Celebrating the month of Mawlid-Al Nabi (Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday PBUH)

The month of Mawlid al-Nabi is a special time for Muslims around the world, marking the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It falls on the 12th day of Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This occasion is celebrated with reverence, reflection, and joy, as it commemorates the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, who is seen as a source of guidance and mercy for humanity.

All around the Muslim community, friends and families gather to celebrate and mark the joyous occasion. Muslims wear their traditional clothing of abayas and thobes, whether that is the masjids or in people’s homes, this is known as a “Milad”. People often recite from the Quran and make glorious food to feed people attending the Milad, a birthday cake is also cut and handed out to all the guests.

During Mawlid, many Muslims engage in a variety of activities and celebrations as we have explained below:

Reciting Salawat (Praises upon the Prophet)

Recitations of peace and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are common, often in gatherings or individually. The more this is recited the more the blessings are spread to the Prophet (PBUH) and Muslims believe sincerely this is a common practice in the Sunni Muslim community and have kept up with this tradition for centuries. Reciting Salawat is a common practice when a religious gathering is in place, many Muslims keep a count of the number of times this is recited and some communities even do this outside of this month on a weekly basis known as a Zikr.

Lectures and Sermons

Scholars and community leaders often deliver talks about the life, character, and teachings of the Prophet, encouraging followers to emulate his kindness, humility, and piety. These talks are usually done at the masjid, Muslims tend to stay up through-out these special nights of worship, as they believe these are the sacred nights and if you make a sincere dua it may get accepted because of your Ibadah (worship). Muslims also believe they need to carry on this tradition to pass on to their offspring, as they believe when they are no longer here and pass on, their children will follow in their footsteps and pray for them and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as they once did.

Charitable Acts

Muslims are encouraged to perform acts of charity, such as feeding the poor, providing for those in need, and supporting community efforts, all in honour of the Prophet’s generosity and compassion. They tend to believe our Prophet (PBUH) made the biggest sacrifice of all for all Muslims, otherwise we wouldn’t be here today and an act of charity goes a long way especially in this month.

Reciting the Quran

Many take this time to recite and reflect on the Quran, especially those verses that speak to the Prophet’s mission and the mercy he brought to the world. The Quran is recited on all days not just within this month, however Muslims believe as this is a special month, you can attain more rewards and blessings if you stay awake at night just to recite the Quran.

Decorating Mosques and Homes

In some regions, mosques and homes are adorned with lights, banners, and decorations to celebrate the occasion. Nearly every shop will sell a variety of decorations for people to come and buy in this blessed month. Muslims tend to decorate their homes with green lights and the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) footprint is also displayed lit up in green as a decoration artifact. In masjids all around the world Prophet Muhammad’s relics are also displayed for Muslims to come and witness, i.e a hair strand, which Muslims tend to believe is very sacred.

Sharing Food

All across the world families make big dishes of Pilau rice, mutton lamb gosht, Naan breads and zarda, also known as sweet rice to commemorate Prophet Muhammed’s (PBUH) birthday. Families and friends from young to old gather in their homes and masjids to celebrate and mark the occasion. Communal meals and the distribution of sweets and other food items are common, symbolizing the joy and blessings associated with the birth of the Prophet. For many, Mawlid is also a time for spiritual renewal, where the focus is on embodying the virtues of the Prophet in everyday life—love, forgiveness, kindness, and devotion to God. May this month bring you peace and blessings.