abdulhakeem
02-05-04, 09:05 PM
Sunday, May 02, 2004
BY JEFF DIAMANT
Star-Ledger Staff
Many Muslims this weekend are observing the birthday of the prophet Muhammad, to whom Muslims believe the Quran, Islam's holy book, was revealed about 1,400 years ago.
Yet observance, or even attendance at events for his birthday, is often a subject of dispute in Islamic circles.
Known in Arabic as Mawlid an-Nabi, for birthday of the prophet, Muhammad's birthday is today, according to Islam's lunar calendar.
In many mosques yesterday, imams devoted time to the life and morals of their faith's most important prophet. Others will speak about him again today or this Saturday.
The goal is to reflect on Muhammad's life through lectures drawn from the Quran and hadith -- the authoritative collection of traditions about Muhammad -- to become better Muslims, said Ishrat Rahman, director of operations at the Muslim Center of Middlesex County in Piscataway.
"They say that since the prophet himself followed each step of what is in the Quran, that if you follow the prophet you are following the (Quran)," Rahman said.
But many Muslims will avoid the observances because of a lack of proof that Muhammad himself celebrated his birthday and because they think honoring his birth overstates his importance, given that he was human rather than a God.
"The first generation of the Muslims who used to eat and sleep and trade and marry and travel with the prophet, for 23 years of his prophethood ... none of them considered the prophet Muhammad more than a normal human being," said Imam Hamad Chebli of the Islamic Center of Central Jersey in South Brunswick.
That's why even imams such as Chebli, whose mosques do observe Muhammad's birthday, mark the event in a decidedly low-key fashion, unlike the two main Islamic holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Muhammad was born around 570. Muslims believe that when he was 40, he was visited in Mecca by the angel Gabriel, through whom he received divine revelation. Islam teaches that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad from God over the next 23 years of his life and that it is the unadulterated word of God.
Muhammad developed a large following, which became a concern to leaders in Mecca who then planned to kill him. Muhammad fled to the city of Medina and became ruler there. He later returned to Mecca, and then again to Medina, before dying in 632.
Whether to observe Muhammad's birthday usually depends on a Muslim's stance on tradition, said Mahmoud Mustafa Ayoub, a professor of Islamic studies and comparative religion at Temple University in Philadelphia.
"Those who don't celebrate (Muhammad's birthday) are very traditional Muslims who say that anything that wasn't done by the prophet or his companions, we should not do," he said.
However, he said, Muslims in the 13th or 14th centuries who first began celebrating Muhammad's birthday were very traditional themselves, so many Muslims believe it is acceptable to observe it.
"Generally, Muslim centers observe it (as) an occasion for people to reflect on his life and his political activities," Ayoub said.
Abroad, differences over observance often leads to tensions among Muslims, but in the United States that is not true, imams said.
"This mosque is very flexible. If someone wants to do it, fine. If someone says no, fine," said Rahman, whose mosque in Piscataway had a presentation yesterday. "Personally, I don't want to do it, but I won't have any objection to (others doing) it."
Substance of the lectures depends on the imam.
At the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson, Imam Muhammad Qatanani will focus on tales of Muhammad's mercy.
Qatanani said he would speak of Muhammad's feelings on human interaction with animals, using examples from hadith about how Muhammad said God would reward a man who gave water to a thirsty dog by sending him to paradise and would punish a woman who mistreated a cat.
At the Islamic Society of Central Jersey yesterday, Chebli focused on prophecies about Muhammad that the Quran says were made before he was born by Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
"I want the people to have the feeling and the consideration we are not living alone in this country," Chebli said last week. "In this country, we have neighbors. ... What affects us is supposed to affect them, and the prophet Muhammad was not sent just to the Arabs and the Muslims, but to all of mankind."
Jeff Diamant covers religion. He may be reached at jdiamant@starledger.com or (973) 392-1547.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1083487052230890.xml
BY JEFF DIAMANT
Star-Ledger Staff
Many Muslims this weekend are observing the birthday of the prophet Muhammad, to whom Muslims believe the Quran, Islam's holy book, was revealed about 1,400 years ago.
Yet observance, or even attendance at events for his birthday, is often a subject of dispute in Islamic circles.
Known in Arabic as Mawlid an-Nabi, for birthday of the prophet, Muhammad's birthday is today, according to Islam's lunar calendar.
In many mosques yesterday, imams devoted time to the life and morals of their faith's most important prophet. Others will speak about him again today or this Saturday.
The goal is to reflect on Muhammad's life through lectures drawn from the Quran and hadith -- the authoritative collection of traditions about Muhammad -- to become better Muslims, said Ishrat Rahman, director of operations at the Muslim Center of Middlesex County in Piscataway.
"They say that since the prophet himself followed each step of what is in the Quran, that if you follow the prophet you are following the (Quran)," Rahman said.
But many Muslims will avoid the observances because of a lack of proof that Muhammad himself celebrated his birthday and because they think honoring his birth overstates his importance, given that he was human rather than a God.
"The first generation of the Muslims who used to eat and sleep and trade and marry and travel with the prophet, for 23 years of his prophethood ... none of them considered the prophet Muhammad more than a normal human being," said Imam Hamad Chebli of the Islamic Center of Central Jersey in South Brunswick.
That's why even imams such as Chebli, whose mosques do observe Muhammad's birthday, mark the event in a decidedly low-key fashion, unlike the two main Islamic holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Muhammad was born around 570. Muslims believe that when he was 40, he was visited in Mecca by the angel Gabriel, through whom he received divine revelation. Islam teaches that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad from God over the next 23 years of his life and that it is the unadulterated word of God.
Muhammad developed a large following, which became a concern to leaders in Mecca who then planned to kill him. Muhammad fled to the city of Medina and became ruler there. He later returned to Mecca, and then again to Medina, before dying in 632.
Whether to observe Muhammad's birthday usually depends on a Muslim's stance on tradition, said Mahmoud Mustafa Ayoub, a professor of Islamic studies and comparative religion at Temple University in Philadelphia.
"Those who don't celebrate (Muhammad's birthday) are very traditional Muslims who say that anything that wasn't done by the prophet or his companions, we should not do," he said.
However, he said, Muslims in the 13th or 14th centuries who first began celebrating Muhammad's birthday were very traditional themselves, so many Muslims believe it is acceptable to observe it.
"Generally, Muslim centers observe it (as) an occasion for people to reflect on his life and his political activities," Ayoub said.
Abroad, differences over observance often leads to tensions among Muslims, but in the United States that is not true, imams said.
"This mosque is very flexible. If someone wants to do it, fine. If someone says no, fine," said Rahman, whose mosque in Piscataway had a presentation yesterday. "Personally, I don't want to do it, but I won't have any objection to (others doing) it."
Substance of the lectures depends on the imam.
At the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson, Imam Muhammad Qatanani will focus on tales of Muhammad's mercy.
Qatanani said he would speak of Muhammad's feelings on human interaction with animals, using examples from hadith about how Muhammad said God would reward a man who gave water to a thirsty dog by sending him to paradise and would punish a woman who mistreated a cat.
At the Islamic Society of Central Jersey yesterday, Chebli focused on prophecies about Muhammad that the Quran says were made before he was born by Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
"I want the people to have the feeling and the consideration we are not living alone in this country," Chebli said last week. "In this country, we have neighbors. ... What affects us is supposed to affect them, and the prophet Muhammad was not sent just to the Arabs and the Muslims, but to all of mankind."
Jeff Diamant covers religion. He may be reached at jdiamant@starledger.com or (973) 392-1547.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1083487052230890.xml