Mawlid 

(Qur'anic Arabic: ‫ َموْ لِ ُد النَ ِب ِّي‬ mawlidu n-nabiyyi, “Birth of the Prophet” Standard Arabic: ‫مولد النبي‬ mawlid
an-nabī, sometimes simply called in colloquial Arabic ‫ مولد‬, mawlid, mevlid, mevlit, mulud among other
vernacular pronunciations) or sometimes ‫ ميالد‬, mīlād is a term used to refer to the observance of the
birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic
calendar.[1]

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.[2]

Etymology
Mawlid is derived from the Arabic root word (Arabic: ‫)ولد‬, meaning to give birth, bear a child, descendant.
[3]
 In contemporary usage, Mawlid refers to the observance of the birthday of Muhammad.[1] Other terms
used for this event include:

 Mawlid an-Nabī (pl. al-Mawālid) - The Birth of the Prophet (Arabic)

 Milād an-Nabī - The Birth of the Prophet (Arabic/Urdu)

 Mevlid-i Şerif - The Blessed Birth (Turkish)

 Mevlud/Mevlid - Birth (Bosnian)

 Mawlūd-e Sharīf - The Blessed Birth (Dari/Urdu)

 Zadruz-e Payambar-e Akram - The birth of the great/blessed Prophet

(Persian)

 Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawī - Festival of the birth of the Prophet (Arabic)

 Eid-e-Milād-un-Nabī - Festival of the birth of the Prophet (Urdu)

 Mawlid en-Nabaoui Echarif - The Blessed Birth of the Prophet (Algerian)

 el Mūled (en-Nabawi)/Mūled en-Nabi - The birth (of the prophet)/Birth of

the prophet (Egyptian Arabic)

 Yawm an-Nabī - The Day of the Prophet (Arabic)

 Maulidur-Rasūl - The Birth of the Messenger of Allah (Malay)

 Mulud - The Birth (Javanese)

 Maulid Nabi - The Birth of the Prophet (Indonesian)

 Maulud Nabi - The Birth of the Prophet (Malaysian)

 Maulidi - ? (Swahili)

 Meeladu Nabi - The Birth of the Prophet (Sri Lanka,  Maldives,  South
India)

 Gamou - ? (Wolof)
Timing
Mawlid falls in the month of Rabi' al-awwal in the Islamic calendar. Shias observe the event on the 17th of
the month, coinciding with the birth date of their sixth Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq,and Prophet Muhammad(SAW)
whileSunnis observe it on the 12th of the month. As the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, the
corresponding date in the Gregorian calendar varies each year. The following table gives a list of dates
showing the date Mawlid will be observed. In 2007, Mawlid fell on March 31 for the Sunnis or April 5 for the
Shi’as.

History

The observance of Mawlid can be found in 8th century Mecca, when the house in which Prophet
Muhammad was born was transformed into a place of prayer by Al-Khayzuran (mother of Harun al-Rashid,
the fifth and most famous Abbasid caliph).[5]

The earliest accounts for the observance of Mawlid can be found in 8th century Mecca, when the house in
which Prophet Muhammad was born was transformed into a place of prayer by Al-Khayzuran (mother
of Harun al-Rashid, the fifth and most famous Abbasid caliph).[5] Public celebrations of the birth of
Muhammad did not occur until four centuries after his death. It was originally a festival of the Shia ruling
class, not attended by the common people, with the first official Mawlid celebrations occurring in Egypt
towards the end of the 11th century.[5][6] The early celebrations included elements of Sufic influence, with
animal sacrifices and torchlight processions along with public sermons and a feast.[7][8] The celebrations
occurred during the day, in contrast to modern day observances, with the ruler playing a key role in the
ceremonies.[9] Emphasis was given to theAhl al-Bayt with presentation of sermons and recitations of the
Qur'an. The event also featured the award of gifts to officials in order to bolster support for the ruling caliph.
[9]
.

Abu al-Abbas al-Azafi (1162–1236) established the custom of celebrating Mawlid in Morocco. His son
Abu'l-Qasim propagated it throughout the Maghreb.[10]

The first public celebrations by Sunnis took place in twelfth-century Syria, under the rule of Nur ad-Din
Zangi Though there is no firm evidence to indicate the reason for the adoption of the Shi'ite festival by the
Sunnis, some theorize the celebrations took hold to counter Christian influence in places such
as Spain and Morocco.[11] Theologians denounced the celebration of Mawlid as unorthodox,[12] and the
practice was briefly halted by the Ayoubides when they came to power, becoming an event confined to
family circles.[13] It regained status as an official event again in 1207 when it was re-introduced by Muzaffar
ad-din, the brother-in-law of Saladin, inArbil, a town near Mosul, Iraq.[7][8]

The practice spread throughout the Muslim world, assimilating local customs, to places such as Cairo,
where folklore and Sufic practices greatly influenced the celebrations. By 1588 it had spread to the court
of Murad III,Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.[5][14] In 1910, it was given official status as a national festival
throughout the Ottoman empire. Today it is an official holiday in many parts of the world.[5]

Legality
Islamic scholars are divided on whether observing Mawlid is necessary or even permissible in Islam. Some
see it as a praiseworthy event and positive development,[15][16] while others say it is an improper innovation
and forbid its celebration.

