The Prophet Muhammad's Christmas

Pilgrim camp in MedinaThis holiday is celebrated on the 12th of the month of Rabi al-Awwal. The birth of Muhammad began to be celebrated only 300 years after the emergence of Islam and, according to researchers, not without the influence of the Christian tradition.

Since the exact date of his birth is unknown, Maulid is dedicated to the day of his death. It should be noted that in Islam, birthdays are celebrated very modestly, and sometimes not at all, while the dates of death, usually treated as birth for eternal life, are handled more solemnly.

The Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 AD in modern Arabia. He is descended from the Arab tribe of Kuraish. Muhammad's father died before the Prophet was born. Unable to support the child, his mother Amina gave the future Prophet to nomads for upbringing. After the death of his mother, from the age of 6, Muhammad lived with his grandfather one of the abbots of the local temple.

Muhammad spent his entire childhood in families of nomads who roamed the deserts of the peninsula. For his kindness and honesty, the Meccans called the little boy Amin. Muhammad is the founder of one of the world’s religions, Islam. He taught the Arabs and other followers about the true faith in one eternal Creator. His sermons helped unite the Arab tribes.

On the occasion of Maulid, sermons are read in mosques, there is a common prayer in honor of Muhammad, alms are distributed, the holiday includes the recitation of verses of the Koran praising Muhammad (mavalid).