INTERFAITH SPECTRUM MAGAZINE Vol. 1, Issue 1: Winter 2010 |
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Mawlid an-Nabi
Loah Grace Swanson
Mawlid an-Nabi is the celebration of the birth of The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the
tradition of Sufism and the Islamic faith. Translated from Arabic to English, Mawlid means the birthday of a
holy person, and Nabi is the word for Prophet.
In the year 2010 C.E., Mawlid an-Nabi is on the 26th of February of the common Gregorian calendar which
correlates with the Islamic calendar date, 12th of Rabi al-Awwal 1431 A.H. Like the Jewish calendar, the
Islamic calendar is a lunar one so the date of The Prophet’s (PBUH) birthday fluctuates from year to year
on the Gregorian 365-day, solar calendar. Muslim holy days as with Jewish holy days begin at sunset the
night before the day of observance.
Throughout most parts of the Muslim world Mawlid an-Nabi is an official holiday marked by joyful
celebration. Prior to sunset on the 11th of Rabi al-Awwal, the Mosques and houses are decorated inside
and outside in anticipation of festive, colorful street processions that occur continually during the holiday.
Elaborate garlands abound around doorways and banners of bright cloth are draped from windows and
rooftops, particularly the color green, which in Sufism/Islam is associated with The Prophets (peace be
upon them).
Acts of charity including distribution of food to the impoverished are encouraged for all those who are able
to give. It is a day of feasting and no one, no matter how poor shall be without the sumptuous holiday food
on Mawlid an-Nabi. The festivities of the day do not include any alcohol. No wine is offered, regardless of
how fine or how elegant the dinner table may be, because Islam prohibits alcohol.
An inner journey to nurture the spirit is considered one of the joys of Mawlid an-Nabi. Worship and prayers
that encourage a heart to be happy are a major part of the celebration. There is drumming, chanting and
singing, giving thanks to Allah (The One Divine/God) for sending to earth The Messenger of Islam, The
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Holy Qur’an is recited in Mosques and homes while children read aloud
poetry that opens our hearts to feel the Love of God and the deep devotion The Prophet (PBUH) carried in
his heart for humanity.
It is emphasized on Mawlid an-Nabi that some of the greatest medicine for the heart is to learn the Seerah
of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Seerah is Muhammad’s biography including both his history and
the ways of his inner life as a divine messenger.
He was born in Mecca during the month of Rabi al-Awwal in the year 570 C.E. His father died several weeks
before he was born and Muhammad’s mother died when he was six years old, leaving him to be raised by
relatives. Later in his twenties he married a widowed woman, Khadijah, with whom Muhammad (PBUH)
had been employed to manage her successful caravan business. It was she who proposed the marriage.
Khadijah was impressed by Muhammad’s honestly, integrity and fair dealing he practiced managing her
business. The Prophet’s code of honor was especially impressive in the caravan hub of Mecca where
many merchants, locals and strangers alike did whatever necessary to make profit without care or
consideration for what was fair, just or mutually beneficial. Muhammad’s reputation as a kind,
exceptionally honest, business man - a rare person in that place and time - earned him the nickname of
Amin, which means the trustworthy one.
Along with the robust business of merchants and caravans, Mecca also had many shrines for multiple
gods and goddesses appealing to a wide variety of people who paid and made offerings to worship the god
or goddess of choice. The shrine business was very profitable and added to the wealth of the ruling tribe of
Mecca.
Muhammad’s heart was not at ease with the practiced polytheism of his society. He was stirred by a
Greater Truth. While local people and visitors worshipped at the numerous shrines, Muhammad (PBUH)
took himself to a cave in the hills. Alone he surrendered himself to The Living Presence, The True Reality,
Allah. He understood that Allah is not a god or goddess but The Absolute, The One that contains every
aspect and multiplicity of the entirety of creation. It was revealed to The Messenger of Islam (PBUH) that
Allah has no gender, no plural, but is The Supreme, The Creator and Sustainer of all seen and unseen
throughout the infinite realms of existence.
During a deep spiritual retreat in the cave Muhammad (PBUH) was visited by Archangel Gabriel. Initially The
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was terrified by the huge powerful presence of the Archangel until Gabriel
explained he had come by Command of Allah to give The Messenger of Islam the Divine Teachings that
were to become The Holy Qur’an.
The visits from Archangel Gabriel continued. Once Muhammad (PBUH) overcame the shock and was
convinced by his wife Khadijah that he was not losing his mind, he began to recite Allah’s Word to the
people of Mecca as Gabriel had said: “Recite!”
