Salamun alaykum,
Heartiest Felicitations on the Auspicious Occasion of Meeladun Nabi:
Alhamdulillah we are witnessing Rabi ul Awal the month of ennoblement – the month in which Rasulallah emerged into the world and the universe was illuminated. Muslims all over the world celebrate with intense felicitations the occasion of Meeladun Nabi –the birth of our Noble Prophet Muhammad Mustafa SAWW. Meelad / Mawleed in Arabic means birth, birthday, nativity. This occurred on the 17th Rabi’ ul Awwal in the year of the Elephant (Aamul Feel) corresponding to 570 C.E. Some historians also record the birthdate to be 12th Rabi’ ul Awwal.
The variation in dates should not be a cause for differences. Considering this historical difference in dates, the Muslim ummah has been observing the period from 12th to 17th Rabi’ ul Awwal as Usbu’ ul wahdah; the Unity week.
Such great is the excitement and happiness of this occasion that the whole month of Rabi’ ul Awwal is dedicated towards celebrating this lofty personality.
Deep gratitude:
The birth of Nabi Muhammad Mustafa SAWW, the chosen messenger of Allah SWT is certainly a great boon bestowed upon all believers and mankind. We are obliged to express our deep gratitude and appreciation in all forms for that great personality of Rasulallah, the best among all creations, who leads mankind out of darkness /ignorance into light/enlightenment. A form of expressing gratitude to Allah SWT for this great endowment is through Meeladun Nabi.
Time for Reflection:
The occasion of Meeladun Nabi celebrations is an excellent opportunity for renewal of allegiance to the Noble Prophet. Additionally, it provides an occasion for Muslims to undertake reflection. These joyful moments call for us to take a closer look at ourselves; to see how one is faring in their faith and deeds both as individuals and as members of the Ummah. Through reflection one can determine how devotedly one is taking the Noble Prophet as their Uswatun Hasana- the Divinely declared best role model- and what more one needs to do towards enhancing adherence to the Thaqalayn.
Themes for reflection:
Some areas for probing in the reflection exercise include questions such as:
- How well am I trying to emulate the Prophet as my role model?
- Would the Prophet be delighted to see the way I am living?
- Is my home and family ready to host the Prophet?
- Will I feel embarrassed and want to hide certain things in my living?
- What am I doing to reach out to the less fortunate?
- How much am I engaged with the Ummah and helping my community?
- How active am I in unpacking the message of Rasulallah for emulation so that the Muslim ummah be in a state different than we find it today?
Through reflection one can identify what more needs to be done in emulating the Uswatun Hasana. This boosts us to re-affirm our allegiance to the Noble Prophet. This would be the best tribute one can offer to our beloved Rasulallah for the Meeladun Nabi celebrations.
Let us open our hearts to receive the Divine gift of Rasulallah, attain pleasure of Rasulallah and draw closeness to Allah SWT.
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah.
Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat