Mawlid

Mawlid(Arabic:مولد), also known asEid-e-Milad an-Nabi(Arabic: عید ميلاد النبي,romanized:ʿīd mīlad an-nabī,lit.'feast of the birth of the prophet'), is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of theIslamicprophetMuhammadon the traditional date of 12Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of theIslamic calendar. A day central to the traditions ofSunni Islam, the Mawlid is also celebrated byShia Muslims.
The history of this celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of theTabi‘unbegan to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honour Muhammad were recited and sung to crowds in the major cities.The celebration was continued either by theAbbasidsand theFatimids. The Muslim generalGökböri, a deputy ofSaladin(r.1174–1193), is believed to have been the first to publicly celebrate Mawlid, which he did in an impressive ceremony at theProphet's MosqueinMedina. TheOttomansunderMurad III(r.1574–1595) declared it anofficial holiday.
Celebrants holdmahfilson Mawlid in whichreligious poetryis recited in praise of Muhammad accompanied by a feast. Other customs affiliated with Mawlid are supererogatory fasting, Islamic music anddhikr. Most denominations ofIslamapprove of the commemoration of Muhammad's birthday.
The Mawlid observance is generally approved of across the four Sunni schools of law, by mainstream Islamic scholarship and it is a recognized national holiday in most of the Muslim-majority countries of the world.
The termMawlidis derived from the Arabic root wordwalad, meaning "to give birth" or "descendant".Although it is a generic term for any day of birth,Mawlidusually refers to the observance of the birthday of Muhammad.
Along with being referred to as the celebration of the birth of Muhammad, the term Mawlid refers to the 'text especially composed for and recited at Muhammad's nativity celebration' or "a text recited or sung on that day".It is also known asEid-e-Milad an-Nabi(Arabic:عید ميلاد النبي,romanized:ʿīd mīlad an-nabī,lit.'feast of the birth of the prophet').
According to the majority ofSunniMuslims and most Shias, Muhammad was born on the 12th ofRabi' al-Awwal.ManyTwelverShiaMuslims on the other hand assert that Muhammad was born on the 17th ofRabi' al-Awwal.It stands as a matter ofikhtilafor disagreement since prominent Shia scholars such asMuhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni,Ibn Babawayh, andZayn al-Din al-Juba'i al-'Amilihave affirmed the date of the 12th of Rabi' al-Awal.Nonetheless, others contend that the date of Muhammad's birth is unknown and is not definitively recorded in the Islamic traditions.The issue of the correct date of the Mawlid is recorded byIbn Khallikanas constituting the first proven disagreement concerning the celebration.
The history of this celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of theTabi‘unbegan to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honour Muhammad were recited and sung to crowds in the major cities.TheOttomansdeclared it an official holiday in 1588,known asMevlid Kandil.The termMawlidis also used in some parts of the world, such asEgypt, as a generic term for the birthday celebrations of other historical religious figures such asSufisaints.
In early days of Islam, observation ofMuhammad'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 history of this celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of theTabi‘unbegan to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honour Muhammad were recited and sung to the crowds.
The early celebrations, included elements of Sufi 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 theAhl al-Baytwith presentation of sermons and recitations of the Qur'an.
The exact origins of the Mawlid is difficult to trace.According toMuhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God, the significance of the event was established when Muhammad fasted on Monday, citing the reason for this was his birth on that day, and whenUmartook into consideration Muhammad's birth as a possible starting time for the Islamic calendar.According toFestivals in World Religions, the Mawlid was first introduced by theAbbasidsinBaghdad.It has been suggested that the Mawlid was first formalized byal-Khayzuranof theAbbasids.Ibn Jubayr, in 1183, writes that Muhammad's day of birth was celebrated every Monday ofRabi' al-Awwalat his birthplace, which had been converted into a place of devotion under the Abbasids.
According to the hypothesis of Nico Kaptein ofLeiden University, the Mawlid was initiated by theFatimids.It has been stated, "The idea that the celebration of themawlidoriginated 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 day of birth on a larger and more festive scale emerged first in Egypt during the Fatimids. The Egyptian historian Maqrizi (d. 1442) describes one such celebration held in 1122 as an occasion in which mainly scholars and religious establishment participated. They listened to sermons, distributed sweets, particularly honey, Muhammad's favourite and the poor received alms.This Shia origin is frequently noted by those Sunnis who oppose Mawlid.According toEncyclopædia Britannica, however, what the Fatimids did was simply a procession of court officials, which did not involve the public but was restricted to the court of the Fatimid caliph.Therefore, it has been concluded that the first Mawlid celebration which was a public festival was started bySunnisin 1207 byMuẓaffar al-Dīn Gökburi.
