Mawlid al Nabi

Mawlid al-Nabi (also spelled Mawlid an-Nabi or Milad al-Nabi) is the celebration of the birthday of Muhammad, the final prophet of Islam.

Mawlid falls in the month of Rabi' al-awwal in the Islamic calendar. Shias observe the event on the 17th of the month, coinciding with the birth date of their sixth Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq and the Prophet Muhammad 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 basic earliest accounts for the observance of Mawlid can be found in 8th century Mecca, when the house in which Prophet 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).[4]Though public celebrations of the birth of Muhammad did not occur until four centuries after his death.The early celebrations included elements of Sufic influence, with animal sacrifices and torchlight processions along with public sermons and a feast.[5][6] The celebrations occurred during the day, in contrast to modern day observances, with the ruler playing a key role in the ceremonies.[7] Emphasis was given to the Ahl al-Bayt with presentation of sermons and recitations of the Qur'an. The event also featured the award of gifts to officials in order to bolster support for the ruling caliph.[7]