IECRC (USA & Canada)

 In the Name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful

Prayers and Salutations upon the Holy Prophet  Muhammad

“Wa dhakkirhum bi ayyamiLlah” i.e. “And remind them [O Beloved sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam] of the Days of Allah” [The Holy Quran, Surah Ibrahim, 14:5]

What are the “Days of Allah?” According to Hazrat Maulana Ismail Haqqi rahmatullah alayh in his 350 year old commentary of the Holy Quran called “Roohul Bayan,” the Days of Allah mean “the blessings of Allah.” These blessings of Allah include the air we breathe, the water we drink, our health, our family, our friends. However, none of these would be in existence if it wasn’t for the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam as is clear from the Hadith Qudsi where Allah Almighty says:

“If it was not for you [O Prophet] I would not have revealed My Lordship.”

In other words Allah Ta’ala would not have created had it not been for the sake of His Beloved sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

Another Hadeeth related by Hazrat Salman Farsi written in the famous Mawahibe Laduniyah of Imam Qastallani rahmatullah alayh, a 500 year old foundational text states that:

“Gabriel alayhis salaam descended on the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam and said, ‘Your Lord says, ‘If I have taken Abraham as a beloved, intimate friend, I have taken you for the same. I have never created any creation more precious to Me than you, and I have created this world and its inhabitants for the purpose of letting them know your honor and what you mean to Me; and if it were not for you I would not have created this world.’”

Imam Qastallani rahmatullah alayh has written commentaries on both the Sahih al-Bukhari as well as Sahih Muslim. Any Hadeeth related by him must be accepted beyond the shadow of a doubt.

The same reality of the causality of creation is beautifully versified by Hazrat Imam Busiri rahmatullah alayh:

Wa kayfa tad’u ilad dunya darooratu man

Laulaahu lam tukhrajid dunya minal ‘adami

How can the necessities of such a noble personality incline him towards this world
For had it not been for him this world would not have come out of non existence

[Qasidah al-Burdah, Chapter 3, verse 5]

Maulaya salli wa sallim daiman Abadan

ala Habeebika khayril khalqi kullihimi (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)

It is then clear that Allah Ta’ala created all the blessings of the world for the sake of the Greatest Blessing – The Ni’matul Kubra – The Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. This greatest Blessing is a Mercy to the worlds “Rahmatal lil alameen” as Allah Ta’ala says:

“And We have sent thee not but as Mercy to Worlds.” [The Holy Quran, Surah Al-Ambiya, 21:107]

Let us further examine what Allah Ta’ala has commanded for  us in regards to His blessings. Allah Ta’ala says:

“Say, ‘Upon Allah’s munificence and upon His mercy – upon these should the people rejoice …’” [The Holy Quran, Surah Yunus 10:58]

Imam Jalaaluddeen Suyuti rahmatullah alayh says in his famous Tafseer Durr al Manthoor, which is a Tafseer of the verses of the Holy Quran based on the Ahaadeeth of our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam:

وأخرج أبو الشيخ عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما في الآية قال: فضل الله العلم، ورحمته محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال الله تعالى
{ وما أرسلناك إلا رحمة للعالمين }
[الأنبياء: 107].

Abu Sheikh rahmatullah alayh narrated from Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma:

That “Bounty of Allah” [in this verse] means Knowledge, whereas ”Mercy” means Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam. 

Allah Ta’ala said: And We have sent thee not but as Mercy to Worlds [As-Suyuti in Durr al Manthoor (4/330)]

The above verses make it clear that it is Allah Almighty’s command for us to express happiness at His Blessings; and therefore we must express the greatest happiness at His Greatest Blessing. The night when this Greatest Blessing was sent from the world of Spirits to this earthly life as a mercy for us must indeed be the Night of Greatest Happiness and one that must be remembered and celebrated over and over again. This is the Milad Shareef or the Mawlid or the Maulud. The word Milad comes from the Arabic root “walada” which means to be born.

In the Holy Quran, Syedna Isa alayhis salaam sends peace upon himself on the day that he was born:

“Was Salaamu ‘alayya yauma wulidtu…” i.e. “And peace is upon me the day I was born …” [The Holy Quran, Surah Maryam, 19:33] 

If peace descends upon Syedna Isa alayhis salaam on the day that he was born, would peace not descend on the day that the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, who is Syedul Mursaleen – the Leader of the Prophets, was born?

