The state-sponsored celebration of Mawlid al-Nabi, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), originally traces back to the Fatimid Dynasty in Egypt, which ruled between the 10th and 12th centuries. While the Fatimids initially marked the occasion alongside prominent members of the Ahl al-Bayt, a widely accepted narrative within Sunni Islamic history credits Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri, the ruler of Erbil in modern-day Iraq, for organizing the first massive, festive celebrations that mirror contemporary practices.
According to a BBC Hausa report, prominent Kaduna-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Halliru Maraya clarified this timeline, stating:
“Mawlid actually began in the year 604 after the Hijrah, and the person who pioneered it was the then King of Erbil, Mozaffar ad-Din.”
Every year on the 12th day of Rabi’ul Awwal, millions of Muslims across the globe unite to celebrate the Prophet’s birth. Historical consensus places his birth on a Monday in the year 570 AD in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Born to Aminah bint Wahb and Abdullah bin Al-Muttalib, the Prophet was orphaned at an early age; his father passed away before his birth, and his mother died in 675 AD, just five years later.
Despite its deep roots, the annual celebration faces criticism from some quarters who label it a Bid’ah (an unauthorized religious innovation). Sheikh Halliru Maraya strongly pushes back against this narrative, arguing that the Prophet himself subtly initiated the celebration of his birth.
“Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the first to indicate joy over his birthday, which is now called Mawlid,” Maraya explained. “When questioned about why he regularly fasted on Mondays, the Prophet responded, ‘That was the day I was born.’ Nowhere in the Quran, Hadith, or scholarly consensus does it state that an action is only halal if the Prophet explicitly performed it. The fundamental metric to consider is: Did Allah forbid it? Did the Prophet forbid it?”
Miraculous Events and Proper Observance
Islamic history records extraordinary phenomena surrounding the arrival of the Prophet into the world. Renowned scholar Sheikh Nazifi Alkarmawi highlighted seven miraculous events reported at the exact time of his birth:
- The cracking of the majestic palace walls of Emperor Kisra.
- A pain-free labor experienced by the Prophet’s mother.
- A divine light that suddenly illuminated the cosmos.
- Spiritual attendance of past prophets and angels to witness the birth.
- Immediate prostration (Sujood) by the newborn Prophet.
- The immaculate birth, where his mother observed he was born clean and naturally circumcised.
- Precocious development, as the Prophet began crawling well before his naming ceremony..
To preserve the sanctity of the month, scholars emphasize adhering to proper religious conduct. Sheikh Maraya outlined recommended deeds, which include hosting gatherings to reflect on the Prophet’s character, voluntary fasting, strengthening kinship ties, visiting the sick, and distributing charity to the less privileged. Conversely, he warned against un-Islamic behaviors such as the free mixing of unrelated men and women, rowdy or disruptive shouting, and the consumption of intoxicants.
The Prophet’s Verified Lineage:
Genealogists and Islamic historians universally accept the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) traced directly down to Adnan, who connects back to Prophet Ismail, the son of Prophet Ibrahim (AS):
Muhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdul Muttalib (Shaiba), son of Hashim (Amr), son of Abd Manaf, son of Qusayy, son of Kilab, son of Murrah, son of Ka’ab, son of Lu’ayy, son of Ghalib, son of Fihr (Quraysh), son of Malik, son of al-Nadr, son of Kinanah, son of Khuzaymah, son of Mudrikah (Amir), son of Ilyas, son of Mudar, son of Nizar, son of Ma’ad, son of Adnan.
