Mawlid is an interesting word, and its usage in the Muslim world has given it quite a broad meaning. There are so many articles discussing archaic ‘proofs’ and debates, but little in form of a real world understanding of what a Mawlid means to Muslims today.
Any form of remembrance to the consideration of the birth and coming of the Prophet (S) is called a ‘Mawlid’. It is a title given to anything which exists for the purposes of remembrance and recognition of the glad tidings of the arrival of the Prophet (S). So while a gathering may be a Mawlid, some texts themselves are also considered ‘Mawlids’ and given that title. In many places, for example, a “Mawlid” that is recited is composed of extracts from books such as Mawlid al-Barzanji and Mawlid Sharf ul Anam.
When use the term Mawlid as a gathering, then we find other words which we can compare with to help understand.
For example, a similar term is ”Halaqa’ or ‘Majlis’, which in common usage is a title given to any association which is a gathering for the purpose of Islamic learning. Hence, while a “halaqa” may increase your knowledge through learning new facts, a Mawlid is an expression of that knowledge impact on your own self and faith. It may be, the more you know and learn, the more you want to send blessings to the Prophet (S), and therefore the more thankful you are for Allah (SWT) in having sent the Prophet (S) to you.
If any group of people got together to study something, it would be normal for it to be called by others a “study circle” or “study group”. Even if the studying people called their get-together something else, or did not call it anything, others would feel free to call it a “study circle”. In Islamic topics they often get called “Halaqas” or “Majlis” or “meetings” or “classes”.
In exactly the same way, a Mawlid is not defined by what the participating people call it, but how observers consider the word and what the people are doing. So what term did the Muslim world use for any gathering that existed solely to express love of the Prophet (S)? Mawlid.
Unlike a “Halaqa” there is no curriculum to consider, and no books that must be read before arrival. And while there may be an entrance criteria to a “Halaqa” (for example, you may need to have to be literate, or achieve a certain level of study), a Mawlid has benefit and acceptance for any lover of the Prophet (S).
Practically speaking, any gathering of people to remember Allah and send blessings upon the Prophet (S) can also be considered a Mawlid, since one aspect of loving the Prophet (S) is to appreciate the blessing *of his existence* and his impact on your life.
If this is difficult to understand or appreciate, it may be useful for the believer to consider what their world would be like without the Prophet (S).
Then, when you fixed on that feeling, you can take the next step. If you perform any good deed of remembrance (zikr) and praise or greetings (salawat) because you are thankful to Allah for having sent the Prophet (S) to our ummah, you are performing a Mawlid!
Since a Mawlid gathering does not require that it occur on an anniversary, it can be spontaneous or planned, and it can last as little as ten minutes to hours. Similarly, a Mawlid work of text or recitation can be any poetry, nasheed, reading of sirat, or praise which brings one to remember and appreciate the benefit of the Prophet (S). A Mawlid occurs in many traditional kitchens during the cooking of special dishes, or it may be a special gathering in a Masjid. Therefore, Mawlid cannot be understood in Western terms such as a party or event, although it may manifest itself in this way today.
Mawlids are based on a feeling of thankfulness and remembrance for the Prophet (S). Therefore, for this community, Mawlids are often triggered on dates which are meaningful to us. Mawlids are performed on days that people we love passed away (maybe their passing reminds us to remember the Prophet(S)) or it may be performed on special and significant days of anniversary in the Prophet’s (S) life. For example, a Mawlid may be performed on the days of the Prophet’s (S) birth either weekly or on yearly intervals.
While some say Mawlids are an innovation, those who have a proper understanding of Mawlid as a wide range of activities on all days for remembering the Prophets birth (S) can know that there is no way it is an innovation. Even Abu Lahab, who became later an enemy of the Prophet (S), expressed joy at his birth and his arrival. For this Imam Bukhari relates that he is pardoned on Mondays:
Upon the birth of the Holy Prophet (S) Thwaiba came running to Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s (S) uncle, to give the good news of the birth of his nephew. Abu Lahab became extremely happy and raising two fingers pointed to Thwaiba saying “ I free you in thankfulness of the birth of my nephew”. That day was a Monday. When he died he came in the dream of Hadrat Abass (ra) who asked him how he was fairing in the life after death. Abu Lahab replied: “I am in the fire of hell day and night and have no escape except Monday. The punishment is reduced for me and from these two fingers of mine I receive water from which I drink (like a fountain) for I freed Thwaiba on the birth of the Holy Prophet (S)
The Prophet (S) was in constant thankfulness for his being sent to the ummah, and he would remember his arrival by fasting on Mondays.