In the beginning very few people were receptive to Muhammad’s words as given to him by Archangel
Gabriel. This was not surprising, considering that the first divine recitation he gave to the people
proclaimed that all worship was rightfully for The One and Only - Allah, and that worship of any other was
false worship, sinful and useless. Muhammad (PBUH) told the ruling tribe of Mecca that all shrines of
idolatry must be closed by Order of Allah and that no more money could be collected from the polytheistic
worshippers.
It is not hard to guess that the ruling tribe was resistant and openly hostile to Muhammad’s message of
banishing polytheism for monotheism. The desert tribal society had worshipped many deities for centuries
and the tribal chiefs had no intention of giving up the lucrative source of income they earned from the
multiple shrines. They denounced Muhammad (PBUH) and condemned his message of monotheism to
worship Allah alone. The shrines dedicated to the regional and foreign deities remained but The Prophet
(PBUH) continued to proclaim Allah as The One Eternal, The Real, The Living, The Only. Even though
Muhammad (PBUH) was targeted for aggressive acts and hatred, he was not deterred and preached
additional critically important sermons that were to change how the mostly immoral self-serving society
treated the poor and the unfortunate.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was an egalitarian. Long before receiving revelation from Archangel
Gabriel, he had always shown all those he encountered loving kindness, respect and compassion, no
matter the station of the person be a rich merchant or poor homeless beggar, child or elder, male or
female, free person or slave. Once Muhammad’s Prophethood descended upon him, he was obliged by
The Order of Allah to teach the Way of Divine Love, Mercy, and Compassion for all people without
separation of social class, economic status, ethnicity or gender.
After idolatry, another correction The Prophet (PBUH) brought from Allah to the people was to stop the
mistreatment of women. Before Allah called Muhammad (PBUH) to teach people The Truth, a man could
take a woman’s wealth or property through marriage and then on a whim, with reason or not, divorce her
by putting her out of the marriage home with nothing. The man could keep everything the woman came to
marriage with, forbid any of the children to leave with her and refuse to provide for her and the children
that did leave with their mother. The woman had no choice or recourse. Neither help nor defense was
offered by the community elders or leaders on her behalf.
When Muhammad (PBUH) spoke out to the men of the community to champion the rights of women, he
made vicious enemies. He told them that to abuse, disrespect, dishonor or to cast aside a woman without
provision was against the Will of Allah. The Prophet (PBUH) told the men of the desert tribal society that if
they were to divorce their wives the man was still financially responsible for the woman and any children
they had together, He also said that by Allah it was not right for any man to take the wealth, property,
animals or anything a woman brought with her to the marriage. All would remain her property after the
marriage and upon divorce the man was entitled to none of it. The men of Mecca were outraged.
With no care for his own status or position in Mecca society, Muhammad (PBUH) continued to speak loudly
against polytheism, the mistreatment of women and lack of caring for the poor who were shunned as
outcasts. He was ostracized by his own tribe, rejected by the majority and received death threats. Life
became too dangerous in Mecca. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and a small group that believed The
Truth of his message left Mecca secretly at night and took refuge in Medina, where they began a new life.
The move from Mecca to Medina is known as Hijra in Islam, which means migration. This is why the
Muslim calendar date is followed by A.H., an abbreviation for, After Hijra. The year 1431 A.H. tells us that
1,431 years ago Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers left Mecca for Medina to begin the first Muslim
community.
During Muhammad’s lifetime many rights of women became legalized, including those forbidding men
from seizing a woman’s wealth or property through marriage and obliging a man to financially provide for
his former wife and their children in the case of divorce. Furthermore, The Prophet (PBUH) decreed that
providing for the poor, widows and orphans was obligatory for all Muslims. Thus the practice of charity
was woven into the religious doctrine of Islam and is also mentioned in The Holy Qur’an as an Order of
Allah.
The Messenger of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Allah loves those most who care for the
creation.”
Loah Grace Swanson is an InterFaith minister, ordained at Saint John The Divine in New York City.
She is a lover of The One Divine and regards the entirety of humanity as one beautiful beloved without
separation. Loah helps people walk the path of transformation in The Holy Way -- a highly effective, positively
intensive spiritual practice that opens the heart to Divine Love -- the most complete medicine of all.
Presently she is completing Secrets Of The Magi, a novel to be published in 2011.
