Millions of people celebrate birthdays in much the same way. A cake is decorated with birthday candles, the birthday song is sung, and the celebrant blows out the candles while making a wish. For many, it is simply a familiar tradition.
For Muslims, however, the more fundamental question is not whether the practice is popular, but whether it has a basis in Islamic teachings.
Islam does not forbid people from rejoicing over the blessing of another year of life. On the contrary, gratitude is one of the faith’s central values. The issue lies in how that gratitude is expressed. Islamic law teaches that customs should be evaluated according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Believers must not accept a custom merely because it is widespread.
The Council for Religious Opinion and Reform of Muhammadiyah explains that birthday celebrations—whether for individuals or organizations—fall under matters of ijtihad, where no explicit scriptural text either commands or prohibits the practice. The Prophet Muhammad’s companions are also not known to have observed birthdays as a religious tradition.
As a result, the ruling depends on general principles of Islamic law, particularly whether a celebration brings benefit (maslahah) or leads to harm.
The approach is rooted in the Qur’anic command:
وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“Let there arise from among you a community inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who will be successful.” (QS. Ali ‘Imran [3]: 104).
The verse establishes that social activities should be judged by their substance. If a birthday gathering includes activities such as religious study, charitable giving, community service, family ties, or other efforts that strengthen faith and benefit society, it falls within the category of commendable deeds.
Conversely, if it involves sinful behavior, extravagance, alcohol, or anything that distances people from God, it becomes blameworthy. This principle is reinforced in another verse:
يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“They believe in Allah and the Last Day, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and hasten to do good deeds. They are among the righteous.” (QS. Ali ‘Imran [3]: 114).
What About Blowing Out Candles?
According to the Muhammadiyah fatwa, lighting and blowing out birthday candles have no basis in Islamic teachings. Therefore, it is not needed to be practiced. The reasoning extends beyond the candles themselves to the historical origins of the custom. As explained in the fatwa, the practice traces back to ancient Greece. The Greek used to lit candles as offerings to Artemis, the goddess of the moon. The rising smoke was believed to carry people’s prayers to the deity.
From this perspective, blowing out birthday candles is not viewed as a value-neutral custom but as a tradition with historical roots in pagan religious rituals.
For that reason, the Majelis Tarjih refers to the Prophet Muhammad’s saying:
مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Sunan Ahmad dan Abu Dawud).
The hadith is understood as a warning against adopting religious symbols or rituals that are distinctive to other faiths. Consequently, the issue is not the physical act of blowing out a flame but the custom’s historical and religious associations.
Distinguishing Culture from Worship
This position also illustrates an important distinction in Islamic jurisprudence: not every cultural practice is rejected.
The same fatwa explains that customs are generally permissible as long as they do not involve polytheism (shirk), extravagance, unnecessary hardship, or anything contrary to Islamic teachings. In other words, Islam does not oppose culture; rather, it evaluates cultural practices through the lens of tawhid and ethical values.
This distinction also explains why Muhammadiyah commemorates its annual Milad (anniversary). Unlike birthday traditions centered on ritual symbols such as candles, Muhammadiyah’s Milad serves as an opportunity to strengthen Islamic outreach, honor the organization’s founders, reinforce faith, deepen solidarity, and expand charitable and educational initiatives.
From this perspective, what matters is not merely the passing of another year. What really important is the opportunity to increase one’s contribution to society and service to God.
Reference:
The Central Board of Muhammadiyah’s Council for Religious Opinion and Reform, “Hukum Perayaan Ulang Tahun, Milad, dan Sejenisnya”, Suara Muhammadiyah Magazine, 108, 2023.
