Conference Celebrates & Remembers Prophet (saws)

Conference Celebrates and Remembers Prophet

Nesima Aberra

Muslim Voice

The Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education held a conference Saturday, March 27^th, to honor the Prophet Muhammad's birth through lectures and nasheeds remembering his character and deeds.Since 2005, the Foundation has hosted a free Mawlid un Nabi conference in Chandler where Muslims from all over the Phoenix area attend. Similar conferences have been held all over the United States since the early 90's and attendance has been growing.Ahmed Mirza, Secretary of the Naqshbandiya Foundation, said the goal of the conference is to "educate both Muslims and non-Muslims about the great Prophet, the messenger of universal mercy, love & beauty, beloved of Allah & mercy for the mankind."Imam Abdulbasir, Dr. Mahmoud Sheikh-Khalil, Imam Didmar Faja and keynote speaker Sheikh Abdullah Nooruddeen Durkee all spoke to the attendees on various subjects relating to the Prophet and ways Muslims today could apply those lessons into their daily lives.Imam Abdulbasir talked about how increasing love for the Prophet meant following his akhlaq, manners, and being respectful, punctual caring and patient. He also mentioned finding time to remember him whether while cooking, shopping or waiting in line.Dr. Mahmoud Sheik-Khalil related several anecdotes of the Prophet's life showing how he dealt with oppression, rejection and misery as well as discussed the typical stereotypes of him as a violent, conquering individual by Western media.Imam Didmar Faja mentioned how Muslims "cannot know where to start and where to end" in describing the Prophet's admirable characteristics and that it is every Muslim's responsibility to learn about him and follow him. Imam Faja also touched on the controversy over the Mawlid event and questioned why a gathering that remembers the Prophet is not part of Islam."Even if we don't gather, Allah praises the Prophet," he said. "Isn't this also praise?"Sheikh Durkee devoted much of his speech to the controversy as well, saying he thought there was no reason to apologize for mawlids and that calling it bid'aa, innovation, was "utter nonsense.""Our lives are based on the Prophet's life. This gathering is to educate and inform ourselves on him," he said.He mentioned how everyone knew when the Prophet was born and cited a scholar Ibn Tamiyya, who is ironically often used to argue against the commemoration of the Prophet's birthday.

"Ibn Tamiyya said honoring his [Prophet's] day has immense reward when it is from sound reasoning and good intentions."The Sheikh then spoke on how if more people knew the Prophet and understood his mercy, there wouldn't be the corruption and weakness that exists in Muslim countries today such as preventing girls from going to school and individuals blowing themselves up in masjids.Sheikh Durkee ended with a cautionary, heavy message that Muslims need to examine and ask themselves if they are happy with the way they are treated and thought of in the world. His solutions to the problem was to make a conscious agreement like the Prophet did to "enjoin the good and forbid the evil" and to find the real Islam, which starts with celebrating and knowing the Prophet."It is worth celebrating him," he said, "Because without him, we are nothing."The speeches were interspersed with local nasheed singers and the night ended with a dinner and du'a.