Contact Rev. Loah Grace Swanson at loahgrace99@aol.com
Return to Main Menu
Mawlid an-Nabi
Loah Grace Swanson
Mawlid an-Nabi is the celebration of the birth of The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the
tradition of Sufism and the Islamic faith. Translated from Arabic to English, Mawlid means the birthday of a
holy person, and Nabi is the word for Prophet.
In the year 2010 C.E., Mawlid an-Nabi is on the 26th of February of the common Gregorian calendar which
correlates with the Islamic calendar date, 12th of Rabi al-Awwal 1431 A.H. Like the Jewish calendar, the
Islamic calendar is a lunar one so the date of The Prophet’s (PBUH) birthday fluctuates from year to year
on the Gregorian 365-day, solar calendar. Muslim holy days as with Jewish holy days begin at sunset the
night before the day of observance.
Throughout most parts of the Muslim world Mawlid an-Nabi is an official holiday marked by joyful
celebration. Prior to sunset on the 11th of Rabi al-Awwal, the Mosques and houses are decorated inside
and outside in anticipation of festive, colorful street processions that occur continually during the holiday.
Elaborate garlands abound around doorways and banners of bright cloth are draped from windows and
rooftops, particularly the color green, which in Sufism/Islam is associated with The Prophets (peace be
upon them).
Acts of charity including distribution of food to the impoverished are encouraged for all those who are able
to give. It is a day of feasting and no one, no matter how poor shall be without the sumptuous holiday food
on Mawlid an-Nabi. The festivities of the day do not include any alcohol. No wine is offered, regardless of
how fine or how elegant the dinner table may be, because Islam prohibits alcohol.
An inner journey to nurture the spirit is considered one of the joys of Mawlid an-Nabi. Worship and prayers
that encourage a heart to be happy are a major part of the celebration. There is drumming, chanting and
singing, giving thanks to Allah (The One Divine/God) for sending to earth The Messenger of Islam, The
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Holy Qur’an is recited in Mosques and homes while children read aloud
poetry that opens our hearts to feel the Love of God and the deep devotion The Prophet (PBUH) carried in
his heart for humanity.
It is emphasized on Mawlid an-Nabi that some of the greatest medicine for the heart is to learn the Seerah
of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Seerah is Muhammad’s biography including both his history and
the ways of his inner life as a divine messenger.
He was born in Mecca during the month of Rabi al-Awwal in the year 570 C.E. His father died several weeks
before he was born and Muhammad’s mother died when he was six years old, leaving him to be raised by
relatives. Later in his twenties he married a widowed woman, Khadijah, with whom Muhammad (PBUH)
had been employed to manage her successful caravan business. It was she who proposed the marriage.
Khadijah was impressed by Muhammad’s honestly, integrity and fair dealing he practiced managing her
business. The Prophet’s code of honor was especially impressive in the caravan hub of Mecca where
many merchants, locals and strangers alike did whatever necessary to make profit without care or
consideration for what was fair, just or mutually beneficial. Muhammad’s reputation as a kind,
exceptionally honest, business man - a rare person in that place and time - earned him the nickname of
Amin, which means the trustworthy one.
Along with the robust business of merchants and caravans, Mecca also had many shrines for multiple
gods and goddesses appealing to a wide variety of people who paid and made offerings to worship the god
or goddess of choice. The shrine business was very profitable and added to the wealth of the ruling tribe of
Mecca.
Muhammad’s heart was not at ease with the practiced polytheism of his society. He was stirred by a
Greater Truth. While local people and visitors worshipped at the numerous shrines, Muhammad (PBUH)
took himself to a cave in the hills. Alone he surrendered himself to The Living Presence, The True Reality,
Allah. He understood that Allah is not a god or goddess but The Absolute, The One that contains every
aspect and multiplicity of the entirety of creation. It was revealed to The Messenger of Islam (PBUH) that
Allah has no gender, no plural, but is The Supreme, The Creator and Sustainer of all seen and unseen
throughout the infinite realms of existence.
During a deep spiritual retreat in the cave Muhammad (PBUH) was visited by Archangel Gabriel. Initially The
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was terrified by the huge powerful presence of the Archangel until Gabriel
explained he had come by Command of Allah to give The Messenger of Islam the Divine Teachings that
were to become The Holy Qur’an.
The visits from Archangel Gabriel continued. Once Muhammad (PBUH) overcame the shock and was
convinced by his wife Khadijah that he was not losing his mind, he began to recite Allah’s Word to the
people of Mecca as Gabriel had said: “Recite!”
