Yesterday in Almaty the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan (SAMK) has organized the festivities dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad's birthday - Mawlid. It is one of the major holidays of Islam and is celebrated during a month.
Chairman of the SAMK and the Council of Muftis in Central Asia and Kazakhstan, Supreme Mufti Sheikh Absattar Haji Derbisali congratulated the believers on this bright day.
- Our Spiritual Administration and all Muslims of Kazakhstan consider the month and day of the Prophet Muhammad's birth as a blessed occasion for strengthening friendship and love, harmony and mutual assistance among all the people - he said.
As any other religious event, Mawlid (Arabic: "birthday") was begun with the reading of prayers. Suras of the Koran were read by Imams with awe. There were praises in honour of Alakh, as well as poetic narratives and sermons on the life and birth of the Prophet. Believers gave thanks to Alakh and rejoiced the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, who is considered by Muslims as the messenger of God.
As Absattar Haji explained the birthday of Prophet, who is the founder of Islam, is celebrated at the night of 12-th of Rabi-ul-Awwal according to the Muslim (lunar) calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar this year Mawlid is celebrated from 14 February till 14 March.
In the days of the Prophet his birthday was not celebrated, this tradition was born a little later. For the first time Mawlid was celebrated in the VII century by the order of the emir of Irbil (northern Iraq). In those days a man Ibn Dhiyah - God-fearing man - wrote an interesting book about the Prophet's birthday "Enlightenment on the Birthday of the Bearer of Good News, the Warner". Emir awarded the author a gift of one thousand dinars and allowed to read the book during Mawlid. Since then, every year the Prophet's birthday is celebrated.
The representatives of the SAMK told that on the occasion of Mawlid Suras of the Holy Koran, praising the Prophet would be read and communal prayers would be held in all mosques. This time is used by Imams for moral and ethical, spiritual education of people as well as for joint study of the Koran, which encourages people to do good things and avoid evil. According to Imams the Prophet's life is an example of devotion to God, willingness to serve people. His example may promote development of such qualities among the Muslims as purity of thoughts, tolerance to other religions, the ability to forgive others' mistakes, honesty before people and a willingness to come to the aid.
Festival of Mawlid organized by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan brought together representatives of different nationalities. And that is right, Sheikh Absattar Haji is sure because, according to the Sacred Hadith, all the faithful people - brothers to each other. Believers in their turn pointed out that, thanks to a peace-loving policy pursued by the President Nursultan Nazarbayev, as well as mutual respect and tolerance, openness and friendliness in society, Muslims today may celebrate the holiday widely. It is therefore important to keep peace, comfort and love to each other. Only in this way, said speakers, we can ensure further prosperity of our Motherland.