Indeed this night was so great that Allah Almighty Himself celebrated it by showing His Great Signs:

Transferred through generations of purity

Arrived into Aamina’s womb with complete security

No labor or birth pains did she have in the slight

What she saw coming from her was nothing but light

The castles of Qaiser and Kisra crumbled in the distance

The millennium old burning Magian light blew out in an instance

The winds of change were blowing in their finest

The scent of Madinah was arriving, at the Merciful’s behest

Maryam, Hawa, and Asiya were sent as nursemaids

To welcome this Mercy to the worlds, never to fade

A bright light shone from His  gentle, tender face

The joy of seeing which nothing could replace

Clouds covered the Ka’ba, stars bent in humility and awe

Ecstatic with Allah’s Greatest Blessing, which the world now saw

Food was at Abdul Muttalib’s for three whole days

Even Abu Lahab freed a slave on that blessed Monday

The first Milad however one must remember was conducted by Allah Ta’ala Himself in the pre-earthly spiritual realm before He even sent the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam to this earth. This Milad of the Spirits included in its audience the souls of all the Prophets where Allah Almighty praised the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam and took a covenant “The Meethaq” with the rest of the Prophets that they would support the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. This blessed gathering is mentioned in Surah Aale Imran of the Holy Quran [3:81]:

And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, [saying], “Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a Messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him.” [ Allah ] said, “Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?” They said, “We have acknowledged it.” He said, “Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.”

This covenant was the first blessed gathering of the Mawlid as it mentions the coming of Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam to this world which is the definition of the Mawlid.

Another beautiful Hadeeth elucidates the great blessings Allah Almighty bestows on even His enemies due to the birth of our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam.

Narrated ‘Ursa; Thuwaiba was the freed slave girl of Abu Lahab whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet. When Abu Lahb died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and asked him, “What have you encountered?” Abu Lahab said, “I have not found any rest since I left you,except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that is because of my manumitting Thuwaiba.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 38]

Abu Lahab freed Thuwaiba out of joy at the birth of our Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam, who was his own nephew. Even the worst of Kuffaar and greatest of enemies is given relaxation in his punishment due to freeing Thuwaiba by pointing with his finger, so one can only imagine the situation of a believer who rejoices on the Mawlid.

So it is clear then that Allah Ta’ala celebrated the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam’s Blessed Birth, so isn’t it incumbent upon us to do so?

Did the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam perform the Milad Shareef? Yes indeed he did.

Abu Qatada Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Massenger (may peace be upon him) was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me. [Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Number 2606]

This Hadith is also reported by Imam al-Bahayqi  in his “Sunnan ul Kubra” (Vol. 4, pg. 300 Hadith no 8182, 8259), in the “Sunan” of Imam Nisai and the “Musnad” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.

Therefore, performing an act of worship or many acts of worship on the day that he alayhi salatu wa salaam was born is proven from the Sahih Hadeeth. It is a good practice to initiate any good deed on this blessed day whether one holds Naat khwaani or arranges a Mehfil of Dhikr or a Conference because another Sahih Muslim Hadeeth says that “He who inaugurates a good practice in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least.” Of course one must be careful when performing these good deeds that they be free from all spiritual ailments such as riya (showing off), takabbur (arrogance) etc as well be within the bounds of the Shari’ah in terms of modesty, clothing and other etiquette.

There is another narration by Hazrat Anas  that the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam performed his own aqiqah and slaughtered an animal 40 years after his Blessed Birth to remember it even though it had been done for him by his grandfather Hazrat Abdul Muttalib. This is related by Al-Bayhaqi, and Imam Suyuti rahmatullah alayhim ajmaeen.

So it is clear then that the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam celebrated His own Milad, so isn’t it incumbent upon us to do so?

Let us now turn to the Sahaba Kiram radi Allahu anhum ajmaeen – did they celebrate the Milad Shareef? Yes indeed they did as is proven from authentic texts. In the famous book “Al Tanwir fil Maulood Al-Basheer wan-Nazeer” it is related that Hazrat Abu Darda said that he was passing the home of Hazrat Amir Ansari in the company of the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. He said that we saw that he was mentioning the Blessed Birth events and saying, “This was that day! This was that day that he sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam came to this earth.” The Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam upon seeing this said, “Allah has opened the doors of mercy and all the angels pray for your forgiveness and deliverance. Whoever does this will receive success.” (aw kama qal)

Additionally, in the famous book Ni’matul Kubra, Shaykhul Islam Allama Ibn Hajar Makki rahamtullah alayh writes:

Hazrat Abubakr Siddeeq radi Allahu says: “Whoever spends even one dirham on the recitation of the Milad Shareef of Huzoor sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam will be with me in Jannah.”

Hazrat Umar Farooq radi Allahu anhu says: “Whoever honors the Milad Shareef of Huzoor sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam has essentially revived Islam.”

Hazrat Uthman Ghani radi Allahu anhu says: “Whoever spends even one dirham on the recitation of the Milad Shareef of Huzoor sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam is as if he or she was present at the battles of Badr and Hunayn.”

