Eid-e-Milad un Nabi is being observed by people in the whole world. The festival marks the birthday of the messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (s). His birth anniversary is commemorated in the month of Rabi’ al-awwal – the third month in the Islamic calendar.
By:Sahil Abbas
Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [Al-Qur’an 3:31]
Eid-e-Milad un Nabi is being observed by people in the whole world. The festival marks the birthday of the messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (s). His birth anniversary is commemorated in the month of Rabi’ al-awwal – the third month in the Islamic calendar. The events for Eid-e-Milad un Nabi may vary according to the country, but in general the day is observed by the Sunni school of thought on 12th and by the Shî’a school of thought on 17th day of the Rabi’ al-awwal. The precise date of his birth is disputed among the historians, but Ayatullah Ruhullah Musawi al-Khomeini (r.a), the founder of the Islamic revolution had declared the week between 12th and 17th Rabi al-Awwal as “Hafta-E-Wahdat” meaning “the week of unity amongst Muslims.” Muslims all over the world are urged to get together and celebrate (Eid-e-Milad un Nabi) the birth of Hazrat Muhammad (s) for the whole week. Prophet Muhammad (s), founder of Islam, was born in 570 CE in Mecca, in what is now Saudi Arabia. At that time, Mecca was a commercial center, a cosmopolitan city filled with the hustle and bustle of caravans transporting fabulous wealth from Arabia all the way to Spain in the west and India in the east. It was also a city rich in sacred sites. In Arabia, the custom of killing female children was very common. The holy Prophet (s) made it unlawful and cautioned parents that there would be a severe punishment for this act on the Day of Judgment. Prophet Muhammad (s) was the kindest of men in the same way as he excelled all others in courage and valour. Being extremely kind-hearted, his eyes brimmed with tears at the slightest sign of inhumanity. He was also very kind and affectionate towards women.
Knowing the fact, Women were very badly treated in those times but the Noble Prophet (s) gave them honour and dignity at par with men in the community. The Prophet (s) is a gift to mankind and to the world. He is the last prophet who bought the final revelation that completed Deen e Islam. According to the Qur’an, Muhammad (s) is the last in a chain of prophets sent by Almighty Allah (Al-Qur’an 33:40). Throughout the Qur’an, Muhammad (s) is referred to as “Messenger”, “Messenger of Allah”, and “Prophet”. Some of such verses are 2:101, 2:143, 2:151, 3:32, 3:81, 3:144, 3:164, 4:79-80, 5:15, 5:41, 7:157, 8:01, 9:3, 33:40, 48:29, and 66:09.
The spiritual father of Pakistan Dr Sir Muhammad Iqbal’s (r.a) love for the Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (s) has become proverbial. His visitors have related almost unanimously that whenever there was discussion about the Prophet, Iqbal (r.a) was deeply touched and tears would begin to flow from his eyes involuntarily. In Payam-i M’ashriq (p. 8), first published in 1923, he says about love for the Prophet (s): [He who cherishes love of Mustafa, controls everything in the seas and lands. It is love for him that gives life and prosperity in the universe to Community.]
The Qur’an asserts that Muhammad (s) was a man who possessed the highest moral excellence, and that Allah made him a good example or a “goodly model” for anyone (whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often) to follow (Al-Qur’an 68:4, and 33:21).
The love and compassion of Muhammad (s) for all kinds of creatures was not of the kind claimed by today’s ‘humanists’. He was sincere and balanced in his love and compassion. He was more compassionate than any other person. He was a Prophet raised by Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of conscious beings – mankind and jinn – and the harmony of existence. Therefore, he lived not for himself but for others; he is a mercy for all the worlds. Almighty Allah says in the holy Qur’an:
“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Al-Qur’an:21:107)
The Prophet Muhammad (s) taught love, kindness and compassion to his people, and was seen to be the most loving, kind, and compassionate of all of them. The Qur’an mentions his kind and gentle behavior in these words:
“O Messenger of Allah! It is a great Mercy of Allah that you are gentle and kind towards them; for, had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would all have broken away from you” (Al-Qur’an 3:159)
The Prophet (s) preached an all-encompassing way of life (Deen), founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated countless social and political reforms, established a dynamic and powerful society to practice and represent Islamic teachings, and completely revolutionised the worlds of human thought and action for all times to come. He introduced Islam, which is the culmination of the core teachings, values and essence of all the 1,24,000 prophets sent by Allah from time to time in different lands. The Prophet of Islam’s wise sayings, glorious actions and attitudes are everlasting guidelines for mankind towards virtue and righteousness. He is the supreme role model in every aspect of our lives.
The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (s), is the greatest person in the history of mankind, according to a renowned Hindu scholar in India, Swami Lakshmi Shankaracharya, who is also the founder of Jan Ekta Manch. While delivering a lecture on “Seerat-un-Nabi” (Prophet’s life) at a conference held in Patna, the capital city Bihar province, The Hindu scholar, Swami said: “We are talking about Prophet Muhammad (s) and we should keep it in our mind that he is the greatest individual in history. If anyone wants to know about Islam, one should judge Islam by Prophet’s (s) life and his teachings.”
Over the centuries, many eminent Non-Muslim scholars have rated Prophet Muhammad (s) most highly and have given due recognition to his greatness.
Historian, John William Draper in his well-known work, A History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, observes: “Four years after the death of Justinian, 569 AD, was born at Mecca, in Arabia, the man who, of all men, has exercised the greatest influence upon the human race.”
(Author hails from Kashmir is the author of 4 books including “Time to Think” and contributing his opinion to Wilayat Times.
