Birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (570 A.D.)

15 September 2024 Timeline

Birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (570 A.D.)

 

On Saturday, the 21st of September 2024 (the 17th of Rabī al-Awwal 1446 A.H.)

1454 years ago (570 A.D.) the Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca. Regarding this special event Allah has stated in the Holy Quran,

وَ ما أَرْسَلْناكَ إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً لِلْعالَمينَ

 “And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad!] except as a mercy to the worlds” (Quran, 21: 107).

The Prophet’s father was Abdullah bin ʽAbdul Muttalib from the Banū Hāshim, a branch of the Quraysh, and his mother was ’Āminah, the daughter of Vahab bin Abd e-manāf, who was a member of the Banū Zuhra, a branch of the Quraishi tribe. The Prophet was their only child.

The writers of "Sīrah" (biographies of the Prophet) generally agree that the Prophet of Islam was born in the "Year of the Elephant" in 570 A.D. in the month of Rabī‘ al-Awwal, but the exact date of his noble birth is controversial. The reason for this is that no particular calendar was used among the Arabs at that time. According to common opinion, he was born 50 to 55 days after the Incident of the Elephant in the month of Rabīʽ al-Awwal. Our Sunni brothers say that the Prophet’s birthday is on Monday 12th of Rabī‘ al-Awwal and shi‘a believes that he was born on Friday 17th  of Rabī‘ al-Awwal. These issues which are of multiple juristic opinions should not be a matter of division or disunity among the Muslim communities so, Imam Khomeini, the Founder of Islamic Revolution of Iran presented a unique solution to this divergence to preserve and foster unity between Shia and Sunni Muslims by declaring the entire week between 12th and 17th of Rabī‘ al-Awwal as a week of celebration and Muslim solidarity.

The ritual of this day are as follows:

  1. To make a major ablution
  2. To observe fasting and in Islamic narrations it is said that to observe fasting on this day brings about the reward of observing fasting for a whole year.
  3. To visit the tomb of the Holy Prophet from near or remote distance.
  4. To visit the tomb of Imam Ali (the first Imam) and to recite the form of supplication that Imam al-Sādiq taught to Muhammad bin Muslim.
  5. To offer, in the forenoon, a two unit prayer and to recite at each rak’at Surah al-Fātihah once and repeat Surah al-Qadr (no. 97) ten times and Surah al-Tawhīd (no. 112) ten times.
  6. To honor this day by giving alms, doing righteous deeds, giving pleasure to the brethren-in-faith, and visiting Muslim brothers.