Mawlid al-Nabi\, Arabic for the "birthday of the prophet"\, marks the anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad's birth wit h feasts\, festivals\, street parades\, chants and decorations in streets\, mosques and homes.
Mawlid un-Nabi — also referred to as Eid Al-Mawlid Annabawi in certain Arabic dialects (eid means feast or celebration\; mawlid means birth and un-Nabi me ans prophet). Because the Islamic calendar is lunar\, the holiday shifts by about 10 days every year on the Gregorian calendar.
While the day was not marked by the prophet himself\, the occa sion is celebrated in a majority of Muslim states\, with a number of them d esignating it a national holiday.
Mawlid Al-Nabi is celebrated during the month of Rabiulawal\, the third month of the Muslim calendar. Shi’a Mu slims celebrate it five days later than Sunni Muslims.
A spiritual role model: For Muslims\, the Prophet Muhammad is seen as an ethic al and spiritual role model and commemorating his life is seen as another w ay of keeping his memory alive in the collective Muslim consciousness.
Rituals: Muslims will spend Mawlid learning more about the prophet\ , and seeking ways to better themselves by learning about his teachings.Many of the rituals take place in a communal context\, with worshippers gathering in mosques and community cen ters.
Not all Muslim com memorate the prophet's birthday.