Maulidur Rasul 1435H

Happy Maulidur Rasul 1435H Celebration to all Muslim in the world. Today, is the birthday celebration of our beloved and the last prophet, Nabi Muhammad (pbuh). The birth day of the prophet has been debated and there exist 2 opinions regarding whether it is on 9th Rabiulawal or 12th Rabiulawal, but it is apparent that Nabi Muhammad was born on Monday morning in the year of elephant. The year had been known as the year of elephant as Makkah at the time was attack by Abrahah, a warlord from Yaman who wants to destroy the Kaabah. War Elephants were the fearsome traits of Abrahah's army and none can stop them for reaching Kaabah. Nevertheless, the attack of Makkah ended up in failure when Allah sent a flock of bird named Ababil and hailed them with a small heated rock. The people of Makkah never witness an Elephant before, thus commemorate the event in the name of year. This is the year where Nabi Muhammad was born.

Nabi Muhammad receiving his first revelation as a Prophet on 17th Ramadhan 40 years later, sending by Allah through Angel Jibrail. And through the second revelation, he is elevated as Messenger and has a responsibility to spread the word of god, not only to the pagan Makkah, but to all people in the world. The propagation of Islam at that time is hard and met with many resistances by pagan in Makkah, and after 13 years, the time had finally comes of the Hijrah, where Prophet and the Muslims from Makkah migrated to Yathrib. Yathrib at the time is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic society where the pagan consist of Aus and Khazraj tribes, and there were also Jews community of Qainuqa, Quraiza, and Nadhir tribes. Propagation of Islam in Yathrib is a successful one. The name Yathrib was change into Madinah Al-Munawarah (please use Makkah and Madinah to refer to these cities and not Mecca or Medina). After 23 years as a prophet, the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) died in Madinah.

The birthday celebration of the Prophet, also known as Maulud Nabi, is to commemorate and as a remembrance for us to the Prophet Muhammad. As his followers, we need to have love and passion to him and what he has gone through for us today to receiving Islam. And there also several faction in Islam who against the celebration. But, for what? It is true that the Prophet himself does not celebrate it, but this is the symbolic gesture of love and compassion that we have and also a remembrance to our beloved prophet. If not, then on what day and at what time that we are going to specifically remembers our prophet history? Everyday? In form of what? It is true that one of the way of showing our love to our prophet is through implementing his way of life in our daily life, but it is not everyday that we can actually hears regarding our Prophet history except during his birthday.

And, this is a good opportunity for me to stated my dissatisfaction towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia especially towards their attitude of Islam's historical sites and artifact. Many of those places that had been commemorated in the hadith and even a very important places in Islam had been destroyed. Muslims had always been remembered of how the third holy land, the Masjid Al-Aqsa is badly treated by the Zionist, we have lost touched of our historical sites in Makkah and Madinah. A prime example is just like the picture below.

Yes, this is the house of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he lived in Makkah. Such important historical sites had been lost. Not to mention the Zam Zam well (which had been buried on the top), and also the three wells in Madinah located in the land of his companion where he love to drink the water (also been buried). And, also include is the place where Abu Bakar was first proclaim as the First Caliph of Islam. I'm feared if this continues, Islam will be nothing more that ritual religion and when we going to take a peek of our historical sites in Islam, we can no longer witness it. Perhaps, the last surviving historical sites in Islam would be the Prophet tomb itself. (And I don't know how long would it last.).

The Masjid Nabawi. The tomb of Prophet Muhammad located beneath the green dome

For now, I would say that many muslims nowadays have neither witness nor see how the tomb of our beloved prophet looks likes. Its so sad isn't it?

The sealed door to the Prophet Muhammad tomb. No one has ever entered the door for decades.
Here lies Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Khalifah Abu Bakr and Khalifah Umar

Cross section of how Prophet Muhammad tomb looks like

Happy Maulidur Rasul 1435H.