The tradition of celebrating birthdays did not begin in Islam or any religious teaching. Peoples have celebrated birthdays since distant times in the histories of Egypt and Greece. The European countries including the United Kingdom and United States later adopted this tradition. During the early phases of this tradition only royal people along with high-ranking people celebrated their birthdays. But over time, it became a normal part of life for ordinary people too.
Through media channels and movie studios and advertising outlets birthday celebrations spread into the populations of the USA and UK. Society adopted the habit of hosting lavish celebrations while buying costly presents as they also started to slice cakes and use candles in their festivities. Slowly, this culture spread worldwide through television, the internet, and global trends. People across Asia together with Africa and Middle Eastern regions and other global areas currently observe their birthdays using similar modern methods.
Modern society has established religious importance to birthday celebrations among certain groups of people. Some families consider it a mandatory activity. A wife usually displays negative emotions when her husband fails to remember her special day. The lack of birthday celebration from parents will lead children to feel like they are being ignored. Birthdays now function as a major social obligation since most people participate based on the belief that “everyone else does it.”
The modern culture has adopted birthdays because people view them as very important in showing love and care towards others. But the real question remains: Do Muslims celebrate birthdays? The activity of birthday celebration stands as an event which meets societal standards but also faces opposition from Islamic teachings. In this article, we explore what Islam says about celebrating birthdays, providing clear references from the Quran, Hadith, and scholars to help you understand whether celebrating birthdays is allowed in Islam.
What the Quran Says About Birthdays
The Quran does not mention birthday celebrations directly. However, many Islamic scholars refer to general Quranic principles when discussing such topics. Allah commands Muslims to follow His path and avoid copying non-believers in their religious or cultural innovations:
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ فَٱتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“Then We put you on a clear path in religion; so follow it and do not follow the desires of those who do not know.”
(Surah Al-Jathiyah: 18)
According to scholarly opinions celebrating birthdays constitutes imitation of non-Muslim practices that contradict Islamic principles particularly when such festivities originate from religious traditions of other faiths.
What Hadith Says About Celebrating Birthdays
Like the Quran, the Hadith literature does not mention birthday celebrations. But there are strong warnings in Hadith against introducing new practices into Islam:
عَنْ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أُمِّ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، قَالَتْ: قَالَ: رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم “مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ [رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ] ،[وَمُسْلِمٌ] وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لِمُسْلِمٍ: مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ”.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “He who innovates something in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not of it will have it rejected (by Allah).” [Bukhari & Muslim] In another version in Muslim it reads: “He who does an act which we have not commanded, will have it rejected (by Allah).”
Another Hadith says:
“Every newly invented matter is a Bid’ah (innovation), and every Bid’ah is misguidance.”
(Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)
From this, many scholars conclude that since the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions never celebrated birthdays, adding it to Muslim culture may be considered Bid’ah.
What Islamic Scholars Say About Birthday Celebrations
Opinions among scholars vary, and we can divide them into two main groups:
Scholars Who Say Celebrating Birthdays Is Not Allowed
Many well-known scholars like Shaykh Ibn Baz and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen have declared that birthday celebrations are not permissible. Their reasons include:
- It imitates non-Muslim traditions.
- It was never practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or the Sahabah.
- It can lead to extravagance, pride, or show-off.
- It may involve practices like candle blowing and cake cutting, which have pagan or Christian roots.
According to these scholars the simulational observance of birthdays by Muslims leads to both cultural distortions of Islam and weakening of Islamic identity and belief.
Also read: Do Muslims Celebrate Thanksgiving?
Scholars Who Say It May Be Allowed (With Conditions)
Some contemporary scholars, especially those living in Western societies, hold a more flexible view. According to them, Do Muslims celebrate birthdays? Yes, they may — but with strict conditions:
- The celebration must not include haram elements like music, dancing, or mixed gatherings.
- It should not be considered a religious or spiritual act.
- It should remain a simple, cultural way to express love, gratitude, or happiness.
They also refer to the Hadith where the Prophet ﷺ used to fast on Mondays and said:
“That was the day I was born.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Scholars state that the planning of this event supports the notion that birthdate recognition is not forbidden in Islam if specific religious protocols are maintained.
Also read: How to Repent in Islam
Is It Halal, Haram, or Just a Cultural Choice?
Here’s a summary based on scholarly opinions:
- Haram: If birthday celebrations include forbidden activities or resemble religious practices of non-Muslims.
- Makruh (disliked): If it’s done regularly but kept simple, many still discourage it as unnecessary.
- Mubah (permissible): If there’s no religious belief attached, no haram activity, and it’s just a clean cultural moment of joy.
Also read: Can Muslims Drink Alcohol?
Final Advice: What Should Muslims Do?
The question “Do Muslims celebrate birthdays?” cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. The response to this question depends on three factors: intent along with method and understanding. The Muslim faith supports expressions of love combined with gratitude while being kind yet never through actions that break religious regulations.
It is permissible for Muslim families to show gratitude to Allah on birth days while donating charity and reflecting on life while gathering in acceptable ways. Such celebrations should be avoided if they stem from blind copying or social pressure as well as when they feature illicit activities that contradict Islamic principles.
Following the Prophet’s example ﷺ by showing thankfulness to Allah through prayers remains the most secure way to celebrate birthdays.