Mawlid

The Mawlid (Arabic: مولد) is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar.

The history of this celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of the Tabiun began to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honour Muhammad were recited and sung to crowds in the major cities.^[1] The celebration was continued by the Abbasids and the Fatimids. The Muslim general Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin (r. 1174–1193), is believed to have been the first to publicly celebrate Mawlid, which he did in an impressive ceremony at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. The Ottomans under Murad III (r. 1574–1595) declared it an official holiday.

Celebrants hold mahfils on Mawlid in which religious poetry is recited in praise of Muhammad accompanied by a feast. Other customs affiliated with Mawlid are supererogatory fasting, Music and dhikr.

The Mawlid observance is a recognized national holiday in most Muslim-majority countries of the world. It is generally approved across the four Sunni schools of law, Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali, as well as in Shia Islam. However, the Deobandi and Salafi movements consider the Mawlid a reprehensible bid'a (innovation) and prohibit its observance as they claim that there is no evidence from the Prophet and his companions that supports this celebration.