Al Khalid

Eid-e- milad-un-nabi Celebration

Commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday many Muslims celebrate Eid-e-milad-un-nabi. In India, this day is also known as Nabi Day, Mawlid, the Prophet’s Birthday or Mohammad’s Birthday.

What Do People Do?

Eid-e-Milad-un-nabi is celebrated in a unique way. As it’s the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, people arrange night long prayer meetings, parades with many people; Sandal (chandan) rites on the Prophet’s symbolic footprints, festive banners are put up in homes, mosques and other buildings. It is also noticed that people organize communal meals in mosques or in their vicinity. People also conduct meetings where they listen to stories and poems about the Prophet; also there are photo exhibitions, where they feature photos of mosque in Mecca and Medina.

The colour green that represents Islam and paradise is added in every celebration. They wear green dresses or ribbons; prepare a green flag while taking part in the procession. Muslims residing in Kashmir visit the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. This place is believed to have a hair that has come from the Prophet Mohammad. People perform prayers at the shrine a night before Milad un-Nabi.

As Eid-e-milad-un-nabi is for the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday, people intend to celebrate with great enthusiasm and display their love, affection towards Him. They pay respect to what legacy the Prophet has left behind.