What is the Shar'ee ruling on cutting a simple cake as Niyaz during the celebration of Eid-e-Meelaad

There is no Shar‘ee objection to cutting a simple cake as Niyaaz on the occasion of Eid-e-Meelaad-un-Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلمon the 12th of Rabi‘ul-Awwal and distributing it among the people. Cutting a cake as a means of expressing happiness is, in itself, permissible, and it has also become a common practice among Muslims on occasions of happiness. Therefore, simply cutting a cake cannot be declared impermissible merely on the basis that it is also practised by non-Muslims. The basic Shar‘ee principle is that it is not permissible for Muslims to adopt something that is a distinctive religious symbol or practice of the disbelievers, or something that is itself prohibited according to the Shari‘ah. However, the mere fact that a particular practice is also found in non-Muslim societies does not make it impermissible. For something to fall under prohibited imitation, it must either be a distinctive symbol of the non-Muslims, be adopted with the intention of imitating them, or involve some other Shar‘ee objection.

Regarding imitation of other nations, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمsaid:

Translation: “Whoever imitates a people is considered one of them.” (Sunan Abi Dawood Shareef) Explaining this Hadith Shareef, Hazrat Allamah Ali Qaari Hanafi Alaihir Rahmah states:

Translation: “That is, whoever imitates the disbelievers, for example, in clothing and the like, or imitates the sinful and immoral people, or adopts the resemblance of the people of Tasawwuf, the righteous and pious, will be considered among them; meaning, with the sinful people in sin and with the righteous people in righteousness.” (Mirqaatul-Mafaateeh, Volume 8, Page 222, Kitaabul-Libaas, Darul-Kutubul-Ilmiyyah, Beirut) Elaborating on this important Shar‘ee principle, Imam-e-Ahl-eSunnat, Sayyidi Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Alaihir Rahmah, writes in Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef:

Translation: “Imitation is prohibited and disliked only when the person’s intention is to imitate them, or when the particular

practice is a distinctive hallmark of those deviant sects, or when the practice itself is objectionable according to the Shari‘ah. In the absence of these circumstances, there is absolutely no basis for prohibition.” (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef, Volume 24, Page 534, Raza Foundation, Lahore) Similarly, Huzoor Taajush-Shariah Alaihir Rahmah was asked about making and cutting cakes, to which he replied:

Translation: “Making a cake, distributing it, and, if the cake is large, cutting it are all permissible in themselves, provided that there is no intention of imitating the Christians.” (Audio of Huzoor TaajushShariah Alaihir Rahmah)

Therefore, cutting a simple cake as Niyaaz and distributing it among those present and other Muslims as an expression of happiness on the occasion of Eid-e-Meelaad-un-Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلمon the 12th of Rabi‘ulAwwal is permissible in itself. There is no Shar‘ee objection to it, provided that there is no intention of imitating non-Muslims and no other Shar‘ee prohibition is involved.