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Hello All,

I wish you and your family, friends, near and dear........

A very happy and serene, joyful and divine Milad-Un-Nabi wishes (09/03/09).

Mawlid (Eid Milad un Nabi - Mevlid in Turkish - “Birth of the Prophet”) is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar. The origins of the observance can be traced back to the Fatimid dynasty in eleventh century Egypt, four centuries after the death of Muhammad as a Shia ruling class festival. The term Mawlid is also used in some parts of the world, such as Egypt, as a generic term for the birthday celebrations of other historical religious figures such as Sufi saints. Mawlid is derived from the Arabic root word, meaning to give birth, bear a child, descendant.

Milad-Un-Nabi is celebrated on the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, the Last Prophet/Messenger of God of Islam. Sunni Muslims celebrate this Five (5) days earlier to the day on which Shia Muslims celebrate this festival. Shias observe the event on the 17th of the month, coinciding with the birth date of their sixth Imam, Jafar al-Sadiq, while Sunnis observe it on the 12th of the month. As the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, the corresponding date in the Gregorian calendar varies each year. The earliest accounts for the observance of Mawlid can be found in eighth-century Mecca, when the house in which Muhammad was born was transformed into a place of prayer by Al-Khayzuran, mother of Harun al-Rashid, the fifth and most famous Abbasid caliph. Public celebrations of the birth of Muhammad did not occur until four centuries after his death. It was originally a festival of the Shia ruling class, not attended by the common people, with the first official Mawlid celebrations occurring in Egypt towards the end of the eleventh century. The Fatimids were descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah.

The early celebrations included elements of Christian and Sufic 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, with the Fatimid ruler playing a key role in the ceremonies. Emphasis was given to the Ahl al-Bayt (an Arabic phrase literally meaning People of the House, or family) with presentation of sermons and recitations of the Quran. The event also featured the award of gifts to officials in order to bolster support for the ruling caliph.

The first public celebrations by Sunnis took place in twelfth-century Syria, under the rule of Nur ad-Din. The practice spread throughout the Muslim world, assimilating local customs, to places such as Cairo, where folklore and Sufic practices greatly influenced the celebrations. By 1588 it had spread 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. Today it is an official holiday in many parts of the world. Among non-Muslim countries, India is noted for its Mawlid festivities. The relics of the Muhammed are displayed after the morning prayers in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir at Hazratbal shrine, on the outskirts of Srinagar. 'Shab-khawani' night-long prayers held at the Hazratbal shrine are attended by thousands of people.

Milad Mubarak….

Many many happy returns of the day.

All the best and take care….

With thanks, regards and best wishes,
G.Srikanth.

# posted by Srikanth @ 1:47 PM