Did Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani permit the celebration of the Prophet's Birthday (Mawlid), and is this used as evidence for the permissibility of celebrating it?

Celebrating the Prophet's Birthday (Mawlid) is an innovated bid'ah. The first to introduce it were the misguided Fatimids. There is no narration from the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) that they approved of it or permitted it. It is not necessary that everything a scholar says is correct, for the mujtahid, if he is right, gets two rewards, and if he is wrong, he gets one reward. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar was asked about the practice of the Mawlid, and he replied that it is an innovation not transmitted from the righteous predecessors, but it may contain good aspects and their opposites. So, whoever seeks out the good aspects and avoids their opposites, it is a bid'ah hasanah (good innovation); otherwise, it is not. Its origin is based on expressing gratitude to Allah for the blessing of the Prophet's manifestation, similar to the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura in gratitude to Allah. What is done during it must be limited to thanking Allah, such as recitation (of Qur'an), feeding (the poor), giving charity, and praising the Prophet.

However, people's current practices in Mawlid celebrations contradict what Al-Hafiz stipulated in his fatwa, as bid'ah (innovations) and munkarat (reprehensible acts) have largely overtaken them. If Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, had seen what women have innovated, she would have prevented them from going to the mosque. So, what if the matter was an innovation, and then it was further afflicted by manifest flaws, innovations, and reprehensible acts? Whoever follows the dispensations (rukhsas) of the madhhabs and aligns with his desires has cast off the rope of piety.