Refuting some false claims of the celebrators of Al-Mawlid - Fifth Claim

Fifth claim: Al-Mawlid encourages people to ask Allah to send salutations upon His Messenger and exalt his mention, which is something mandatory upon all Muslims, as Allah says (that which translates as): "Indeed Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and his angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace." (Al-Ahzaab: 56) Therefore, anything which accomplishes that which is required Islamically is itself a requirement, such as Al-Mawlid.

Refutation: The thing that would really make a person implement the command mentioned in that verse and frequently mention of name of the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam is if they were to live their life studying the Sunnah of the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and applying it to all areas of their life. In reality, the celebration of Al-Mawlid once a year is nothing but a practical call to desert and abandon the Sunnah of the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and the asking of Allah to send salutations upon him and exalt his mention - except during this yearly festival. One only has to look at the lives of the people who propagate the celebration of Al-Mawlid to confirm this. These people are the furthest from applying the Sunnah in their lives; they seem to think that just because they have celebrated this yearly festival, they have fulfilled their duties towards the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. They also think that those who do not celebrate this event are not giving the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam his due right. Reality testifies that the truth is the opposite of this, and that those who celebrate Al-Mawlid are actually the ones who abandon the Sunnah of the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and are the ones who are the furthest from its guidance. They do not realise that the true meaning of rejoicing at Allah sending us His Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam is by rejoicing with that which he came with, and that following him is the only way for this joy to materialise and have a real effect. Allah says that which translates as: "Say, [O Muhammad], 'If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you." Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy upon him, said commenting upon this verse: "This verse is a ruling against anyone who claims to love Allah while not following the Prophet's Sunnah that they are a liar - until they follow the way of the Prophet Muhammad sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam totally, in word and deed." Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "Some people made the claim that they love Allah, so He tested the claim with this verse."