Source: East-West Ministries, October 3, 2022
Mawlid is an annual Islamic holiday that celebrates the life [and birthday] of the prophet Muhammad. The holiday is also known as Mawlid al-Nabi, Milad, or Eid Milad un-Nabi. Muslims commemorate Muhammad’s life during the Islamic calendar’s twelfth day of the third month.
In the early days of Islam, followers of Muhammad met to honor their leader, and over time Mawlid became an annual event. The holiday reflects on the life and teachings of Muhammad.
As Christians have conversations with their Muslim friends, being informed about Mawlid and Muhammad can help direct their friends toward the gospel truth.
During Mawlid, Muslims decorate their homes, mosques, and streets to celebrate the life of Muhammad. Mosques have lectures about Muhammad’s teachings, and special meals are planned. In the Middle East, free pastries and eastern sweets are offered in the streets. Conferences and programs are organized where people can learn, debate, and celebrate the life of Muhammad. While not all Muslim communities celebrate Mawlid, many countries in the Middle East and North Africa recognize Mawlid as a public holiday.
The full story includes suggestions for how to pray for and share the gospel with others in connection to this festival, which will be observed this weekend (October 7-8). Note that within Islam, celebrating Muhammad’s birthday is sometimes controversial, so bring it up with caution.
See also a short article about how preparations for the holiday are ramping up in Egypt (Arab News) and another from the UK (Leicestershire Mercury).