A number of Islamic scholars, such as Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki, Tahir-ul-Qadri the founder of Minhaj-ul-

Quran, Akhtar Raza Khan Grand Mufti of India, Gibril Haddad, and Zaid Shakir, subscribing to Sufi Islam,
and Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the primary scholar of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, have given their
approval for the observance of Mawlid.[17]They suggest that fasting on Mondays is also a way of
commemorating Muhammad's birthday. However, there is division among them on the lawfulness of the
methods of the celebrations. Most accept that it is praiseworthy as long as it is not against sharia (i.e.
inappropriate mingling of the sexes, consuming forbidden food or drink such as alcohol, playing music etc.).

Notable scholars who consider Mawlid to be bid‘ah and forbid its celebration include, Muhammad Taqi
Usmani, a Deobandi scholar from Pakistan, and Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd Allah ibn Baaz, who was the Grand
Mufti of Saudi Arabia subscribing to the Salafi movement.[18] Although all agree that the birth of Muhammad
was the most significant event in Islamic history, they point out that the companions of Muhammad and
the second and third generation of Muslims did not observe this event publicly.

Observances

Where Mawlid is celebrated in a carnival manner, 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.[19][20][21] Scholars and poets celebrate by reciting Qaṣīda al-
Burda Sharif, the famous poem by 13th century Arabic Sufi Busiri.

Mawlid is celebrated in most Muslim countries, and in other countries where Muslims have a presence,
such as India, Britain, and Canada.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Saudi Arabia is the only Muslim country where
Mawlid is not an official public holiday.[31] Participation in the ritual celebration of popular Islamic holidays is
seen as an expression of the Islamic revival.[32]

Among non-Muslim countries, India is noted for its Mawlid festivities.[33][34][35] The relics of Muhammad are
displayed after the morning prayers in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir at the Hazratbal Shrine, on
the outskirts of Srinagar. Shab-khawani night-long prayers held at the Hazratbal Shrine are attended by
thousands.[36]

Other non-Muslim countries noted for its Mawlid festivities are Kenya and Tanzania where it is known as
"Maulidi". In Kenya, the most famous place is the coastal island of Lamu[37][38][39] and Malindi. In Tanzania
the largest celebrations are on the island of Zanzibar.[40][41]

In many parts of Indonesia, the celebration of the Mawlid al-nabi "seems to surpass in importance,

liveliness, and splendour," the two official Islamic holidays of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.[42]
During Pakistan's Mawlid celebration, the national flag is hoisted on all public buildings, and a 31-gun
salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute at the provincial headquarters are fired at dawn. The
cinemas shows religious rather than secular films on 11th and 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal.[43]

 Maulidur Rasul .

 Maulidur Rasul (dalam bahasa Arab bermaksud kelahiran Rasul) adalah hari

bersejarah keputeraan Nabi Muhammad. Hari ini jatuh pada hari ke-12 bulan
Rabiul Awal sempena kelahiran Nabi yang jatuh pada pada Isnin ( Dari hadith
riwayat Muslim, 8/25 ) 12 Rabiul Awal Tahun Gajah bersamaan dengan 23 April
571. Baginda adalah nabi terakhir yang diutus oleh Allah Subhanahu Wataala.
Tapak kelahiran baginda pula kini mempunyai satu bangunan kecil yang dikenali
sebagai Maulid Nabi.
 Setiap tahun pada hari itu, umat Islam di seluruh dunia akan mengadakan majlis
memperingati keputeraan Nabi Muhammad s.a.w dengan mengadakan beberapa
acara seperti perarakan, ceramah dan sebagainya. Banyak kelebihan dan
keistimewaan yang akan dikurniakan oleh Allah Subhanahu Wataala kepada
mereka yang dapat mengadakan atau menghadiri majlis Maulidur Rasul.
 Kita dapat lihat betapa besarnya kelebihan orang yang memuliakan majlis
keputeraan Nabi Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, kerana bila berniat
sahaja hendak mengadakan Maulud Nabi, sudah pun dikira mendapatpahala dan
dimuliakan. Sememangnya bernazar untuk melakukan sesuatu yang baik
merupakan doa dan dikira amal salih.
 Jelas kepada kita bahawa pembalasan Allah Subhanahu Wataala terhadap
kebaikan begitu cepat sehinggakan terdetik sahaja di hati hendak berbuat
kebaikan, sudah Allah Subhanahu Wataala akan memberi pembalasan yang
tiada ternilai. Seseorang yang beriman, kuat bersandar kepada Allah, ketika di
dalam kesusahan dia tetap tenang dan hatinya hanya mengadu kepada Allah
dan mengharapkan pertolongan dan kasih sayang Allah Subhanahu Wataala.
 Keberkatan mengadakan Majlis Maulud itu bukan sahaja didapati oleh orang
yang mengadakan majlis itu, tetapi seluruh ahli rumah atau orang yang tinggal di
tempat itu turut mendapat keberkatannya.
 [sunting]