Mawlid
Culture/religion: Islamic
Date: October 19
Mawlid commemorates the birth of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi’ al-awwal, the twelfth day of the third month in the Islamic calendar. In predominantly Muslim countries, Mawlid al-Nabi is a public holiday.
Many Muslims do not celebrate this holiday, as they feel it puts too much emphasis on the prophet as human and distracts from the true divine source of revelation. On the other hand, many Muslims see this festival as a way of teaching their community about the prophet’s way of life.
Some Muslims celebrate in private homes, while others decorate mosques with lights and hold large festive gatherings.
Sources:
Birthday of the Prophet: Mawlid al-Nabi, The Pluralism Project at Harvard University