It has been suggested that the celebration was introduced into the cityCeutabyAbu al-Abbas al-Azafias a way of strengthening the Muslim community and to counteract Christian festivals.
In 1207, the Turkic generalGökböristarted the first annual public festival of the Mawlid inErbil.Gökböri was the brother-in-law ofSaladinand soon the festival began to spread across the Muslim world.Since Saladin and Gokburi were bothSufisthe festival became increasingly popular among Sufi devotees which remains so till this day.TheOttomansdeclared it an official holiday in 1588,known asMevlid Kandil.It is a national holiday in most parts of the Muslim world exceptSaudi ArabiaandQatarwhich are officially Salafi.
Mawlid is celebrated in almost all Islamic countries, and in other countries that have a significant Muslim population, such as Ethiopia,India, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Iraq, Iran, Maldives, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Russiaand Canada.Hari Maulaud Nabi is a public holiday in theCocos (Keeling) Islands.
In the last decades of the late 20th century there has been a trend to "forbid or discredit" Mawlid because of the rise ofSalafism.
The first Sunni mawlid celebration that we have a detailed description of was sponsored bySaladin's general, Muzaffar al-Din Kokburi (Gökböri) and included the slaughtering of thousands of animals for a banquet which is believed to have cost 300,000dirhams.
The presence of guests and the distribution of monetary gifts atmawlidfestivals had an important social function as they symbolized "concretizing ties of patronage and dramatizing the benevolence of the ruler" and also held religious significance, as "issues of spending and feeding were pivotal both to the religious and social function of the celebration."Often organized in some countries by the Sunni Sufi orders,Mawlid is celebrated in acarnivalmanner, large street processions are held and homes or mosques are decorated. Charity and food is distributed, and stories about the life of Muhammad are narrated with recitation of poetry by children.Scholars and poets celebrate by recitingQaṣīda al-BurdaSharif, the famous poem by 13th-century Arabic SufiBusiri. A general Mawlid appears as "a chaotic, incoherent spectacle, where numerous events happen simultaneously, all held together only by the common festive time and space".These celebrations are often considered an expression of the Sufi concept of the pre-existence of Muhammad.However, the main significance of these festivities is expression of love for Muhammad.
Earlyfatwasand criticisms of themawlidhave taken issue with the "possibility of coerced giving" as hosts often took monetary contributions from their guests for festival costs.
Jurists often conceptualized the observance of Muhammad's day of birth as a "form of reciprocation for God's bestowal of the Prophet Muhammad" as a way of justifying celebrations.According to this thought, the bestowal of such a gift required thanks, which came in the form of the celebration of themawlid. Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (1392 CE) and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalini (1449 CE) both expressed such ideas, specifically referencing the hadith about the Jews and the fast of ‘Ashura’, but broadening the conception of "thanks to God" to multiple forms of worship includingprostration,fasting,almsgiving, andQur’anic recitation.The only limitation Ibn Hajar places on forms of celebration is that they must be neutral underShari’a.
Yemen
In Yemen, Mawlid al-Nabi, the celebration of Muhammad's birthday, is one of the most significant events of the year and is home to the largest Mawlid gathering in the world. In cities like Sana'a and other major urban centers, millions gather to mark the occasion with religious ceremonies, poetry recitations, and large processions, creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere. The color green, the Prophet's  favorite color, is prominently worn by many, symbolizing life, renewal, and a connection to his legacy. Streets, mosques, and homes are adorned with green decorations and lights, further enhancing the festive mood. The event is not only a religious observance but also a reflection of Yemen’s strong cultural and historical ties to the Prophet’s life and teachings.
DuringPakistan's Mawlid, the day starts with a 31-gun salute in federal capital and a21-gun saluteat the provincial capitals and religious hymns are sung during the day.
In many parts ofIndonesia, the celebration of theMawlid al-nabi"seems to surpass in importance, liveliness, and splendour" the two official Islamic holidays ofEid ul-FitrandEid 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 prepareAssidat Zgougouto celebrate the Mawlid.
InTurkey, Mawlid is widely celebrated. It is referred to asMevlid KandiliinTurkish, which means "the candle feast for the Prophet's day of birth".Traditional poems regarding Muhammad's life are recited both in public mosques and at home in the evening.The most celebrated of these is the Mawlid ofSüleyman Çelebi.Plenty of other mawlids were written inOttoman times.
Among non-Muslim countries, India is noted for its Mawlid festivities.Therelics of Muhammadare displayed after the morning prayers in the Indian state ofJammu and Kashmirat theHazratbal Shrine, where night-long prayers are also held.HyderabadTelanganais noted for its grand milad festivities. Religious meetings, night-long prayers, rallies, parades and decorations are made throughout the city and schools declare holiday.
According toSahih Muslim, theprophetfasted on his own birthday, which is why some Muslims also observe that fact and fast the day.
Along with being referred to as the celebration of the birth of Muhammad, the term Mawlid also refers to the 'text especially composed for and recited at Muhammad's nativity celebration' or "a text recited or sung on that day".Such poems have been written in many languages, including Arabic, Kurdish and Turkish.These texts contain stories of the life of Muhammad, or at least some of the following chapters from his life, briefly summarized below:
These text are only part of the ceremonies. There are many different ways that people celebrate Mawlid, depending on where they are from. There appears to be a cultural influence upon what kind of festivities are a part of the Mawlid celebration. In Indonesia, it is common the congregation reciteSimthud Durar, especially amongArab Indonesians.
Among Muslim scholars, the legality of Mawlid "has been the subject of intense debate" and has been described as "perhaps one of the most polemical discussions in Islamic law".Traditionally, mostSunniand nearly all of theShiascholars have approved the celebration of Mawlid,whileSalafiandDeobandischolars oppose the celebration.
Examples of historic Sunni scholars who permitted the Mawlid include theShafi'ischolarAl-Suyuti(d 911A.H.). He was a scholar who wrote a fatwa on the Mawlid, which became one of the most important texts on this issue.Although he became famous outside of Egypt, he was caught in conflicts in Egypt his entire life.For example, he believed that he was the most important scholar of his time, and that he should be regarded as a mujtahid (a scholar who independently interprets and develops the Law) and later as a mujaddid (a scholar who appears at end of a century to restore Islam).These claims made him the most controversial person of his time.However, his fatwa may have received widespread approval and may not have provoked any conflicts.
He stated that:
Al-Suyuti thought that the Mawlid could be based on the fact that Muhammad performed the sacrifice for his own birth after his calling to be a prophet.He said that Abu Lahab, who he called an unbeliever, had been condemned by what was revealed in the Quran but was rewarded in the fire "for the joy he showed on the night of the birth of the Prophet" by releasing from slavery Thuwayba when she had informed him of the birth of Muhammad.Therefore, he talked about what would happen to a Muslim who rejoiced in his birth and loved him.
In response to al-Fakihani, al-Suyuti said a few things. He said that "because a matter is not known it does not necessarily follow that the matter does not exist nor ever has existed."He also said that a "learned and judicious ruler introduced it," in responding to al-Fakihani's statement that "on the contrary, it is a bida that was introduced by idlers... nor the pious scholars..."Al-Suyuti also said in response to "Nor is it meritorious, because the essence of the meritorious is what the Law demands," that "the demands of meritorious are sometimes based on a text and sometimes on reasoning by analogy."Al-Suyuti said that bidas are not restricted to forbidden or reprehensible, but also to the permitted, meritorious, or compulsory categories in response to al-Fakihani's statement that "according to the consensus of the Muslims innovation in religion is not permitted."In response to al-Fakihani's statement that "This, not withstanding the fact that the month in which he… is born namely Rabi'I, is exactly the same as the one in which he died. Therefore joy and happiness in this month are not any more appropriate than sadness in this month,"al-Suyuti said that "birth is the greatest benefaction which has ever befallen us, but his death the greatest calamity that has been visited upon us."He said that the law allows expression of gratitude for benefactions, and that Muhammad had prescribed the sacrifice after the birth of a child because this would express gratitude and happiness for the newborn.Indeed, al-Suyuti said that the principles of the law say it is right to express happiness at Muhammad's birth.
The Shafi'i scholarIbn Hajar al-Asqalani(d.852 A.H.) too approved of the Mawlidand states that:
TheDamasceneShafi'i scholarAbu Shama(d.1268) (who was a teacher of Imamal-Nawawi(d.676 A.H.)) also supports the celebration of the Mawlid.TheMalikischolarIbn al-Hajj(d.737 A.H.) also spoke positively of the observance of the Mawlid in his bookal-Madhkal.Al-Hajj addresses his thoughts on the paradoxical problem of misguided Mawlid observance when he says:
Likewise, the Shafi'i Egyptian scholarIbn Hajar al-Haytami(d.974 A.H.) was an avid supporter of the Mawlid and wrote a text in praise of it.This was supported and commented on by the Egyptian scholar and former head ofAl-Azhar UniversityIbrahim al-Bajuriand by theHanafiSyrianMuftiIbn Abidin.Another Hanafi MuftiAli al-Qari(d.1014 A.H.) too supported the celebration of the Mawlid and wrote a text on the subjectas did theMoroccanMaliki scholarMuḥammad ibn Jaʿfar al-Kattānī(d.1345 A.H.).Ibn al-Jazari(d.833 A.H.), a Syrian Shafi'i scholar considers the celebration of the Mawlid to be a means of gaining Paradise.
In the Muslim world, the majority of Sunni Islamic scholars are in favor of the Mawlid.>:"In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the celebration of the Prophet's (s) birthday and the recitation of mawlid texts were ubiquitous practices endorsed by the majority of mainstream Sunni scholars... by the modern period the celebration of the Mawlid was overwhelmingly accepted and practiced at all levels of religious education and authority. Prominent elite scholars continued to contribute to the development of the tradition." Examples include the former Grand Mufi of EgyptAli Gomaa,Muhammad Alawi al-Malikiof Saudi Arabia,Yusuf al-Qaradawithe primary scholar of theMuslim Brotherhoodmovement,Habib Ali al-Jifri,Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri,Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowyof Syria, president of the Heritage and History Committee of theUnited Arab EmiratesMuhammad ibn Ahmad al-KhazrajiandZaid Shakir, all of whom subscribe toSunni Islam, have given their approval for the observance of Mawlid.
Salafismsects represented inSaudi ArabiaandQatardoes not celebrate mawlid while Deobandi sect also forbids its observance though some of their scholars participate in Mawlid gatherings.
Established in 31 May 1866 in India, Wahabi/Salafi influencedDeobandMadarsa and its Deobandi sect consider Mawlid un Nabi as Biddah.However, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, scholars wing ofDeobandismcelebrate Mawlid inKanpurcity of Uttar Pradesh, India by bringing out 
procession since 1913and also takes part in Mawlid celebrations inAligarh Muslim Universitywhich is organized ever year under Seerat Committee.One of the Deobandi scholar who regularly delivers mawlid speeches in Aligarh Muslim University, India Prof. Qasmi (Dean, Faculty of Theology, AMU) told that Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi functions have been organized at MAO College/Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) since the times of its founder.
Taj al-Din al-Fakihani (d.1331), an EgyptianMaliki, considered Mawlid to be a blameworthy innovation that was eithermakruhorharam. Al-Fakihani said that there was no basis of this in the Book of God, nor in the sunnah of Muhammad, and that there was no observance of it on authority of scholars of the umma.He said that it was a "bida that was introduced by idlers, and a delight to which gluttons abandon themselves."He mentioned how the five legal categories included whether it is compulsory, meritorious, permitted, reprehensible, or forbidden.He said it was not compulsory, meritorious, or permitted, and therefore it was reprehensible or forbidden.He said that it was reprehensible when a person observed at their own expense without doing more at the gathering than to eat and abstain from doing anything sinful.The second condition of the category of forbidden, according to al-Fakihani, was when committing of transgressions entered into the practice,such as "singing–with full bellies–accompanied by instruments of idleness like drums and reed flutes, with the meeting of men with young boys and male persons with attractive women–either mixing with them or guarding them–, just like dancing by swinging and swaying, wallowing in lust and forgetting of the Day of Doom."He also said, "And likewise the women, when they come together and there lend their high voices during the reciting with sighing and singing and thereby during the declaiming and reciting disobey the law and neglect His word: ‘Verily, your Lord is on a watchtower’ (Sura 89:14)."He further said, "Nobody with civilized and courteous manners approves of this. It is only pleasing to people whose hearts are dead and do not contain few sins and offenses."Finally, he said that the month when Muhammad was born was also the month in which he died, and so implied that joy and happiness in that month are not more appropriate than sadness in that month.
Fellow Egyptian MalikiIbn al-Haj al-Abdarialso considered Mawlid as a blameworthy innovation that was eithermakruhorharam, who added that the celebration was never practiced by theSalaf.However Ibn al-Haj affirms the auspicious qualities of the month of the Mawlid in the most effusive terms.and considers Muhammad's date of birth as a particularly blessed time of the year.The Maliki scholaral-Shatibiconsidered Mawlid an illegitimate innovation.TheAndalusianjurist Abu 'Abd Allah al-Haffar (d.1408) opposed Mawlid, noting that had theSahabacelebrated it then its exact date would not be a matter of uncertainty.The former grand mufti of Saudi Arabia,Ibn Baz, along with Hammud ibn 'Abd Allah al-Tuwayjiri (d.1992), another Saudi scholar, in their opposition also argued that there were many worthy occasions in Muhammad's life which he never commemorated, such as the revelation of the first verses of the Qur'an, the Night Journey and the hijra.
The position ofIbn Taymiyya(1263–1328) on the Mawlid has been ambiguous. On the one hand, he considered that it was a reprehensible devotional innovation and criticised those who celebrated the Mawlid out of a desire to imitate the Christian celebration of Jesus's day of birth.On the other hand, he recognised that some observe Muhammad's day of birth out of a desire to show their love and reverence of him and thus deserve a great reward for their good intentions.TheSalafiwriter Hamid al-Fiqi (d.1959) criticised Ibn Taymiyya for holding this view and stating that "How can they receive a reward for this when they are opposing the guidance of God's Messenger (pbuh)?".
Ibn al-Hajj(c. 1250/56-1336) praised carrying out ceremonies and expression of gratitude during the festival, but rejected the forbidden and objectionable matters that took place at it.He objected to certain things, such as singers performing to the accompaniment of percussion instruments, pointing to their blameworthiness.He asked about what connections there might have been between percussion instruments and the month of Muhammad's day of birth.However, he said that it was right to honor and distinguish the day of birth because it showed respect for the month.He also said that excellence lied in devotional acts.Therefore, al-Hajj said that "the respect of this noble month should consist of additional righteous works, the giving of alms and other pious deeds. If anybody is not able to do so, let him then in any case avoid what is forbidden and reprehensible out of respect for this noble month."He said that even though the Quran might be recited, the people actually were "longing for the most skilled adepts of folly and stimulating means to entertain the people," and said that this was "perverse".Therefore, he did not condemn the Mawlid, but only "the forbidden and objectionable things which the Mawlid brings in its wake."He did not disapprove of preparing a banquet and inviting people to participate.In addition, Ibn al-Hajj also said that people observed the Mawlid not just from reasons of respect but also because they wanted to get back the silver they had given on other joyous occasions and festivals, and said that there were "evil aspects" attached to this.
Skaykh al-Islam, Abu I-Fadl ibn Hajar, who was "the (greatest) hafiz of this time,"said that the legal status of the Mawlid was that it was a bida, which was not transmitted on the authority of one of the pious ancestors.However, he said that it comprised both good things, as well as the reverse, and that if one strove for good things in practicing it and evaded bad things, the Mawlid was a good innovation, and if not, then not.He said that the coming of Muhammad was a good benefaction, and said that only the day ought to be observed.He said that "it is necessary that one restricts oneself to that which expresses gratitude to God… namely by reciting the Quran, the giving of a banquet, almsgiving, declamations of some songs of praise for the Prophet and some ascetic songs of praise, which stimulate the hearts to do good and to make efforts to strive for the Hereafter."He also said that the "sama and the entertainment and the like" may have been in line with the joyous nature of the day, but said that “what is forbidden or reprehensible, is, of course, prohibited. The same holds true for what is contrary to that which is regarded as the most appropriate."
In some countries, such as Egypt andSudan, Mawlid is used as a generic term for the celebration of the day of birth of local Sufi saints and not only restricted to the observance of the birth of Muhammad.Around 3,000 Mawlid celebrations are held each year. These festivals attract an international audience, with the largest one in Egypt attracting up to three million people honouringAhmad al-Badawi, a local 13th-century Sufi saint.