The Significance of Rabi Ul Awal
Rabi UL Awal is the third month of the Islamic calendar that literally means the first month of spring. It is a month of great celebrations and rejoicing for Muslims around the world, as this is the month when we were blessed with the last prophet of Islam, Mohammad ﷺ. He guided the astray to the path of Islam, and his legacy is alive even after 1400 years and shall remain alive till the end of time.
The Birth Month of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Prophet Mohammad (SAW) was born on 12th Rabi al Awal which is celebrated as Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi all over the world. It is a sacred day when our beloved Prophet, Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, was born to guide Muslims from darkness to the light. It is a time not only of happiness but also to be thankful for Allah’s bounties and favors, which He has bestowed upon us in the form of the last messenger of Islam.
Rabi ul Awal has other significances as well that are not widely known. Some of them are as follows:
Rabi UL Awal and Hijrat
The Prophet ﷺ began Hijrat in the month of Rabi-ul-Awal. When Makkah became impossible for Muslims to live in due to the cruelty of kafirs, it was decided to settle somewhere else for the safety and security of Muslims. Mohammad (SAW) chose Medina to settle in and thus began the journey of Hijrat and the Hijri calendar.
First Masjid of Islam
As soon as the Prophet (SAW) reached Medinah, he set the first stones of the first mosque of Islam, Masjid-e Quba. Such is the significance of this Masjid that doing wazu and praying two rakat nafal in this mosque is equal to performing one umrah.
Prophet ﷺ First Marriage
It is widely known that Prophet Mohammad (SAW) loved his first wife, Hazrat Khadija (RA), very dearly. He never married another woman in the life of Hazrat Khadija (RA). She was her companion and believer in his prophethood when no one else was. The fact that is not widely known, however, is that this blessed marriage took place in the month of Rabi-ul-Awal.
All Islamic months are filled with history, which is lesser known to us. We should strive to learn the history of Islam and educate our children about it, as they all hold great significance in Islam. Moreover, instead of commercializing the celebrations of this sacred month, we should cherish the month of Rabi ul Awal and make special dua, fast, send durood e Ibrahimi, and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammad PBUH.
