12/10/2022
THE MYSTERY BEHIND 12Th RABI'UL AWWAL
Misunderstanding is one of the peripheral purpose for which humans are created. We have been created to have different physical countenance, natural feelings and perceptions, biological composition, socialism, intelligence, right and favouritism. We have been created however on different levels of life, poor and rich so that one part shall take others in labour. This is why even among the companions there had been point of misunderstanding which sometimes had led to serious battle. Notwithstanding, we have all been warned bitterly never to set our feet into such delicate matters which stirred uneasy rest among the prophet's companions. Because they were the pride of this Ummah, and besides, Allah (SWA) had forgiven them all their wrong doings.
12th rabiul awwal is indeed the most common and popularly known as prophet's DOB (Date Of Birthday), very little do some Muslims know that some scholars disregard this date, some said it was on 20th, and some said it was on 25th, while others said it was not even in rabiul Awwal but rabiuth-thani. But this is not worth disturbing, what disturb me more is that, why in spite of all the other things we shared in common do we have to curse, insult and revile each other because of just one thing which was not worth considering even among the prophet's companions?.
Had PBC known as Prophet Birthday Celebration ever been something quite sacred among the companions, there would have been no point of misunderstanding about the actual DOB. The way we all know when prayer was collected, when fast was started, we would have known exactly when prophet (SAW) was put on to bed. That is why PBC has never been, is not and shall never be an act of ibadah or a sign of love and admiration towards our beloved prophet Muhammad (SAW). brothers and sisters in Islam, had it even for once been considered a sign of love towards the prophet (SAW), it would have been practiced by those who not just truly love the prophet, but also many a times gave their lives to save that of prophet Muhammad (SAW), the like of Abubakar Siddiq, Umar Ibn Kattab, Uthman bn Affan and the orator and river of knowledge Aliyyu bn Abi Thalibn (RAH) to mention but a few.
It was difficult, it is and it will always be for a paterfamilias or patriarch to list his children in order of which he loves them, but having a child who emulates his father's life style can easily justify it. A child who sits to eat, eats and finishes doing everything rationally the way he saw his father is doing, walks with his father's gaiety, enters the rest room (toilet) like his father, sleeps and wakes up like his father, one that is trying to copy everything from his father is more intoxicating than any other child in the house.
So, emulating from the prophet life brings us closer to him than anything besides and I believe PBC is neither of prophet's life style nor of the four rightly guided Caliphs. Allah (the almighty) tells us in suratul Ahdhab that
In the name of Allah the compassionate the most merciful
'surely for you are good customs to copy in the prophet's life'
According to this saying, everything in the prophet's life is meant for us to learn and emulate, and I am pretty sure we still have countless other things in prophet's life to ponder by.
I found it more mesmerizing, captivating, enthralling and bewitching indeed to see my self doing what I know perhaps I read where, when and how prophet ( SAW) has done it or has been done by one of the four righteous guided caliphs. That is why it is more of important to me to seat properly and eat food practicing all those sunnah which were taught by the prophet than to preside PBC, same thing to enter a rest room, to wear cloth, to put a pair of shoes, to lay on a bed for sleep and even to cumb my hair and countless others. The point here is, I am practicing what in a very long distance past had been practiced by the nonparallel prophet of Allah prophet Muhammad (SAW). So I can say without a shade of doubt on the day of judgement that I learned to do this and that directly from the prophet (SAW).
To me and of course to every right thinking person, PBC is no more than ambiguous act practiced by a group of people with egoistic, egocentric, and self-centered mind to archive certain worldly desires. It is so ambiguous that, PBC is constantly changing from years to years, it is in nowadays PBC that teachers, students, audience and even passers by dance together to the beat of their ineptitude poetry, full of sacrilege, too wretched to bring Allah's raze and condemnation upon us all. Although So many acts of worships are subject to changes in Islam, like prayer and some are indelible like fast and pilgrimage, but that of PBC is the worst because every year the scope, nature and concept of it are changed. If only those who did it in the olden days would have the opportunity to see how it is being done today, tears of sadness would have run down their cheeks.
What is even more annoying and somewhat hilarious indeed is that, today the game has gone to the extent that a boy can prepare and arrange PBC for his beloved fiancรฉe.
" Oo our Lord, do not allow us evade after you have guided us, and give us mercy from you, for indeed you are the Most bounteous. Ameen".
Thank you for reading.