Hazrat Ali  Murtaza radi Allahu anhu wa karrama Allahu wajhu says: “Whoever honors the Milad Shareef of Huzoor sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam and became the cause of Miladkhwani, he or she will leave the world with the wealth of Iman and will enter Jannah without any accounting.”

So it is clear then that the Sahaba Kiram celebrated and promoted The Blessed Milad Shareef, so isn’t it incumbent upon us to do so?

Did the Tabi’een celebrate the Maulid? Yes indeed they did. Hazrat Imam Abubakr Qastallani writes that Imam Hasan Basri said, “If I had gold equal to the mountain of Uhud I would give it away in the way of the Milad.”

So it is clear then that the Tabi’een celebrated The Blessed Milad Shareef, so isn’t it incumbent upon us to do so?

Did the 4 Imams of Fiqh celebrate the Milad Shareef. Yes indeed they did. It is a well known narration that Hazrat Ahmed ibn Hanbal used to distribute dates on the 9th and 12th of Rabiul Awwal in the happiness of the Blessed Birth. Similarly, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Muhammad Baqir, and Imam Jafar Sadiq used to distribute dates and gram flour (sattu). May Allah Almighty have mercy on them all.

So it is clear then that the Imams of our Deen celebrated The Blessed Milad Shareef, so isn’t it incumbent upon us to do so?

Did the Awilya Kiram celebrate the Milad Shareef? Yes indeed they did. It is written in Abu Muhammad Siyal Naqshbandi’s famous Tazkirah Ghause Azam that the Sultanul Awliya Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani radia Allahu anhu celebrated the 11^th day of every lunar month because inevitably it would go into the 12^th doing a Mawlid every month.

So it is clear then that the greatest Awliya of our Deen celebrated The Blessed Milad Shareef, so isn’t it incumbent upon us to do so?

Was the Milad Shareef celebrated in the actual birth place of the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam – the Holy City of Makkah? Yes indeed it was.

Early Commemoration of Mawlid in Makkah:

Ibn Jubayr (540-614) writes in his Rihal (“Travels”), wherein he describes his observation of Mawlid in Makkah Al-Mukarramah:

“This blessed place [the house of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam] is opened, and all enter to derive blessing from it (mutabarrikeen bihi), on every Monday of the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, for on that day and in that month was born the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam.”

The famous 8^th-century historian Ibn Batuta relates in his Rihla: “On every Friday, after the Jumu’ah prayers and on the birthday of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam, the door of the Kaba is opened by the head of the Banu Shayba, the doorkeepers of the Kaba, and that on the Mawlid, the Shafi’I qadi (head judge) of Makkah, Najmuddin Muhammad ibn al-Imam Muhyiddin al-Tabari, distributes food to the shurafaa (descendants) of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam and to all the other peope of Makkah.”

“Each year on the 12^th of Rabi’ al-Awwal, after the evening prayer, the four qadis of Makkah (representing the four Sunni Schools) and large groups of people including the scholars (fuqahaa) and notables (fudalaa) of Makkah, shaykhs, zawiya teachers and their students, magistrates (ru’asaa), and scholars (muta’ammameen) leave the mosque and set out collectively for a visit to the birthplace of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam, shouting out dhikr and tahlil (laa ilaaha illa Allah).”

“The houses on the route are illuminated with numerous lanterns and large candles, and a great many people are out and about. They all wear special clothes and they take their children with them. Having reached the birthplace, inside a special sermon for the occasion of the birthday of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam is delivered, mentioning the miracles that took place on that occasion.”

Similar events are recorded as having taken place in Makkah and Madinah up to the year 1917. Only then did these traditions and practices cease in these two holiest cities, though they are still held in the homes of many Hijazi families, attended by many Muslims who come from around the world. [taken from “Mawlid: Its Necessity” by Shaykh Hisham Muhammad Kabbani]

Until today in Muslim countries around the globe such as Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, just to name a few, government offices, universities and businesses are closed on that day.

It should also be clear that the actual birth date of our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam is the 12th of Rabiul Awwal as proven from the follow authentic references:

Opinion of Renowned Historians about the Authentic Date of Milad:

1. Imam Ibn-e-Ishaq (85-151 H): Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was born on 12 Rabi-ul-Awal in Aam-ul-Feel. (Ibn-e-Jawzi in Al-Wafa, Page 87)

2. Allama Ibn-e-Hisham (213 H): Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was born on Monday 12 Rabi-ul-Awal in Aam-ul-Feel. (Ibn-e-Hisham in As-Sirat-un-Nabawiya, Vol. 1, Page 158)

