Id of Ids (Mawlid): The Supreme Festival - Dr. Muhammad Mas'ud Ahmad, Ph.D.- Sufi Illuminations Journal

Id of Ids ( Mawlid) : The Supreme Festival - Dr. Muhammad Mas'ud Ahmad, Ph.D.

Translated and revised by Dr. Alan Abd al-Haqq Godas, Assistant Professor, University of Georgia.

Beginning with the name of Allah, the Extremely Compassionate, the Merciful. The first thing created by Allah Taala was the light ( nur  ) of the Holy Prophet  ﷺ . Then He blessed him with Prophethood, and the process of darud-i sharif (litanies of blessing for the Prophet  ﷺ ) began. Angels were created who participated in durud and salam ( sending of blessings and peace to Prophet  ﷺ ). When that light became manifest in this world , people also became part of this process. If we wonder this process we will realize that it too is a form of proclaiming and establishing a joyful celebration. Allahu  Akbar (God is great) !

From the very beginning of creation, remembrance of the Holy Prophet  ﷺ has continuously occurred and  been celebrated.  Allah Taala shows infinite  love for those whom He loves. He has declared their signs and symbols His own and has commanded his creation to exhibit the highest form of reverence for them. He has made their memorial days to be days worthy of His remembrance by commanding, " And remind them of the days of Allah." Quran 14:5. The birthday of Holy Prophet   ﷺ  is an important day of Allah. The importance of this day can be ascertained from Quran. With regard to Hadrat Yahya ( John the Baptist) عليه السلام , Allah states. " So peace be upon the day he was born, the day he departed and the day on which he will be raised again.

The Holy Prophet ﷺ , came into this material world on a Monday. As a mark of gratitude for this day , he used to fast every Monday. A sahih Hadith reports, " The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about fasting on Monday. He replied, " I was born on it and the revelation commenced on it." According to some traditions,  the date of birth of the Holy Prophet ﷺ is 12 Rabi al-Awwal, 569 C.E ,  a date corroborated by proofs dating back almost four thousand years. Hence, Monday, 12 Rabi al-Awwal, is especially connected to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Therefore,  because of the connection to him, its celebration is a means of attaining moral and spiritual elevation.

Allah Taala declares, " Indeed Allah Taala bestowed a favor upon the believers when he raised up a Prophet in their midst." (Quran al Imran 1:164 ). Favors are conferred so that they may be remembered and never forgotten. Moreover, Allah has also declared, " Say, '  in the bounty of God and in His mercy-- in this, then, let them rejoice'" (Quran, Yunus 10:58 ). The implication of these ayat then, is that Allah Taala has commanded us to commemorate and celebrate the joyful beginning of the Prophet's mission.

Hadrat Isa ( Jesus ) عليه السلام said to Allah, " O our Sustainer, send us table spread with food '  (ma'ida ) from heaven, that it may be an id (feast day) for us" ( Quran, al-Ma'ida 5:114 ). Ponder over this: if Hadrat Isa   عليه السلام  can celebrate a feast day ( id ) on account of the coming down of a table spread with food," should we not then celebrate the day when Allah Taala sent the very heart and essence of the bounty ?, Allah Taala declared the night on which the Holy Quran was sent to humankind to be better than a thousand months. Imagine then the greatness and loftiness of the night on which the living Quran ( the Holy Prophet ﷺ  )  came down. If the Night of  Power  ( Laylat al-Qadr) can be celebrated annually , then why should the night on which the pride of creation was born not be celebrated each year!

Allah Taala states, " Speak of the bounty of thy Lord" ( Quran, al-Duha 93:11 ). Imam Bukhari رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ‎ (d.256/870) states that the Holy Prophet ﷺ is the greatest bounty of Allah, hence he should become the object of most publicity. The Holy Prophet  ﷺ   himself spoke about his blessed birth from the pulpit. On his instructions some of his noble companions also described and publicized the Holy Prophet's ﷺ  excellent qualities. In the year 9 AH/ 630 C.E, on returning from the battle of Tabuk , Hadrat Abbas    رضي الله عنه  (d.32/653), the uncle of the Holy Prophet   ﷺ    recited a poem on the birth of the Holy Prophet  ﷺ   in his presence. On another occasion the Holy Prophet   ﷺ   himself spread a cloak on the platform ( minber ) on which Hadrat Hassan bin Thabit    رضي الله عنه (d.54/674) stood and sang an ode in his praise , for which the Messenger of Allah  ﷺ   blessed him with a special prayer. All these true incidents are recorded in books of traditions (ahadith). 

Whenever Hadrat i- Imam Malik bin Anas   رضي الله عنه  ( d.179/795 ) would attend to speak about the Holy Prophet   ﷺ   with special words of praise, he would make particular preparation for it.This practice has been perpetuated by our learned scholars ( Ulama ) , and pious sages ,  who continue to hold such august gatherings. On the eleventh of each month Hadrat Shaykh Abd al-Qadir Jilani     رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ‎   (d.561/1166) would offer gifts in the name of the Holy Prophet   ﷺ   , and this practice has been continued up to the present day. In addition Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah   رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ‎   (d.728/1328) stated that devotee who hold milad gatherings will receive abundant blessings and rewards.   

It is an inherent quality of love that a lover feels tremendous joy on hearing the praise of his beloved. Rather, it is even more correct to say that the heart of the lover yearns to praise and remember his beloved at all times.In addition, a lover is never offended by a person who is remembering his beloved.The truth of the matter is that genuine celebration lies in acting upon the sunna of our Holy Prophet   ﷺ    in every aspect of our lives, at all times. Thus each year we should express boundless joy at the auspicious birth of the Holy Prophet   ﷺ , in accordance with the practice of illustrious predecessors, who have championed the cause of Islam. Hadrat -i Shah Abd al-Ghani Muhaddith Dihlawi   رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ‎     (d.1878) , the ( hadith ) teacher of Rashid Ahmad Gangohi    رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ‎    , rightly said, " In celebrating the birth of the Holy Prophet   ﷺ   lies a person's complete felicity.

May Allah Taala bless us with the love of the Holy Prophet   ﷺ    , which will in turn mold and conform us to the sunna ( the example of Prophet  ﷺ   ), so that we can become a beacon of light for others. Amin!

Source:  Risala-yi Anwar as-Sufiyya, Sufi Illuminations: A journal dedicated to Islam and Tasawwuf

Volume 1: August, 1996 Part 1. Published by Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education (NFIE)

Id of Ids ( Mawlid) : The Supreme Festival - Dr. Muhammad Mas'ud Ahmad Naqshbandi Mujaddidi, Ph.D. Karachi, Pakistan. Published initially in Remembrance and re-published in Sufi Illuminations

Translated and revised by Dr. Alan Abd al-Haqq Godas, Assistant Professor, University of Georgia.

Source: Remembrance : Proceedings of First Annual International Milad an-Nabi  ﷺ Conference, Chicago 1994 , Edited by Alan Abdal Haqq Godlas Ph.D. Assistant Professor, University of Georgia

Published by Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education (NFIE)