I observe this day in fasting because it was a day in which I was born, and on it the revelation of (Al-Qur’an) was inaugurated.” (Sahih Muslim)
Devout lovers of the Prophet (S) still fast every Monday and remember his birth and appreciate it. Therefore, we would call this a Mawlid also. Some will do take time out to do a Mawlid and remember the Prophet (S) only on the year anniversary of his blessed birth, that is not as good than more often, but something is also better than nothing!
Traditional cultures have found their own ways to express their themselves with Mawlids, that is why they are different in every region. Pakistanis sing beautiful Naat’s, while new Nasheeds have come up, even English ones in America.
So next time you hear about a Mawlid get-together, think about attending it, participating and building some more love for the Prophet (S).
None of you will be truly a believer until I become more beloved to him than himself, his children, his family, and all the people.” – Hadith, Sahih Bukhari
So, it’s important.
Points 3,4,5 are really the same thing said in three different ways.
3. Getting them to Condemn Homosexuality is Like Pulling Teeth
Blah. Obviously every single group of Shariat abiding Muslims condemns homosexuality. Anyone who doesn’t do this is not only a “Rand Institute Muslim” but someone who has deviated from 1400 years of traditional Islamic practice and law.
4. Rewriting Islam to Comply with Feminism
Here we start entering the area of legitimate criticism. It is true that a number of Muslim organizations do tend to focus on some traditions and viewpoints about women and not others. The desire to overcompensate and be apologetic about Islamic views of women have caused Muslim nation states to have more women heads of state than America, land of feminism.
5. A Hatred of Masculinity
As one teacher and friend of mine stated they seek an Islam “without testicular fortitude”. The Sunnah and history of Islam is rewritten and the likes of Khald Ibn Waleed (r.a.) are downplayed and the Prophet (s.a.s.) and the Sahabah are made to be non-violent hippies who sat around gawking at butterflies all day. Northing could be further from the truth. The Prophet {s.a.s.) was a warrior and many of the Sahabah that he loved were straight-up killers. Others were robbers (robbing the caravans of the kufar). Others took women and young girls as the booty of war. Islam spread through jihad and was sustained by the sword of very masculine men. Romantically, the fairy tale “fluffy” version of love that is the norm today was also strange to the Sahabah and in the history of Islam, outside of Rumi (who many if not most consider to be a deviant) there is very little in terms of a history of romance being glorified by learned religious men. There is love in Islam, and a love between man and women, but it is something entirely different then what we have come to understand it in the West.
This is a convenient way for someone who spends time discussing his street background to understand the Prophet (S) and the Sahabi (R). But the companions were not killers and robbers after Islam. Battle was fought with honor on a field, with training and discipline. It was not murder. When discussing caravan raids, it’s clear that the Sahabi were taking the value of confiscated wealth and property back, this is not robbing, its fighting for your own rights. When dealing with prisoners of war and widows, they were operating on a level above and beyond those around them and beyond soldiers of today, they weren’t Abu Ghraib rapists (astaghfirullah). They did this all while bringing justice, peace and rights to women in general.
Yes, indeed, it takes a certain kind of man to participate in all of the above. And nothing, nothing, that Umar Lee mentions here offers Muslims a coherent solution in order to create men who could follow in these footsteps. To demonstrate the schizophrenia, one need not look far, his latest post is about running for peace.
Ugh, what would Umar Lee of yesterday say to this?
It is correct that much of what makes Islam powerful has been lost. But trying to bring the American ghetto into Islam isn’t the answer.
Masculinity is a reflection of the combination of numerous manners. When to be severe, when to be gentle, how to be a generous, wise, and self-aware, are all things taught through example. And it is impossible to transmit manners through books, this is why we were given a living example in the Prophet (S).
