Mawlid An Nabawi : A Critical Analysis

Commemorating and celebrating the Mawlid (birth) of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has been a long established practice that has adorned all the Muslim lands for centuries. From the streets of Indonesia in the East to the souks andmedinas of the Maghreb in the West, Muslims have shown joy and fervour on this auspicious occasion. 

Indeed the celebration is not just restricted to the one day but the whole Islamic month is filled with the recitation of the Qur'an, relaying of the blessed sira (chronicles of his life), recalling of the miracles at the birth and renditioning of poetry and good counsel.  Muslims would not only increase their charity to the poor this month but would also decorate their houses and towns in lights. With the mass migration in the 20th century this celebration has spread to the cities and towns of non – Muslim countries with large processions now commonplace on the roads of Europe and America. 

Unfortunately, like all good things, this blessed occasion has fallen victim to extremist ideology and a once universally accepted blessed event is now becoming the subject of criticism and even being slandered as an unislamic act.

This short but precise book examines the recent criticism and answers it and reaffirms the foundations of this blessed act by providing Qur'anic references, evidence from ahadith and supporting statements from some of the great scholars of Islam. It will help set into context the status of this celebration within Islamic traditions and expose the shallowness of the criticisms against it.