3. Imam Ibn-e-Jareer Tabari (224-310 H): Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was born on Monday 12 Rabi-ul-Awal in Aam-ul-Feel. (Tarikh-ul-Umam-wal-Muluk, Vol. 2, Page 125)

4. Allama Abu-ul-Hasan Ali Bin Muhammad Al-Mawardi (370-480 H): Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was born 50 days after the event of Ashab-ul-Feel and after the death of His father on Monday 12 Rabi-ul-Awal. (Ailam-un-Nabuwa, Page 192)

5. Imam Al-Hafiz Abu-ul-Fatah Al-Undalasi (671-734 H): Our leader and our Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), the Messenger of Allah, was born on Monday 12 Rabi-ul-Awal in Aam-ul-Feel. (Aayun-al-Asr, Vol.1, Page 33)

6. Allama Ibn-e-Khaldun (732-808 H): Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was born on 12 Rabi-ul-Awal in Aam-ul-Feel. It was the 40th year of Emperor Kasra Noshairwan. (Ibn-e-Khaldun in At-Tarikh Vol. 2, Page 394)

7. Muhammad As-Sadiq Ibrahim Arjoon: From various turaq (chains) it has been established as true that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was born on Monday 12 Rabi-ul-Awal in Aam-ul-Feel in the reign of Kasara Noshairwan. (Muhammad Rasool Ullah, Vol. 1, Page 102)

8. Sheikh Abdul-Haq Muhadath Dehlvi (950-1052 H):Know it well, that over-whelming majority of the experts of sayar and tarikh (i.e. biographers and historians) hold the opinion that The Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم was born in Aam-ul-Feel. It is well known that the month was of Rabi-ul-Awal and its date was 12. Various scholars have shown their agreement with this (date). (Madarij-un-Nabuwa, Vol. 2, Page 14)

9. Nawab Muhammad Sadiq Hasan Khan Bohapalvi: The birth (of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was happened in Mecca at the time of Fajar on Monday 12 Rabi-ul-Awal in Aam-ul-Feel. Majority of scholars holds this opinion. Ibn-e-Jawzi has narrated a consensus (of scholars) on it. (Ash-Shumama-tul-Anbariya Fi Mowlid Khair-al-Bariya, Page 7)

The historians / scholars from the first / second century of Hijri, as well as the scholars of later times, have accepted the 12th of Rabiul Awwal as the birth date of our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam.

It is clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that the practice of celebrating the Milad Shareef was a practice with an unbroken chain which started with Allah Almighty in the pre-earthly Realm till about 100 years ago when the horns of Satan arose in the Najd as per the prophecy of the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam to cause confusion and doubt in the minds and hearts of people.

It is clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Eid Miladun Nabi sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam is not the 3^rd most important Eid, but it is THE most important Eid because all the other Eids came from it. One must understand that “Eid” here is being used in the sense of a happy event that returns every year. The Blessed night of 12 Rabiul Awwal is not just an important night for Muslims, but it is THE most important night for all the worlds because all other nights and days were gifted to us because of this night.

Imam Qastallani further writes in his famous Mawahibul Ladunniya that there is no greater blessing for the world than that which was received on the day of the Holy Prophet’s sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam’s Blessed Birth. To express gratitude for this is obligatory. This can be done in the form of spiritual gatherings, feeding people, giving charity, reading the events of the Blessed Birth and teaching it to others. The year in which the Milad Shareef is read becomes a source of success and peace, and freedom from tribulations. Allah bestows His special blessings upon those who celebrate this day as Eid.

In our contemporary world where most people are victims of depression, stress and anxiety, it would be to our own selfish interests to celebrate the Mawlid so that its blessings help alleviate our individual and social problems. However, let us celebrate for the sake of celebrating because it is Allah’s command. Let us say, Ya Allah:

“Rula tu hamein bas ghame Musatafa mein

Na dunya ke gham me rula mere Maula”

Let us celebrate to express our love for whom we honor, to honor whom we love, whom Allah loves, whom everyone and everything, every animal, every stone, every mountain, every cloud, every sky, every ocean knows and loves and honors. May Allah Almighty always keep up among such fortunate ones who are recipients of the prayers generosity of the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. Ameen.

Uthee nazar to Unke karam par thahar gaee

Dil kya badal gaya meri qismat sanwar gaee

Diyare Nabi mein aah bhi kabhi na be asar gaee

Tadpe jo ham yahan to Madeene khabar gaee

Shahon se mila hai na qalandar se mila hai

Allah ka irfan Tere Dar se mila hai

More information on the Mawlid can be found via audio lectures by IECRC’s Founding Director, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ahmed Qadri at https://www.iecrcna.org/site/tag/milad-shareef/.

Some references for this article were taken from www.ahlus-sunna.com.

– Syeda Shagufta Ahmad Qadri