Modern institutions of “Islamic Learning” focus on learning texts of a few great thinkers out of Islamic history. Those are their ideals and their models. But while they have a place in the discussion, we have excluded all people of action as role models. This is a product of the Salafi influence on Muslim society, which has distanced ourselves from our own history.
You can’t learn masculinity from a text or recitation. Umar Lee’s understanding of it is completely affected by his upbringing. And since he has completely disconnected from Islamic history he has no way to understand how Muslims have understood masculinity for 1400 years. Alternative teaching institutions are not the answer, but rather having real living guides who live as men and die as men is the example.
In modern Islamic ‘halaqas’, there is no consideration given to absorbing the character traits of real leaders and accomplished saints. Since Islam has been reduced to the textual, the ‘highest example’ of Muslim men are nerdy academics and hence are untrained in action but well trained in debates and discussion of ideas.
The mention of Maulana Rumi only demonstrates where the real viciousness of this attack comes from. Wahabi/Salafism. This is why Umar Lee is unaware of the fact that Maulana Rumi was not only a completely legitimate Hanafi jurist, read by even the Deobandis, he was also a mujahid. He wielded the sword just as well as the pen. And his work is not about romantic love but one of a completely different nature altogether, just like when Umar Lee mentioned that Islamic love is unique from Western love. The only reason he has been understood in this light is due to Western ‘translators’ who have mangled his works to unrecognizable levels.
This sort of love was hardly alien to the Sahabis who were willing to die due to their love of the Prophet (S) and wrote poems and odes to him.
Let us take the example of a real man, The Ottoman Sultan, Mehmet II, who conquered the Byzantines and took Constantinople by the age of *20*. While he was able to write and appreciate poetry, he was equally comfortable taking command and leading his trained armies to success. He was a Sufi too.
In what way are we training ourselves and our children to be taking characteristics that led to his development and those like him? What did we accomplish by the age of 20?
If his example is too high, then what are we doing to be like those who followed him?
If even their example is too high, what are we doing to be like those who were the children of those who followed him?
A quote to put things in perspective about the Sufi view of Jihad and its necessity and power:
“Bir tek mumin hanimin etegine dokunulsa Islam aleminin irzina gecilmis sayilir. Butun Muslumanlar cihada hazir olmak icab eder.”
“If a single believer woman’s dress is touched it will be as if the Islamic world is raped. All Muslims must be ready for jihad.”
-Sheykh Mawlana Nazim Adil al-Hakkani (Grandshaykh of the Naksibendi Sufi Order)
But again, we will do it on our own terms, our own way, and with permission of the inheritors of the Prophet (S).
Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib:
I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: In eloquence there is magic, in knowledge ignorance, in poetry wisdom, and in speech heaviness.
Sunaan Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4994:
During the defense of Madina in World War I, this poem addressing the Prophet (S) was written by lieutenant Idris Sabri, who was under the command of Fahreddin Pasha. The letter bears significance in terms of reflecting the feelings of the soldiers who defended Madina.
You Are Our Master in Both Worlds
You were a ruler; we came under your command
You are our king, promised from eternity
We were just a few; we have realized our goal with you
You are our Sultan in both worlds.
We have forgotten our past kings
You are the pupil of our eyes.
Forgive us our mistake, o intercessor
For the sake of our thousand-year strive.
We have transgressed much, no good deeds we have
We have become spoiled, counting on your nearness
We are rich at heart, but not covetous
A morsel of your intercession would suffice for us.
Almost no one will listen to, alas!
Our wish, so pure
In spite of your illiteracy, O Messenger of God
You are the only one to read our heart
Rosewater flasks have dried
Our tears haven’t stopped; mercy!
The cinders of incense burners have cooled
Hearts are burning with your love
No poet of ours is like Labid, or Hasan
And no poem do we have like Burda or Muallaqa
Except for the history written
By the Ottomans with rubies in red.
Cannot live without you, the children of Ertugrul
Turks will give up their lives, but not the beloved
We are eternally servants of Haramayn
Even if we die, our souls will guard your tomb
the truth on 
m.a.kidwai,CME/IND.RLY.(retd.) on 