Questioner: I wanted to ask you, why can’t Ahmadis celebrate their birthday?
Huzur (rh): Well, they can if they must, they insist. But it’s not proper, it’s not encouraged in Ahmadiyyat. Because in this way, unnecessary importance is given to these cultural customs which really have no sense in fact.
To be born on some day, by anybody, is not a mark of distinction for anyone, because evil people are also born on some days, they also celebrate these, so a day must be celebrated where there is something of exceptional value related to that day. So, everybody is born, so every day becomes special, why? While most of the world, unfortunately, is wicked, it’s not good to be born wicked. You see what Jesus Christ said, he said, if you become instrumental in misleading anyone, it would have been much better if you were not born.
Cursed is the day when a person is born who spreads evil. This is why the Holy Quran, speaking of Jesus himself, says, blessed was the day when I was born. So only some days are blessed, most days are not. So to blindly follow a custom which does not have any sense, any meaning, is not wise, and we don’t approve of this blind following of customs.
