Firstly, this article was taken from a local newspaper The Gulf Times so I guess that makes it a newspaper with an interest in Islamic news.

Secondly, "cleric Salman Al Awdah told viewers during a television show last week that celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries was not against Islam, sparking a debate in the kingdom"

So the views of this cleric were that Birthdays are OK to celebrate, which means there IS room for debate as to whether it is unIslamic or not to hold celebrations on landmark days in ones life.

It's one Muslim's opinion of how to interpret the Quran against anothers. This wasn't a non-Muslim criticising it was another Islamic Cleric.