Shia Muslims, along with sunni Muslims across the world, are celebrating the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last messenger sent by Allah to mankind, which had a divine message to promote peace and monotheism throughout the world.  People celebrate in various ways depending on where they are from.

The Islamic Unity Week is an annual event commemorated by both Shiite and Sunni Muslims as a sign of solidarity among different Islamic schools of thought.

The week is held between two dates of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad: one of the dates is narrated by Sunnis and the other narrated by Shiites.

The week was named so by Imam Khomeini. The two dates are the twelfth of Rabi Al Awwal (Nov. 20 this year), the first week of the third lunar month of the Islamic calendar, according to Sunnis, and the seventeenth of Rabi al Awwal (Nov. 25 this year), according to Shiites.

Iran

Iranians, along with Shia Muslims across the world, are celebrating the birth anniversary of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last messenger sent by Allah to mankind.

In Iran, people from all walks of life take part in celebrations and other rituals to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Prophet, ifilmtv reported.

Iranians celebrate the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), in Mashhad, Iran, during the Islamic Unity Week festivities, press tv noticed.

On the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), about 400 different cultural programs and art events held across the Iranian capital from November 20 to November 25.

The events held as part of the Festival of the Prophet of Kindness, which is going to be held during the Islamic Unity Week in 10 special places and main squares of Tehran.

According to ISNA, several workshops of calligraphy, music, narration, poetry, illustration, painting, caricature, wood carving and mosaic, pottery and ceramics, and doll making run during the week.

Ten food exhibitions, along with a black tent of Iranian ethnic groups in 10 places of Tehran, opened to visitors during the festival.

Moreover, six flower caravans moved in six directions across Tehran for 6 days.

Cultural and artistic programs along with the performance of tribal music are among other programs, during which flowers was given to the people.

The International Festival of the Prophet of Kindness, with the presence of foreign and domestic groups, run from November 22 to 25 with the performance of folk music groups. Musicians from Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Lorestan, Khorasan, Bushehr, Gilan, Golestan and Khuzestan provinces, as well as bands from Turkey, Azerbaijan, India, Syria and Iraq will perform in selected cultural centres.

1,000 daf playing programs was carried out on the occasion of the birthday of the holy Prophet.

Also on the night of the birthday of the Prophet (PBUH), an amphitheater was inaugurated and the movie “Muhammad: The Messenger of God” directed by Majid Majidi will be screened free of charge for three days. The movie would also be screened in mobile cinemas.

In order to get acquainted with the Islamic culture of Iran, foreign guests was taken to tours of Tehran’s attractions.

Buses and subways gived free-of-charge services on the day, and all cultural, sporting, and artistic centres give citizens services with 50% discount, ifpnews reported.

Pakistan

A group of Muslims, Christians and Hindus on Tuesday celebrated Muhammad’s birthday at the Dar-ul-Mussarat in Lahore.

The event was organised by Rwadari Tehreek (Interreligious Movement for Tolerance), which supports dialogue between religions.

The association’s president said the group celebrates the sacred festivals of all of Pakistan’s religions “to promote a culture of peace, tolerance and brotherhood among different faiths and bring them closer” but also as a way to stand “against extremism and terrorism”.

“Religions and sects are being used by extremists to promote hatred,” he lamented, “but we will not let them succeed in their heinous plans forward.”

For him, “there is nothing more beautiful than people with different views, sects, languages, social background, who come together and speak about peace and coexistence.”

“Muhammad taught peace, tolerance and brotherhood,” said Bishop Mano Ruramalshah, of the Church of Pakistan.

“We have to stand firm against those who want to break us and our brotherhood and provoke people in the name of religion. We must reject their ideology of hatred”, Asia News reported.

Ethiopia

Ethiopian Muslims across the country celebrated the 1493rd Mawlid festival, birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

Thousands of Muslims in Addis Ababa in particular, marked the festivity at Anwar Grand Mosque with prayer ceremonies and spiritual songs honoring the Prophet.

During the occasion Deputy President of Addis Ababa Islamic Affairs Council, Haji Nur Hussein Mohamed has called up on the Muslim communities to mark the day with special attention of people in need of any assist.

He also urged the Muslim communities to celebrate the festivity by keeping the doctrines of the prophet by sharing love each other and doing good deeds and helping the poor among others, allafrica reported.

Egypt

The Mawlid al Nabi holiday, which starts on Tuesday marked by making traditional sweets that are sold in shops and street markets.

Nostalgic Egyptians are reminiscing over the ceremonial sugar dolls that were once the highlight of festivities to celebrate the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday, as traditional practices slowly die out.

Generations of children eagerly anticipated the annual arrival of the dolls at marketplaces throughout the country, enthusiastically breaking them into pieces in order to indulge in the sweet taste, Tribun reported.

India

Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, is being celebrated in India. Milad Mehfils and Seerat Conferences highlighting the life and teachings of the Prophet are being held across the country. Milad processions are also being organised to mark the day.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have greeted the people on the occasion. In his message, Mr Kovind extended his good wishes to all fellow citizens, especially to Muslim brothers and sisters.

The Vice President said, Prophet Mohammad showed humanity, the righteous path of compassion and universal brotherhood. He expressed the hope that the eternal teachings of the Prophet continue to guide people in building a peaceful and harmonious society.

Mr Modi also remembered the noble teachings of Prophet Muhammad and prayed for harmony, brotherhood and peace all around, newsonair reported.

Turkey

Millions in Turkey mark the Mawlid al-Nabawi, the celebration of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad.

Muslims of all ages flocked to mosques to pray and recite poems dedicated to the prophet on the occasion known as Mawlid al-Nabawi.

Religious programs were organized at mosques across Turkey, including Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Edirne, Gaziantep, Hatay, Konya, Hakkari and Şanlıurfa.

On this sacred night, Muslims say their prayers and read the Holy Quran in their homes and mosques.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in a Twitter post, said he was celebrating Turkey and the entire Islamic world’s Mawlid al-Nabawi, wishing well to all humanity.

“I am thinking of our beloved Prophet Mohammad with the highest manners, the prophet of mercy, the oppressed and the poor,” he wrote.

“We remember today our beloved prophet, who has been sent to humanity as messenger and advisor,” said Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım in a statement.

“We should work to dominate our lives with goodness and kindness,” he added, Daily Sabah reported.

Canada

Muslims in Calgary, Canada marked one of the biggest days on the Islamic calendar Monday: the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.

More than 500 men and women marked the event at a special gathering at the Al Madinah Calgary Islamic Assembly, CBC reported.

Source: en.shafaqna.com