By M . M. Afzal Cader

Muslim around the world will celebrate the Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s birthday on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi Al Awwal. This day is called by Arabic term Meelad Un Nabi, which means the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet.

On this day the Muslim’s recite the Holy Quran and gift (Thamam) in the name of the beloved Prophet, and some even recite the Mowlood (the life story of the Prophet) on the first 12 days of this month. These recitals are conducted at all Masjids throughout the country and also at every home.

Here in Sri Lanka we also have the opportunity to celebrate this occasion organized by the Muslim Religious Affairs Ministry “The National Meelad day Celebration” which is an annual event held on a grand scale. A large gathering of Muslims join in several religious programmes conducted by prominent religious scholars.

Muhammad PBUH was born in Saudi Arabia at the holy city of Makkah in August 570 AD the 12th day of Rabi Al Awwal.

Alhamdulilah last year my family and I had the opportunity to grace the Grand Meelad Un Nabi celebrations at the Holy Prophets Mosque The Masjid Un Nabavi in Madina. We travelled to Madina after performing the Umrah in Makkah, during this period millions of pilgrims visited Masjid Un Nabavi to get the blessings from ALLAH Almighty and his messenger Prophet Muhammad PBUH.

The Prophet PBUH’s way of life gives us every fundamental guideline that we require to resolve the problem as successfully as our human mind and intellects can visualize.

His example of integrity, loyalty, honesty, generosity, both of means and of time his solicitude for the poor, the weak and the sick, his steadfastness in friendship, his humility in success, his magnanimity in victory, his simplicity, his wisdom in conceiving new solutions for problems which could not be solved by traditional methods, without a effecting the fundamental concepts of Islam – surely, all these are foundations which correctly understood and sincerely interpreted, must enable us to conceive what should be truly modern and dynamic Islamic society in the years ahead.

His life and achievements are so wonderful and expansive that I cannot cover them in this short article.

Almighty ALLAH reveals in the Holy Quran chapter 33 verse 57, says that I and my Angels send blessings(Salawath and Salam) on the the Prophet PBUH.

ALLAH also tells to the people ,that you should also invoke blessings(Salawath and Salam) to the Prophet PBUH and follow his way of life (Sunnah). Again ALLAH repeats O Mankind recite Salawath as much as you can for the Prophet PBUH, and for every Salawath you recite I and my Angels will recite 10 Salawaths.

The Prophet also told to his Ummha (followers) that if a person follows the Holy Quran and the Hadees (the life history of the Prophet), that he or she will never go astray, and that they will enter Jannah (Paradise) without any difficulty.

The Quran also repeatedly says that we must belive in Muhammad PBUH as the final Messenger of ALLAH. It is obligatory and essential to accept whatever Prophet PBUH has taught.

This is a very good example that all of us should follow the Holy Quran and the Teachings of the Prophet PBUH the Hadees to enter Janah.

A number of miracles were bestowed upon and perfected by our beloved Prophet to establish proof of his prophethood. The greatest miracle bestowed upon him was the revelation of the Holy Quran. The Quran is miraculous in a number of aspects: Its linguistic perfection and inimitability, its validation by recent historical, archeological and scientific discoveries, its prophecies and so on. Unlike the miracles of other prophets before him, the miracles of the Quran are eternal.

The Prophet PBUH has taught us how to develop hope and create the love for ALLAH: and side by side the fear of ALLAH has also been instilled in us. The hope and love urges one to fulfill the commandments of ALLAH and follow the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet whilst the fear becomes the deterrent against sin and transgression.

The Prophet PBUH later went on the journey of Hijrath to Madina,where the people of Madina the Ansari’s welcomed the Holy Prophet PBUH. Later after the Prophet’s demise he was buried in the second largest Masjid in the world, Madina Al Munawwara (the lighted city) also known as Masjid Un Nabi which is located at Hijaz, on the western part of Saudi Arabia, some 400km north of Makkah.

Madina became a city of religious importance with the arrival of the Holy Prophet PBUH in the year 622 AD. The Tomb of the Holy Prophet is at the main area of the Mosque.

May Almighty ALLAH give us the opportunity to visit the beloved Prophet’s Ziyarath in Madina and get the blessings and Shafaaeth on the Day of Judgement.