EID-IL-MAWLID, often called Mawlid Nabiy, commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s birth date (PBUH) a revered prophet of Islam.
According to the Qur’an, The Prophet was born on the 12th day of the Islamic calendar’s third month, Rabi’ al-Awwal, in the year of the elephant, 570 AD, a major day for Muslims worldwide.
The date of Mawlid varies yearly because the Islamic (Hijrah) calendar, which is based on the lunar cycle, is ten to eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
Muslims view the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as an ethical and spiritual role model, and celebrating his life is considered one more method to preserve his memory in the Muslim community.
Given the prophet’s significant role in Islam and the absence of a religiously prescribed holiday to commemorate his life, Muslims now observe the Mawlid as a means to honour the prophet.
Therefore, Muslims spend Mawlid learning more about the prophet and looking for ways to develop personally through studying his teachings.
Worshippers assemble at mosques and community centres for many of the rites, which take place in a communal setting.
Muslims are not mandated to celebrate the prophet’s birthday. Since the event is neither required nor explicitly mentioned in Islamic beliefs, some Muslims decide not to observe it. Additionally, some people think it is unnecessary and that it is not proper to celebrate it.
Speaking with THE ICIR, Fuad Adeyemi, the chief imam and founder of the Al Habibiyyah Islamic society, stated that Prophet Muhammad was born during the period of ignorance, which was referred to as the ‘Jahiliyyah period’ by Arabs, and his birth gave the entire world cause for hope.
“His coming brought a ray of hope to the entire world. His coming also changed the fate of the world generally because the way things are been done was never the same after he came. He was one man that was everywhere. No man in history can match or equal his success as concerning what we have in the world today,” he stated.
While advising leaders to emulate the prophet’s attributes as a humble leader and to designate positions without regard to ethnicity or background, he emphasized that following the prophet’s instructions about Zakat (taxation) would be advantageous to the nation as a whole.
“It was the coming of the prophet that Zakat became an institution. Supposing everybody follows the injunction of the prophet today, people might not be rich, but there would be no poor person, especially in our country.
“When he put people in authority, he did not put people there because of his relation with him, but he put someone with competency and fear of God. He never cared whose ox is gored. He suppressed personal aggrandisement. If you met the prophet among his followers, you would never differentiate him from his followers. That is what is lacking among us today, ” he added.
Also speaking with The ICIR, Musa Olaofe, a doctorate holder, the chief imam of the Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria stated that Prophet Muhammad left behind a legacy that is very important to the entire Muslim community since he had many admirable traits.
“He did all he could as a Muslim who believed in the oneness of Allah. He settled many disputes, encouraged education, and emphasized unity, governance, and many other things we are doing in Nigeria today. He never encouraged begging, which we see almost everywhere because he wanted people to be industrious, productive and agile,’ he stated.
Both scholars enjoined citizens and government officials to emulate the qualities of the prophet in the discharge of their duties and daily activities.
