Mawlid, Birth of Prophet Muhammad, is the celebration of the day of his birth in the third month in the Islamic calendar.
Mawlid Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi is being observed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and other parts of the subcontinent today.
Rabi’ al-Awwal is the accepted date among most of the Sunni and Shia scholars, while few Shia scholars regard the 17th Rabi’ al-Awwal as the accepted date.
In the early days of Islam, observation of Muhammad’s birth as a holy day was usually arranged privately, and later was an increased number of visitors to the Mawlid house that was open for the whole day specifically for this celebration.
The early celebrations, included ingredients of Sufic influence, with animal sacrifices and torchlight processions along with public sermons and a feast. The celebrations occurred during the day, in contrast to modern-day observances, with the ruler playing a key role in the ceremonies.
Emphasis was given to the Ahl al-Bayt with the presentation of sermons and recitations of the Qur’an.
The significance of the event was established when Prophet Muhammad fasted on Monday, citing the reason for this was his birth on that day, and when Umar took into consideration Muhammad’s birth as a possible starting time for the Islamic calendar.
According to Festivals in World Religions, the Mawlid was first introduced by the Abbasids in Baghdad.
It has been suggested that the Mawlid was first formalized by Al-Khayzuran of the Abbasids. Ibn Jubayr, in 1183, writes that Muhammad’s birthday was celebrated every Monday of Rabi’ al-awwal at his birthplace, which had been converted into a place of devotion under the Abbasids.
According to the hypothesis of Nico Kaptein of Leiden University, the Mawlid was initiated by the Fatimids.[40] It has been stated, “The idea that the celebration of the mawlid originated with the Fatimid dynasty has today been almost universally accepted among both religious polemicists and secular scholars.”
Annemarie Schimmel also says that the tendency to celebrate the memory of Muhammad’s birthday on a larger and more festive scale emerged first in Egypt during the Fatimids. The Egyptian historian Maqrizi describes one such celebration held in 1122 as an occasion in which mainly scholars and religious establishments participated. They listened to sermons, distributed sweets, particularly honey, Muhammad’s favorite and the poor received alms.
This Shia origin is frequently noted by those Sunnis who oppose Mawlid.
However, the first Mawlid celebration which was a public festival was started by Sunnis in 1207 by Muẓaffar al-Dīn Gökburi.
It has been said that the first Muslim ruler to officially celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad in an impressive ceremony was Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri.
The Ottomans declared it an official holiday in 1588, known as Mevlid Kandil. The term Mawlid is also used in some parts of the world, such as Egypt, as a generic term for the birthday celebrations of other historical religious figures such as Sufi saints.
Most denominations of Islam approve of the commemoration of Muhammad’s birthday; however, with the emergence of Wahhabism-Salafism, Deobandism, and Ahl-i Hadith, many of the followers of these movements began to disapprove its commemoration, considering it an illicit religious innovation (bid’ah or bidat).
Mawlid is recognized as a national holiday in most of the Muslim-majority countries of the world with the exception of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Some non-Muslim majority countries with large Muslim populations such as India also recognize it as a public holiday.
Prime Minister Modi greeted the people tweeting “Let there be peace and prosperity all around. May the virtues of kindness and brotherhood always prevail. Eid Mubarak!”
Milad-un-Nabi greetings. Let there be peace and prosperity all around. May the virtues of kindness and brotherhood always prevail. Eid Mubarak!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 19, 2021
Vice President Kovind tweeted, “Good wishes to all fellow citizens, especially to our Muslim brothers and sisters on Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. Let us take inspiration from Prophet’s life & ideals and work for the prosperity of society and promotion of peace & harmony in the country.”
India is noted for its Mawlid festivities.
The relics of Muhammad are displayed after the morning prayers in Jammu and Kashmir at the Hazratbal Shrine, where night-long prayers are also held. Hyderabad Telangana is noted for its grand Milad festivities Religious meetings, night-long prayers, rallies, parades, and decorations are made throughout the city.
During Pakistan‘s Mawlid, the day starts with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute at the provincial capitals, and religious hymns are sung during the day.
In many parts of Indonesia, the celebration of the Mawlid al-nabi “seems to surpass in importance, liveliness, and splendor” the two official Islamic holidays of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
In Qayrawan, Tunisia, Muslims sing and chant hymns of praise to Muhammad, welcoming him in honor of his birth. Also, generally in Tunisia, people usually prepare Assidat Zgougou to celebrate the Mawlid.
Eid Milad-un-Nabi is Not An Innovation:
The observation of Eid Milad-un-Nabi is not an innovation. Muslim (1162) narrated from Abu Qaaadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said: “On (that day) I was born and on it, Revelation came down to me.”
Al-Tirmidhi (747) narrated, in a hadith that he classified as hasan, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Deeds are presented (to Allah) on Monday and Thursday and I like my deeds to be presented when I am fasting.” (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Tirmidhi.)
From the sahih hadiths quoted above, it is clear that just as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fasted on Mondays out of gratitude for the blessing of his birth on this day, he also fasted it because of its virtue, because the Revelation came down to him on that day, and on that day deeds are presented to Allah. So he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) liked his deeds to be taken up when he was fasting. The fact that he was born on that day was one of several reasons for fasting that day.
This day was already established, thus by observing it, no one is adding to it, and is not an innovation because Prophet Muhammad already observed the day that he was born, his birthday, as the day Revelation came upon it, so it is a very significant day.
When people ask about celebrating a day, the answer is that there is nothing wrong as far as the Islamic Shari`ah is concerned to celebrate Islamic occasions as long as they do not include anything haram such as, unlawful mixing between males and females. Such celebration is a kind of remembrance of Allah’s bounties on His servants, which is a praiseworthy behavior, recommended by Allah Almighty.
There is nothing wrong in making use of such an occasion as the Prophet’s birthday to remember and remind people of the great personality of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), his honorable biography, and his true message that has been revealed to him by Allah Almighty as a mercy for the worlds. How can this be considered a bid`ah?
Celebrating Islamic occasions is a way to remind people of the great bounties Allah has showered on them, and this is not only permissible but also recommendable and praiseworthy. Allah Almighty has commanded His servants to remember such occasions, as He says what means, “O ye who believe, remember Allah’s favor unto you when there came against you hosts, and We sent against them a great wind and hosts ye could not see. And Allah is ever Seer of what ye do. When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when eyes grew wild and hearts reached to the throats, and ye were imagining vain thoughts concerning Allah.” (Al-Ahzab: 9-10)
Therefore, we can see that talking about Allah’s favors and celebrating them is a praiseworthy act, so as to remember Allah’s Grace and remind Muslims of the Islamic occasions, that they can learn moral lessons from and make use of them. There is really nothing wrong in that, as it has no sign of innovation or heresy in religion.”
