Over the weekend, Muslims gathered in Mombasa to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad.
Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) on the 12th of the third month according to the Islamic calendar Rabi-ul-awwal 570ad.
Everywhere in the Muslim world, the birthday celebration is marked with public holidays and festivals that feature green or white colors.
Festive mood has spread across Mombasa and its environs as Muslims held special celebrations to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him), highlighting the Prophet’s teachings and praying for peace.
Residents of Mombasa celebrate the blessed day with traditional food, family visits, and religiously-inspired rituals like Quran recitation.
Faithful have flocked to mosques and open spaces to pray and recite poems in commemoration of Maulid, which calls on Muslims to be good ambassadors for the religion.
Al-Mawlid Al-Nabawi, an Islamic event, commemorates the anniversary the Prophet Muhammad’s birth (peace and blessings to him).
It is a religious holiday observed in many countries with a large Islamic population.
Al-Mawlid Al-Nabawi, which is the third month on the Islamic calendar, is celebrated on the 12th of Rabee Al-Awwal.
It is based on the Islamic, moon calendar. Each year, it is celebrated on a new day in the Gregorian Calendar. This year, the celebrations took places from the 7th-8th of October.
Sheikh Aboud Mohammed, a religious leader, encouraged Muslims to show more love for the prophet and to follow his teachings.
Sheikh Mohamed, also the Imam of Sheikh Jundan Mosque (CBD), said that the birthday celebration of the Prophet Mohammed was the most important event in the Islamic calendar. His arrival brought light to the whole world.
Sheikh Mohamed claims that Muslims see the Mawlid al-Nabi celebration, or simply the Mawlid as a sign to respect and adoration for the last messenger of God.
The cleric suggested that everyone should embrace the love of humanity, humility, generosity and compassion exemplified in Prophet Muhammad.
He stated that the day was marked by special prayer sessions, recitations of the Holy Quran, praise to Allah, and a call to Muslims to do charitable works on this day.
He said celebrations of Mawlid al-Nabi include sharing food, attending lectures about the Prophet’s life and virtues, participating in marches, reciting the Qur’an and devotional poetry of the Prophet.
Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir, the Governor of Mombasa, joined the faithful and urged Muslims to follow the example of the beloved last prophet of Islam.
“The Prophet Muhammad is an ethical and spiritual role model for millions of Muslims across the globe including here in Mombasa,” he said adding that the commemoration of his life is one of the ways of keeping his memory alive in the collective Muslim consciousness.
Governor Nassir, who welcomed Muslims in the seaside town on the birthday of the prophet, spoke at an event at the Makadara open gardens to celebrate the occasion.
The Governor used the opportunity to encourage Muslims in the port to live peacefully with people of different faiths.
He urged the faithful to recommit to God’s commandments, including abstaining from all mischief that might disturb public peace or human brotherhood.
“On this anniversary of the birth of our beloved prophet my message to the people of Mombasa and Kenya at large is to be the best ambassadors of the prophet and his great legacies,” he said.
He urged religious leaders to promote tolerance, as this will foster peaceful coexistence among Kenyans from different faiths.
By Hussein Abdullahi
Source: kenyanews
