslims, they have been influenced by them. Birthdays are celebrated%0D%0Ausually at the end of a year and not at the beginning of the year. For%0D%0Aexample, if one's birth date is on the 1st of January, then the birthday%0D%0Awill be celebrated on the 1st of January and not the 2nd of January. Now%0D%0Ajust ponder, what intelligence is there in celebrating and showing happiness%0D%0Awhen a year has decreased in one's life.%0D%0A%0D%0ADuring a birthday celebration, candles are lit on a cake, amounting to the%0D%0Ayears of the one's life. He extinguishes these candles by blowing them out%0D%0Aand all present clap their hands. Hands are clapped at two occasions only,%0D%0Aone at the time of joy for some achievement of his. Secondly, when someone%0D%0Aacts foolishly, then to mock at him. Here a person is extinguishing the rays%0D%0Aof the years of his life by blowing them out himself. Then this is no%0D%0Ahappiness, nor is it any achievement. So the clapping of hands is only for%0D%0Amocking at this person's stupidity. Ponder that this is a custom and sign of%0D%0Anon-believers. When it is someone's birthday, one year of his life has%0D%0Adecreased, and not increased.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis world is a field to work for the hereafter. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu%0D%0A%E6#129;layhi Wasallam)'s Ummah has been sent in this world for a very great%0D%0Aobject. The example of this world is like a king who send a few people into%0D%0Ahis treasure room saying that shortly he will send them out, so at that time%0D%0Awhatever they will be possessing will be their property. Inside the treasure%0D%0Aroom, on one side there are heaps of gold and silver, on another side are%0D%0Alying pearls and jewels, then at another place in the room, delicious food%0D%0Aand soft beds are arranged. Now some people think that the king may send%0D%0Athem out any minute. They quickly gather the gold, silver, pearls and gems.%0D%0AThey feel they will go out from there and organise the food and beds for%0D%0Athemselves afterwards. There is another group of people who think that they%0D%0Ahave just arrived. They feel, 'Let us enjoy the food, then lay down to rest.%0D%0AAfter that we will take from the treasures. There is ample time.' So they%0D%0Aeat, sleep and pass their valuable time without taking from the treasures.%0D%0ASuddenly the king sends everyone out. Now those who had collected the%0D%0Avaluables can enjoy their lives eating and sleeping while those that wasted%0D%0Atheir time and did not accumulate anything will begin to regret. Every%0D%0Amoment of this worldly life is very valuable. Here we have to earn for the%0D%0Along and everlasting life of the hereafter. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu%0D%0A%E6#129;layhi Wasallam) has said that after entering into Jannat, the people%0D%0Aof Jannat will not be sorry about anything of this world, except for that%0D%0Amoment which was spent without the remembrance of Allah. It is apparent that%0D%0Awhen reward will be granted for remembrance of Allah in this world which is%0D%0Aan abode of actions, then one must surely feel very regretful, that if they%0D%0Ashould have spent more time in the remembrance of Allah, they could be%0D%0Aworthy of more rewards.%0D%0A%0D%0AHafiz Zain Siqti asked Hafiz Jurjani the reason for swallowing dry flour to%0D%0Awhich he replied that when he compared the time of swallowing dry flour and%0D%0Achewing roti then, in chewing so much time is spent in which say 70 times%0D%0ASubhanalla can be uttered. Therefore he left eating roti for the last 40%0D%0Ayears.%0D%0A%0D%0AHow can it be permissible to waste time by celebrating birthdays and%0D%0Abecoming happy that a big slice of one's life is put behind. This world is a%0D%0Aprison for the believer and a Jannat for the disbeliever. Allah has bought%0D%0Athe life and wealth of the believers for Jannat. This life is a trust of%0D%0AAllah by us. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu %E6#129;layhi Wasallam) said, 'A person%0D%0Awill not be able to move from his place, until he does not reply to five%0D%0Aquestions:%0D%0A* How did you spend your life?%0D%0A* How did you spend your youth?%0D%0A* Where did you earn your wealth from?%0D%0A* Where did you spend your wealth?%0D%0A* How much did you act upon your knowledge?%0D%0A%0D%0AA person who is concerned of replying to these questions, how can he show%0D%0Ahappiness upon the years of his life decreasing? Besides all this, Islam%0D%0Adoes not permit waste. This is the reason that the poor of this Ummat will%0D%0Aenter Jannat 500 years before the wealthy, because the wealthy will be%0D%0Adelayed by giving an account of their wealth. By spending on birthday%0D%0Aparties, there is no benefit to Islam nor to the poor. It is stated in a%0D%0AHadith the worst Walima feast is the one in which the poor and destitute are%0D%0Aleft out and the wealthy are only invited. Another object of the birthday%0D%0Aparties is show. Islam encourages simplicity. By this attitude of show, the%0D%0Apoor feel inferior and deprived and the rich have a superiority complex.%0D%0AAlso, in these gatherings, music, singing, video filming and the taking of%0D%0Aphotographs and other un-Islamic and forbidden acts take place. May Allah%0D%0ATa%E3la guide us and protect us from all these evils.%0D%0A%0D%0ABy Moulana Abdul Hamid Ishaq%0D%0APrincipal - Madrasah Arabia Islamia, Azaadville%0D%0AEdited