Mawlid
Mawlid is a significant holiday in Islam that honors the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of the religion. Known by various names such as Milad and Mawlid al-Nabi, the celebration occurs in the third month of the Islamic calendar, Rabi' al-awwal, with specific dates varying between Sunni and Shia traditions. In many Muslim-majority countries, Mawlid is marked as a public holiday, featuring parades, festivals, poetry, and acts of charity. However, there are differing views within the Muslim community; some believe the celebration detracts from the divine aspects of Muhammad, as it focuses on his human qualities. These critics often prefer quieter observances, such as reading the Quran. Historically, Mawlid gained prominence during the Ottoman Empire, and today it is celebrated in numerous countries, including non-Islamic ones like the United States and Canada. While millions participate in vibrant celebrations, some Islamic leaders, particularly in Saudi Arabia, consider the holiday unwarranted, arguing that it was not celebrated by Muhammad himself. Despite these differing perspectives, Mawlid remains a deeply cherished occasion for many Muslims around the world.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Mawlid
Mawlid is a Muslim holiday commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic religion. Also known as Milad, Mawlud, and Mawlid al-Nabi, the holiday is celebrated in the third Islamic month of Rabi' al-awwal, although its exact date varies depending on the branch of Islam. In many Muslim nations, Mawlid is celebrated as a public holiday and marked with parades, festivals, poetry readings, and displays of charity. Other Muslims do not view the holiday as worthy of celebration. Some believe that it focuses too much on Muhammad's human side and ignores his divine aspects. Those who adhere to this philosophy may note Mawlid in a more private manner by reading the Muslim holy book known as the Koran.
Background
Muhammad was born into a powerful merchant tribe in the city of Mecca around the year 570. As he was near the age of forty, Muhammad began receiving the divine word of God in visions from the archangel Gabriel. He collected these words in a book that would become the Koran. Muhammad founded Islam around the year 610 and began preaching throughout the region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. By the time of his death in 632, Muhammad had accumulated thousands of followers to the new religion. He was considered a messenger of God and the greatest prophet of Islam.
Muhammad's death resulted in a bitter split within the fledgling religion. Because he had died without naming a successor, his followers argued over who should assume the duties as leader of Islam. Many believed that the new leader should be selected by a vote and chosen from the best-qualified members of Muhammad's inner circle. This faction supported Abu Bakr who had been Muhammad's friend and adviser. Another group believed the title should be passed down to a blood relative and backed his cousin and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib.
After a contentious debate, Abu Bakr was selected as caliph, or the spiritual successor to Muhammad. The followers of Abu Bakr believed Islam should revere the words and teachings of Muhammad that were called the sunna. Adherents to this branch of Islam became known as Sunni Muslims. Those who supported Ali were known as Shia, from the Arabic shi'atu Ali, or "partisans of Ali." The Sunnis grew to become the largest branch of Islam. In the twenty-first century, about 85 percent of the world's Muslims are Sunni. The remaining 15 percent are Shia.
Overview
According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad was born in the Year of the Elephant, so named because it was the year the Ethiopian ruler of Yemen attacked a shrine in Mecca with an army of elephants. The event corresponds to the year 570 in the Western calendar. Experts agree that Muhammad was born in Mecca, but they disagree as to the exact date. In his teachings, Muhammad says he was born on a Monday, but does not provide a year. Sunni Muslims believe he was born on the seventeenth day of Rabi' al-awwal, while Shia Muslims believe he was born on the twelfth day. Because the Islamic calendar is about 354 days long and is based on the phases of the moon, the dates of Rabi' al-awwal vary in relation to Western calendars.
In Arabic, the term mawlid means the event of a person's birth. Muhammad's birthday was considered an important date for early Muslims and was believed to have first been noted in the eighth century. Evidence suggests that during the Fatimid period, a Shia Muslim dynasty that ruled from about 909 to 1171, members of the elite class may have held private celebrations in honor of Muhammad's birth. Widespread public recognition of the occasion did not begin until the thirteenth century. Mawlid celebrations gained prominence during the time of the Ottoman Empire, a powerful Turkish-Muslim kingdom that reached its peak during the sixteenth century.
In the twenty-first century, Mawlid is recognized as a public holiday in forty-seven countries. Eleven of the fourteen Middle Eastern nations officially observe Mawlid, while in Africa, twenty-five of fifty-four countries note the holiday. Even in non-Islamic nations such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, Mawlid is commemorated in Muslim communities. Because of the difference between calendars, Mawlid celebrations move over time throughout the twelve-month Western calendar. For example, in 2000, Mawlid was observed on June 15. In 2016, it was celebrated on December 12, and in 2030, it will fall on July 13.
In many Muslim countries, the holiday is celebrated with large parades and street festivals. People decorate homes and mosques with lights, sing songs, and read religious poems. One of the most popular is a thirteenth-century poem praising Muhammad for his mercy. Many people donate food, clothing, and other items to charity, part of the Islamic religious duty to help the needy. In Singapore, Mawlid is a daylong festival featuring special parties for orphans and needy children. One of the world's largest celebrations is held in Cairo, Egypt, where millions of Muslims gather in Azhar Square to commemorate Mawlid.
However, some Muslims believe the holiday goes against Islamic law and should not be an occasion for celebration. They point to the fact that Muhammad and his followers did not openly celebrate his birthday and the Mawlid tradition began centuries after the prophet's death. Another common objection is that the holiday mimics Christmas, the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus. Mawlid opponents also view the seemingly excessive celebrations as too much of a focus on human desires at the expense of Muhammad's spiritual role as God's messenger. The leaders of Saudi Arabia, the home of Muhammad's birthplace, Mecca, view the holiday as unnecessary and do not commemorate Mawlid.
Bibliography
Al-Azhari, Hafiz Ather Hussain. "The History of the Mawlid." Islamic Centre, www.islamiccentre.org/presentations/MawlidHistory.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Eck, Diana. "Birthday of the Prophet: Mawlid al-Nabi." Pluralism Project, pluralism.org/religions/islam/the-muslim-experience/birthday-of-the-prophet-mawlid-al-nabi/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Picken, Gavin N. "Mawlid." Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God. Edited by Coeli Fitzpatrick and Adam Hani Walker, vol. 1, ABC-CLIO, 2014, pp. 365–69.
"The Prophet Muhammad and the Origins of Islam." Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org/learn/educators/curriculum-resources/art-of-the-islamic-world/unit-one/the-prophet-muhammad-and-the-origins-of-islam. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
"The Prophet's Birthday in the United States." Time and Date, www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/prophet-birthday. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Qadhi, Yasir. "The Birth-Date of the Prophet and the History of the Mawlid." Muslim Matters, 11 Mar. 2009, muslimmatters.org/2009/03/11/the-birth-date-of-the-prophet-and-the-history-of-the-mawlid-part-i-of-iii/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Safi, Omid. "The Celebration of Mawlid, the Birthday of the Prophet." On Being, 2 Jan. 2015, onbeing.org/blog/the-celebration-of-mawlid-the-birthday-of-the-prophet/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
"The Sunni-Shia Divide." Council on Foreign Relations, Feb. 2016, www.cfr.org/peace-conflict-and-human-rights/sunni-shia-divide/p33176#!/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.