As for the dream concerning Abu Lahab, there is no established evidence that it was presented to the Prophet ﷺ, approved by him, or made the basis of any ruling during his lifetime. Revelation ended with the death of the Prophet ﷺ; therefore, no subsequent dream can establish a new act of worship or religious ruling.
Third, al-Bukhari’s wording does not state that Abu Lahab freed Thuwaybah out of happiness over the Prophet’s birth ﷺ. Nor does it mention that his punishment is reduced every Monday or that he held any celebration or annual observance. It states only that he was given something to drink because he had freed Thuwaybah. The commonly circulated details concerning Monday and the announcement of the Prophet’s birth do not appear in al-Bukhari’s account. [Sahih al-Bukhari]
Fourth, even if the account’s contents were accepted, the most it would indicate is a recompense connected to freeing Thuwaybah. It provides no evidence for taking the Prophet’s birthday ﷺ as a recurring religious occasion. Using this isolated incident to justify an annual religious observance is an unwarranted transition from a particular event to a recurring act of worship without supporting evidence.
Fifth, acts of worship, including their designation for a particular time or manner, can be established only through evidence from the Qur’an or the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our matter will have it rejected.” [Sahih Muslim 1718]
Therefore, this account neither establishes any special religious virtue for the day of the Mawlid nor proves the permissibility of taking it as a recurring religious occasion. It is not a Hadith or a source of religious legislation, and al-Bukhari’s wording contains no reference to the annual celebration for which it is cited as evidence.
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