Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (25/298)

He was asked:

Is it recommended to arrange a complete recitation of the Quran each year on the night of the birth of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), or not?

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. Gathering people for food on the two Eids and the days of Tashrīq is a Sunnah. It is among the rites of Islam that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) instituted for the Muslims. Helping the poor by feeding them during Ramadan is also among the established practices of Islam. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

“Whoever provides a fasting person with food to break his fast will have a reward like his.”

Giving poor Quran reciters the means to support their recitation is a righteous deed at any time. Whoever helps them in this shares in their reward.

As for instituting recurring observances other than those prescribed by Islamic law—such as certain nights of Rabīʿ al-Awwal said to mark the night of the Prophet’s birth, certain nights of Rajab, the eighteenth of Dhū al-Hijjah, the first Friday of Rajab, or the eighth of Shawwāl, which the ignorant call the “Festival of the Righteous”—these are innovations that the early generations neither regarded as recommended nor practised. Allah, glorified and exalted be He, knows best.

وَسُئِلَ: عَمَّنْ يَعْمَلُ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ خَتْمَةً فِي لَيْلَةِ مَوْلِدِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هَلْ ذَلِكَ مُسْتَحَبٌّ؟ أَمْ لَا؟ فَأَجَابَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، جَمْعُ النَّاسِ لِلطَّعَامِ فِي الْعِيدَيْنِ وَأَيَّامِ التَّشْرِيقِ سُنَّةٌ وَهُوَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ الْإِسْلَامِ الَّتِي سَنَّهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِعَانَةُ الْفُقَرَاءِ بِالْإِطْعَامِ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ هُوَ مِنْ سُنَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ. فَقَدْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " {مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا فَلَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ} وَإِعْطَاءُ فُقَرَاءِ الْقُرَّاءِ مَا يَسْتَعِينُونَ بِهِ عَلَى الْقُرْآنِ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ وَمَنْ أَعَانَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ كَانَ شَرِيكَهُمْ فِي الْأَجْرِ. وَأَمَّا اتِّخَاذُ مَوْسِمٍ غَيْرِ الْمَوَاسِمِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ كَبَعْضِ لَيَالِي شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ الَّتِي يُقَالُ: إنَّهَا لَيْلَةُ الْمَوْلِدِ أَوْ بَعْضِ لَيَالِيِ رَجَبٍ أَوْ ثَامِنَ عَشَرَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ أَوْ أَوَّلِ جُمْعَةٍ مِنْ رَجَبٍ أَوْ ثَامِنِ شَوَّالٍ الَّذِي يُسَمِّيهِ الْجُهَّالُ عِيدَ الْأَبْرَارِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ الْبِدَعِ الَّتِي لَمْ يَسْتَحِبَّهَا السَّلَفُ وَلَمْ يَفْعَلُوهَا وَاَللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ.