Mawlid 2026: Muslims mark Prophet Muhammad’s birthday this week

Muslims around the world are commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad, also known as Mawlid, this week with prayers, gatherings and festivities. 

While the exact date traditionally associated with Mawlid is uncertain, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is widely believed to fall on the 12th day of Rabi’ al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. 

The date is recognised across many Muslim-majority countries, particularly in the MENA region, where several states mark the occasion with a national holiday. 

However, many Shia Muslim communities observe Mawlid on 17 Rabi al-Awwal.

Some observers have announced that Mawlid will fall on Tuesday, August 25, after the new Islamic month began on August 14 following the sighting of the crescent moon earlier this month. 

Following centuries of tradition, Mawlid is set to usher in celebrations across much of the Muslim world, with the occasion taking different forms depending on local religious and cultural practices. 

However, some Muslims have historically opposed Mawlid celebrations, arguing that during the Prophet’s lifetime, his birthday was never designated as an annual religious occasion.  

They describe the practice as bid’ah (religious innovation), maintaining that practices that develop into recurring religious festivals on a particular date require evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah. 

In the UK, where Islam is the country's second-largest and fastest-growing major faith group, British Muslims spoke to The New Arab about how Mawlid is observed and understood within their communities. 

Khadijah, a care worker based in the Midlands, described how Mawlid was widely commemorated during her upbringing in Tanzania. 

In East Africa, she said, the occasion is marked by vibrant annual celebrations featuring large street processions, Quran recitations and rhythmic devotional singing, combining established Islamic practices with Swahili and wider regional cultural traditions. 

"We grew up with Mawlid and because we were surrounded by those kind of celebrations- I think the concept of reading poems and praising the Prophet is actually a beautiful thing," she told The New Arab. 

"For me, I look forward to celebrating Mawlid- especially being with my community where I see nasheeds being sung or poems about Prophet Muhammed being recited. It makes me emotional every time." 

Meanwhile, Pakistani-British university student Anika Khan, 20, told The New Arab that her heritage has played an important role in maintaining the tradition of Mawlid al-Nabi.  

She said members of her community typically hold gatherings in their homes, where devotional poetry praising the Prophet Muhammad are sung during the day, the Quran is recited, and food and gifts are distributed to those in need in remembrance of the Prophet. 

"This day focuses on the Prophet's teachings, good character and forgiving nature," Khan told The New Arab.  

"Therefore this day is important to me as it showcases our love, gratitude and remembrance to prophet Mohammad peace be upon him and his teachings." 

In the Gulf, where the public holiday marking the Prophet Muhammad's birthday has been confirmed for Friday, August 28, 41-year-old Moe, who is based in the United Arab Emirates, said he does not personally observe the occasion, in accordance with anti-Mawlid scholars who argue that it is not an act of worship. 

"The concept of birthdays is alien to Islam," he argued, adding that "Mawlid was never celebrated by the Rasul (Prophet Muhammed)." 

He continued: "In my opinion, I believe it's just an innovation and from what I have now learned, the Prophet did not teach us to do this and Islamic teachings state that we must always follow the Quran and the Sunnah. And so the celebration of the Prophet's birthday is not mentioned in any of his teachings."