Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi this year will be observed from the evening of September 15 to the evening of September 16. This significant occasion is dedicated to reflecting on and celebrating the life and passing of Prophet Muhammad, who is honored as Allah's final messenger.
Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, or simply Eid-e-Milad, commemorates both the birth and the death of the Prophet. It falls in Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar, which follows lunar cycles. Because of this, the date varies each year. In 2024, the festival will begin on the evening of Sunday, September 15, and continue through to the evening of Monday, September 16.
Prophet Muhammad is believed to have been born in Mecca in 570 AD. Sunni scholars observe his birth on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, while Shia scholars celebrate it on the 17th of the same month. The festival not only marks his birth but also serves as a period of mourning for his death in 632 AD.
The large-scale celebrations of Eid-e-Milad began approximately 600 years after the Prophet's death. The earliest recorded festivities occurred in Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty, though some historical accounts suggest that this tradition might have originated in Iraq or Syria.