The Blessings and Rewards of Celebrating Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ

Reward for celebrating Milad

Shaykh ‘Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehilvi عَلَیْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ الْقَوِی has said, “Those rejoicing on the blessed event of the 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal celebrating the Milad of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will enter Jannaat-un-Na’eem (i.e., Heaven with blessings) by virtue of the ‘Divine mercy and grace’. From earliest times, Muslims have always been holding ‘Milad gatherings’ marking and celebrating the Milad of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, arranging feasts etc., and giving Sadaqah in abundance. On this auspicious occasion, people express their feelings, full of bliss and spirituality; hold big and small congregations, decorate their shops and houses with lights and flags, and spend their wealth generously. By the blessings of all these noble deeds, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ showers His blessings on them.’

Zamanay bhar mayn ye qa’idah hay,

keh jis khana usi ka gana

Tu na’matayn jin ki kha rahay hayn,

unheen kay hum geet ga rahay hayn

(Ma Sabat Bis-Sunnah, pp. 102, summarised)

A unique story of a Jewish family

Sayyiduna ‘Abdul Waahid Bin Isma’eel عَلَیْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ الْقَوِی has stated: A great devotee of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم lived in Egypt. He would celebrate the Milad [birth of the Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم] with full zeal and zest in Rabi-ul-Awwal. Once, on this blessed occasion, a Jewish woman, living in the neighbourhood, asked her husband: Why does our Muslim neighbour arrange an especial feast during this month every year? Her husband replied, ‘This is the month, in which his Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was born, so, he marks the [blessed] birth of his Prophet (صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) and this month holds great significance for Muslims).’ Upon hearing it, the Jewish woman said, ‘This is great indeed, Muslims celebrate the [blessed] birth of their Prophet every year [with great fervour].’

On the very night, when the Jewish woman slept, fortune smiled on her as she dreamt of an exquisitely incredible personality with stunningly luminous face. A crowd was gathered around him. She stepped forward and asked someone about the noblest personality. He replied, ‘He is Muhammad Rasoolullah (صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم), the last Prophet. He has arrived to give blessings to your Muslim neighbour for celebrating his [blessed] birth [every year].’ The Jewish woman humbly asked, ‘Will he (صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) talk to me?’ The person replied, ‘Yes.’ The woman went towards the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and humbly called him drawing his attention. The Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘Labbayk (here I am)’. Deeply moved by the humble response, she submitted, ‘I am not a Muslim, yet you have responded to me with ‘Labbayk (here I am)’. The Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘I have been informed from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, you are going to embrace Islam.’ Upon hearing that, she spoke spontaneously, ‘No doubt, you, the merciful Prophet [صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم], have the highest moral excellence. Whoever disobeys you will get destroyed and the one who is unaware of your eminence will suffer loss.’ Thereafter, she recited Kalimah Shahadah (in her dream).

When she woke up, she felt a pleasant change in herself. She again recited Kalimah in the state of wakefulness and embraced Islam with uprightness of heart. Thereafter, she decided to spend all her savings for the celebration of the birth of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When she came out of her room, she was surprised to see her husband preparing feast. She asked him in astonishment, ‘What are you doing?’ He replied, ‘I am making arrangements for a feast to celebrate your noble act of conversion to Islam.’ She asked, ‘How did you know that?’ He replied, ‘Last night in my dream, I have also embraced Islam at the hand of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.’

(Tazkira-tul-Wa’izeen, pp. 124, summarised)

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on them and forgive us without accountability for their sake!

اٰمِیْن بِجَاهِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Aamad-e-Sarkar say zulmat hui kafoor hay

Kiya zameen, kiya aasman her samt chhaya Noor hay

(Wasail-e-Bakhshish (amended), pp. 483)

Dawat-e-Islami and Milad celebration

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه! Dawat-e-Islami, the Madani movement of devotees of Rasool, holds its unique way of celebrating Milad [the blessed birth] of the Holy Prophet. Under the supervision of Dawat-e-Islami, huge congregations of Milad are held in many countries in ‘the blessed night preceding 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal’. These great and spiritual gatherings bring especial blessings for people. A number of fortunate attendees across the world become Mosque-regulars.

Following are four beautiful Madani parables:

1. Found cure for sins

A devotee of the Prophet has said: Once, Dawat-e-Islami held a Milad Ijtima’ on the night of Milad-un-Nabi (1426 A.H.) at Kakri Ground, Karachi. One of my relatives attended the Ijtima of Milad. He was a young fashionable man who did not use to offer Salah.

At the time of welcoming Subh-e-Baharan (the dawn of blessings), when everyone was reciting Salat and Salam loudly and chanting the slogan ‘Marhaba ya Mustafa صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, his heart changed completely. He was blessed with the passion for performing virtuous deeds and hating sins. He immediately made the intention to offer Salah regularly and grow his beard. He then really started offering Salah regularly and grew a beard. He had a bad habit which he gave up by virtue of the blessing of the Milad Ijtima. In other words, by virtue of attending the Milad Ijtima, the patient who was suffering from sins found the cure for sins.

Maang lo maang lo un ka gham maang lo

Chashm-e-rahmat nigah-e-karam maang lo

Ma’siyat ki dawa la-jaram maang lo

Maangnay ka mazaaj ki raat hay

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْب صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد

2. The heart was purified

During the first week of Rabi’-ul-Awwal, making individual effort son a person living in North Karachi, some devotees of the Prophet invited him to attend the Ijtima’ of Milad held by Dawat-e-Islami at Kakri Ground, Karachi. He was fortunate enough to accept the invitation. When the night of the 12thRabi’-ul-Awwalcame, he kept his promise and got on the bus in order to go to attend the Ijtima of Milad. In the bus, a devotee of the Holy Prophet had some sweets called ‘Cham Cham’ which he divided approximately into thirty small pieces and then distributed them equally among the Islamic brothers. He was really impressed by the loving manner of the Islamic brother who distributed the sweets. At last they all reached the Ijtima’ of Milad. He saw first time in his life such beautiful and splendid scenes. The sound of Na’ts, Salam and the joyful slogans ‘Marhaba ya Mustafa صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم’ purified his heart and he immediately associated himself with Dawat-e-Islami. اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه, he was privileged to grow a beard, wear blessed Imamah and perform the activities of Dawat-e-Islami.

 ‘Ata-e-Habib-e-Khuda Madani Mahool

Hay faizan-e-Ghaus-o-Raza Madani Mahool

Yahan Sunatayn Seekhnay ko milayn gi

Dila’ey ga Khauf-e-Khuda Madani Mahool

Yaqinan muqaddar ka who hay sikandar

Jisay khayr say mil gaya Madani Mahool

(Wasail-e-Bakhshish (amended), pp. 646-647)

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْب صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد