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Maulid: The day to observe the Prophet`s life and times
2008-03-20 08:48:05
By Bilal Abdul-Aziz
Tanzanian Muslims are joining fellow faithful around the world this week to mark Maulid Day.
For many Muslims and non-Muslim neighbours, this is the Day to refresh the life and times of the holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (S.A.W), as well as eating and drinking best food and for that case, spiced rice is common.
Maulid is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) which occurs on 12th Rabi` al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.
According to Islamic literature, the origins of the observance can be traced back to the ancient dynasty in eleventh century Egypt, four centuries after the death of Muhammad (S.A.W), as a Shia sect ruling class festival.
Islamic historians say the earliest accounts for the observance of Maulid can be found in eighth century Mecca, the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), when the house, in which he was born, was transformed into a place of prayer by Al-Khayzuran. Al-Khayzuran was the mother of Harun al-Rashid, the fifth and most famous leader in Iraq.
Public celebrations of the birth of Muhammad (S.A.W) did not occur until four centuries after the death of the Prophet and was originally a festival of the Shia ruling class, not attended by the common people, with the first official Maulid celebrations occurring in Egypt towards the end of the eleventh century.
Descendants of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) through his daughter Fatimah, celebrated the birth of the Prophet as well as his daughter Fatimah and her husband Ali, among others.
The early celebrations included elements of Christian influence with animal sacrifices and torchlight processions along with public sermons and a feast. The celebrations occurred during the day, in contrast to modern day observances.
Emphasis was given on the people who were believed to belong to the house of the Prophet, Ahl al-Bayt in Arabic, with presentation of sermons and recitations of the Qur`an along with the award of gifts to officials in order to bolster support for the current leader of Islam.
The first public celebrations by a popular sect, Sunni, took place in twelfth century Syria, under the rule of Nur ad-Din, but 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 the Christian influence in places such as Spain and Morocco.
The practice was briefly halted by the people of a ruling class known as Ayoubides, when they came to power, and it became a family event, but regained status as an official event again in 1207 when it was re-introduced by Muzaffar ad-din, the brother-in-law of Saladin, in Arbil, a town near Mosul, Iraq.
The practice spread throughout the Muslim world, assimilating local customs, to places such as Cairo, where folklore practices greatly influenced the celebrations, and later in 1588 to the court of Murad III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1910, it was given official status as a national festival throughout the Ottoman Empire and is also an official holiday in many parts of the world.
In some countries, the Day 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 mostly by youths and children.
In Tanzania, normally no carnivals are organized, but charity and food is distributed, and stories about the life of Muhammad are narrated with recitation of poetry mostly by youths and children on the night preceding the Day.
On this day Muslim scholars and poets recite a book narrating the life and times of the holy Prophet as compiled by a popular Muslim cleric, Imam Jaffar.
In other countries, especially Egypt, at special gatherings the famous poem by 13th century Arabic Sufi Busiri is normally read.
Muslims Celebrates Maulid in Muslim and in many Non-Muslim Countries like India, Britain and Canada with great splendour and in ceremonial way. At present, the day is celebrated by large number of Muslim around the world.
Saudi Arabia is a single Muslim country where there is no public holiday for Maulid, but some elite families there have revived the Maulid , where the participation in the ritual celebration of popular Islamic holidays was another expression of the Islamic revival.
Among Non-Muslim Countries, India is quite noted to celebrate this festival throughout the country.
The holy relics of the Prophet are displayed in Jammu and Kashmir state of India at Hazratbal shrine, on the outskirts of Srinagar, after the morning prayers.
`Shab-khawani` night-long prayers are held at the Hazrat bal shrine which is attended by thousands of people.
In Pakistan , the national flag is hoisted on all public buildings accompanied by a 31 gun salute in the federal capital and a 21 gun salute at the provincial headquarters are given at dawn of the Day.
The cinema houses shows films on morale building themes instead of screening usual movies on the night before the Day.
Islamic scholars are divided on whether observing Maulid is permissible in Islam.
Some see it as a praiseworthy event and good innovation, while others say it is an innovation and forbid its celebration.
A number of Islamic scholars, such as Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki, a well known scholar from Saudi Arabia who taught in the Sacred Mosque, Gibril Haddad, and Zaid Shakir, all subscribing to the Sufi movement, and Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the primary scholar of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, have given their approval for the observance of Maulid.
They cite a narration on the Prophet`s teachings where Muhammad (S.A.W) recommended fasting on Mondays as that was the day he was born and also the day prophecy descended on him.
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 the Islamic law, that is—inappropriate mingling of the sexes, consuming forbidden food or drink such as alcohol, playing music, and so on.
Notable Sunni scholars who consider Maulid to be unnecessary addition to key events in the Islamic region and forbid its celebration include Muhammad Taqi Usmani, a scholar from Pakistan.
Usmani served as a judge on the Islamic law Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and subscribes to the Deobandi Islamic movement.
Another scholar forbidding it is Abd-al-Aziz ibn Abd-Allah ibn Baaz, who was the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia.
Although all are in agreement in the belief that the birth of Muhammad (S.A.W) was the most significant event in Islamic history, they point out that the holy Prophet`s companions and the next generation of Muslims did not observe this event.
Furthermore, they highlight that Muhammad (S.A.W) did not observe the birth or death anniversaries of his family and loved ones, including that of his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, nor did he advise his followers to observe his birthday.
Around 3,000 Maulid celebrations are held each year and attended by tens of thousands of people. These festivals attract an international audience, with the largest one in Egypt attracting up to three million people.
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