Eid Milad-un-Nabi 2021: All you need to know about date, history, significance

The festival of Milad-un-Nabi is celebrated by the followers of Islam. However, Shiites and Sunnis alike have different views on the festival.

About the Prophet Muhammad

It is believed that the Prophet Muhammad, Rabi al-Awwal, the third month of Islam, was born on the 12th of 573 AD. Eid-e-Milad is observed by some as mourning because it is also believed to be the day of the Prophet’s death. The full name of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad was Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib. He was born in Mecca. It is believed that in 610 AD he attained enlightenment in a cave called Hira near Mecca. He later taught the teachings of the Quran, the holy book of Islam.

How is Eid Milad-Nabi celebrated?

Sunni Muslims are believed to celebrate Eid Milad-Nabi on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi al-Awwal, and Shia Muslims observe it on the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal.

In addition, people on this day wear green ribbons or green clothes and carry green flags or banners. Green is the symbol of Islam and paradise. People also hold activities such as parades, parades and night long prayer meetings.

Communal food is also served in mosques and other community buildings. There are various exhibitions with photos of various mosques in the holy cities of Saudi Arabia.

Although Eid-e-Milad is widely observed in India and other countries, various sections of the Islamic community in Islamic culture believe that there is no place for the birthday celebrations of the Prophet. Muslims from Salafi and Wahhabi schools of thought do not refer to the tradition of festivals.

Many Muslims in India observe Milad un-Nabi, which commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s (or Mohammad’s) birthday. Milad un-Nabi is a gazetted holiday in India and is also known as Nabi Day, Mawlid, Mohammad’s Birthday or the Prophet’s Birthday.

Is Milad un-Nabi/Id-e-Milad a Public Holiday?

Milad un-Nabi/Id-e-Milad is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

This image depicts a view of Al Madinah (Medina) in Saudi Arabia, which is where the Prophet Muhammad lived in during his final years and was buried.

This image depicts a view of Al Madinah (Medina) in Saudi Arabia, which is where the Prophet Muhammad lived in during his final years and was buried.

What Do People Do?

Those who observe Milad-un-Nabi gatherings remember, discuss and celebrate the advent of the Prophet Muhammad’s birth and his teachings. Some people send Milad-un-Nabi e-cards to friends and family. Many Sunni Muslims celebrate this event on the 12th of the Islamic month of Rabi’ al-awwal, while the Shi’a community celebrates it on the 17th of Rabi’ al-awwal.

Many activities include:

• Night-long prayer meetings.
• Marches and parades involving large crowds.
• Sandal rites over the symbolic footprints of the Prophet Muhammad.
• Festive banners and bunting on and in homes, mosques and other buildings.
• Communal meals in mosques and other community buildings.
• Meetings to listen to stories and poems (nats) about Mohammad’s life, deeds and teachings.
• Exhibitions featuring photos of mosques in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Many people carry green flags or banners or wear green ribbons or items of clothing when taking part in these events. The color green represents Islam and paradise. Many Kashmiri Muslims gather at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, which is in the Indian province of Jammu and Kashmir. It houses a hair that is believed to have come from the Prophet Mohammad. Thousands of people attend prayers at the shrine on the night before Milad un-Nabi. The relic is displayed in the mosque after the morning prayers. It was paraded through the town in previous years.