Rabiul Awal is the month of going back nearly 1,500 years. Every year in this month the Muslim ummah returns, if only for a moment, to the days that hold the memory of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), because it is the month of the holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, a month of celebration for humanity marking the arrival of the Prophet of the world.

The 12th of Rabiul Awal in 1443 AH falls on 20 October (Wednesday), and the day will be observed across the country with due dignity. Some will hold month-long programmes under the titles Seeratunnabi and Uswatunnabi on every aspect of the Prophet's life from birth to death: his birth and upbringing, prophethood, the Hijrah, the building of a state, his personal, family, political and international life and his social reforms. Others continue discussion meetings titled Majiun Nabi, or 63-day Eid-e-Miladunnabi programmes, which are also held in Rabiul Awal.

Nearly 1,500 years ago the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born in the holy city of Makkah into the famous Banu Hashim clan, on the second Monday of Rabiul Awal in the Year of the Elephant, at the moment of dawn known as subh-e-sadiq. He also passed away on the same day, but for the Muslim ummah the day is known as Eid-e-Miladunnabi.

The hadith contains clear statements about the day and year of his birth. By the English calendar he was born on 20 or 22 April 571 AD. But while the day of the week and the year are clearly stated, the hadith gives no clear information on the exact date, and later scholars and historians have therefore differed over it.

Ibn Sa'd records that at his birth a light came out of his mother's body that lit up the palaces of Sham. Imam Ahmad cited a similar narration from Irbad bin Sariya. (Mukhtasarus Sirah)

Some notable events also took place when the Prophet came into the world, which were taken as signs of his prophethood:

At the moment of his birth, fourteen turrets of the palace of Kisra collapsed;

the fires that had burned for ages in the temples of the ancient Persian priesthood went out;

and the busy churches of the Bahira monks fell dull and lifeless. Imam Bayhaqi, Tabari and others record this.

From the world-famous seerah works, among them Ibn Dihya's At-Tanwir fi Mawlidil Bashir an-Nazir, Ibn Sa'd's At-Tabaqatul Kubra, Ibn Kathir's Al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya, Ibn Ishaq's Seerat Ibn Hisham and Qastalani, the following views emerge:

• According to Abu Mashar Najih, the 2nd-century AH hadith scholar and historian, he was born on 2 Rabiul Awal (the first Monday).
• The companions Ibn Abbas and Jubair ibn Mut'im said he was born on 8 Rabiul Awal. This view, narrated by Muhammad ibn Jubair ibn Mut'im, Allama Qastalani and Zurqani, has been accepted by most hadith scholars and historians. Allama Abul Khattab ibn Dihya (633 AH), the first to write a book on the Milad, also adopted it in his At-Tanwir fi Mawlidil Bashir an-Nazir.
• The books Tarikh-e-Khuzri and Rahmatullil Alamin say he was born at dawn (subh-e-sadiq) on Monday, 9 Rabiul Awal, in the Year of the Elephant.
• In the narrations of Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (114 AH), grandson of Imam Husain, and the hadith scholar Amir ibn Sharahil ash-Sha'bi (104 AH), he was born on 10 Rabiul Awal.
• According to Muhammad ibn Ishaq (151 AH), the famous historian of the 2nd century AH, he was born on 12 Rabiul Awal. Ibn Ishaq usually gives a chain of narration (sanad) for every matter in his Seerat Rasulullah, but he gave none for this.
• According to Zubair ibn Bakkar (256 AH), a historian of the 3rd century AH, he was born in Ramadan. He argued that since the Prophet received prophethood in Ramadan at the age of 40, he must also have been born in Ramadan.
• Others have variously said he was born in Muharram, Safar, Rabius Sani or Rajab.

Above all, the ordinary devout Muslims of the subcontinent know Rabiul Awal and its 12th day as the Prophet's birth month and date. Ibn Ishaq, author of the Prophet's biography written with the most chains of narration, names 12 Rabiul Awal as Eid-e-Miladunnabi, and on that basis most believers in the subcontinent know 12 Rabiul Awal as the Prophet's birthday.

Although there are differences over the date and month of his birth, it is an undisputed truth that he was born on a Monday at subh-e-sadiq; nobody differs on this. Most historians and analysts hold that he was born in Rabiul Awal.

Rabiul Awal is therefore a great month for the Muslim ummah. Let Eid-e-Miladunnabi be not merely a day of celebrating the Prophet's birth, but a source for colouring ourselves in his ideals throughout the month and living by the Sunnah throughout the year. However much the month and date are disputed, let his whole life, from his arrival to his death, be the model for the Muslim ummah.

May Allah grant all humanity, of every religion, colour and community, the ability to hold the Prophet's ideals in their hearts and to follow, imitate and put them into practice in every sphere of life; to keep the bond of communal harmony unbroken; and may He cover every human heart with mercy. Ameen.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.