In the beginning very few people were receptive to Muhammad’s words as given to him by Archangel
Gabriel. This was not surprising, considering that the first divine recitation he gave to the people
proclaimed that all worship was rightfully for The One and Only - Allah, and that worship of any other was
false worship, sinful and useless. Muhammad (PBUH) told the ruling tribe of Mecca that all shrines of
idolatry must be closed by Order of Allah and that no more money could be collected from the polytheistic
worshippers.
It is not hard to guess that the ruling tribe was resistant and openly hostile to Muhammad’s message of
banishing polytheism for monotheism. The desert tribal society had worshipped many deities for centuries
and the tribal chiefs had no intention of giving up the lucrative source of income they earned from the
multiple shrines. They denounced Muhammad (PBUH) and condemned his message of monotheism to
worship Allah alone. The shrines dedicated to the regional and foreign deities remained but The Prophet
(PBUH) continued to proclaim Allah as The One Eternal, The Real, The Living, The Only. Even though
Muhammad (PBUH) was targeted for aggressive acts and hatred, he was not deterred and preached
additional critically important sermons that were to change how the mostly immoral self-serving society
treated the poor and the unfortunate.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was an egalitarian. Long before receiving revelation from Archangel
Gabriel, he had always shown all those he encountered loving kindness, respect and compassion, no
matter the station of the person be a rich merchant or poor homeless beggar, child or elder, male or
female, free person or slave. Once Muhammad’s Prophethood descended upon him, he was obliged by
The Order of Allah to teach the Way of Divine Love, Mercy, and Compassion for all people without
separation of social class, economic status, ethnicity or gender.
After idolatry, another correction The Prophet (PBUH) brought from Allah to the people was to stop the
mistreatment of women. Before Allah called Muhammad (PBUH) to teach people The Truth, a man could
take a woman’s wealth or property through marriage and then on a whim, with reason or not, divorce her
by putting her out of the marriage home with nothing. The man could keep everything the woman came to
marriage with, forbid any of the children to leave with her and refuse to provide for her and the children
that did leave with their mother. The woman had no choice or recourse. Neither help nor defense was
offered by the community elders or leaders on her behalf.
When Muhammad (PBUH) spoke out to the men of the community to champion the rights of women, he
made vicious enemies. He told them that to abuse, disrespect, dishonor or to cast aside a woman without
provision was against the Will of Allah. The Prophet (PBUH) told the men of the desert tribal society that if
they were to divorce their wives the man was still financially responsible for the woman and any children
they had together, He also said that by Allah it was not right for any man to take the wealth, property,
animals or anything a woman brought with her to the marriage. All would remain her property after the
marriage and upon divorce the man was entitled to none of it. The men of Mecca were outraged.
With no care for his own status or position in Mecca society, Muhammad (PBUH) continued to speak loudly
against polytheism, the mistreatment of women and lack of caring for the poor who were shunned as
outcasts. He was ostracized by his own tribe, rejected by the majority and received death threats. Life
became too dangerous in Mecca. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and a small group that believed The
Truth of his message left Mecca secretly at night and took refuge in Medina, where they began a new life.
The move from Mecca to Medina is known as Hijra in Islam, which means migration. This is why the
Muslim calendar date is followed by A.H., an abbreviation for, After Hijra. The year 1431 A.H. tells us that
1,431 years ago Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers left Mecca for Medina to begin the first Muslim
community.
During Muhammad’s lifetime many rights of women became legalized, including those forbidding men
from seizing a woman’s wealth or property through marriage and obliging a man to financially provide for
his former wife and their children in the case of divorce. Furthermore, The Prophet (PBUH) decreed that
providing for the poor, widows and orphans was obligatory for all Muslims. Thus the practice of charity
was woven into the religious doctrine of Islam and is also mentioned in The Holy Qur’an as an Order of
Allah.
The Messenger of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Allah loves those most who care for the
creation.”
Loah Grace Swanson is an InterFaith minister, ordained at Saint John The Divine in New York City.
She is a lover of The One Divine and regards the entirety of humanity as one beautiful beloved without
separation. Loah helps people walk the path of transformation in The Holy Way -- a highly effective, positively
intensive spiritual practice that opens the heart to Divine Love -- the most complete medicine of all.
Presently she is completing Secrets Of The Magi, a novel to be published in 2011.
Contact Rev. Loah Grace Swanson at loahgrace99@aol.com
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