12th Rabi‘ al-Awwal: Birth of the Prophet ﷺ or Passing of the Prophet ﷺ?
(Excerpt taken from Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amini’s book “Eid Milad al-Nabi ﷺ Ki Shar‘i Haisiyat”)
The Exact Date of Birth and Passing of the Prophet ﷺ
The precise date of the birth and passing of the Prophet ﷺ is not definitively known. It was by the wisdom of Allah Almighty that His servants were not given exact knowledge of this matter. It must be remembered that in Islam, there is no specific act of worship prescribed regarding either the day of birth or the day of passing.
Statements of Scholars Regarding the Date
❀ Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمه الله said:
ولد نبينا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم فيه
“Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born on the 10th of Muharram.”
(Ghuniyat al-Talibin, 2/392, Beirut edition)
Despite the differences, the question arises: Those who celebrate Eid Milad al-Nabi ﷺ on the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal — what do they themselves regard as the date of his passing?
❀ Imam of Barelwiyyah, Ahmad Raza Khan, said:
“The birth of the Prophet ﷺ occurred on the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, on a Monday, and it was on the same day that he ﷺ passed away.”
(Malfuzat, 2/220)
He further said regarding the passing:
“The well-known and relied upon position of the majority is that the passing occurred on the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal.”
(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, 26/415)
Thus, according to Ahmad Raza Khan, both the birth and passing of the Prophet ﷺ took place on the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal. In fact, in earlier times, people referred to this day as Barah Wafat (The 12th of Passing) and used to hold gatherings of Khatm.
The State of the Companions رضي الله عنهم at the Passing of the Prophet ﷺ
On the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, the companions of the Prophet ﷺ were overwhelmed with immense grief. Their hearts were crushed with sorrow at the separation of their beloved Prophet ﷺ.
❀ Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه narrated:
لما كان اليوم الذى دخل فيه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم المدينة أضاء منها كل شيء، فلما كان اليوم الذى مات فيه أظلم منها كل شيء، وما نفضنا عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الأيدي وإنا لفي دفنه حتى أنكرنا قلوبنا
“When the day came that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Madinah, everything in it was illuminated. But when the day came that he ﷺ passed away, everything in it became dark. We had not yet brushed the soil off our hands after burying the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when our hearts felt estranged.”
(Tirmidhi: 3618, Ibn Majah: 1631, with a Hasan chain)
This narration has been declared Sahih by Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Ibn Hibban (6634), and Imam Hakim (1/57) upon the conditions of Imam Muslim, with al-Dhahabi agreeing.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Kathir رحمه الله said:
إسناده صحيح على شرط الصحيحين
“Its chain is authentic upon the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim.”
(al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 5/274)
Imam al-Bayhaqi رحمه الله even established a chapter:
باب ما جاء فى عظم المصيبة التى نزلت بالمسلمين بوفاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
“Concerning the immense calamity that befell the Muslims due to the passing of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
(Dala’il al-Nubuwwah, 7/265)
Another narration of Anas رضي الله عنه states:
شهدته يوم دخل المدينة فما رأيت يوما قط، كان أحسن ولا أضوأ من يوم دخل علينا فيه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وشهدته يوم موته، فما رأيت يوما كان أقبح، ولا أظلم من يوم مات فيه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
“The day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Madinah, I was there, and I never saw a day more beautiful or radiant than that. And the day he ﷺ passed away, I was there, and I never saw a day more dreadful or darker than that.”
(Sunan al-Darimi: 89, authentic chain)
Weak and Fabricated Reports
A narration claims that at his passing, Madinah became so dark that people could not see one another or even their own hands. This narration has been transmitted in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah (7/265) but its chain is severely weak due to Muhammad ibn Yunus Karimi, who is discarded and discredited.
Another fabricated report falsely attributed to Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه states that Fatimah رضي الله عنها recited poetry at the grave of the Prophet ﷺ, placing soil upon her eyes. Scholars have declared this narration false and fabricated, with its narrators being unreliable and disconnected.
Hafiz al-Dhahabi رحمه الله said:
مما ينسب إلى فاطمة، ولا يصح
“This narration is attributed to Fatimah رضي الله عنها, but it is not authentic.”
(Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, 2/134)
Grief of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه and Umar رضي الله عنه
❀ Sayyidah Aisha رضي الله عنها narrated the grief of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه:
He entered after the Prophet ﷺ passed away, placed his face between his eyes, and put his hands on his temples, saying:
وانبياه، واخليلاه، واصفياه
“O my Prophet! O my intimate companion! O my closest friend!”
(Musnad Ahmad, 6/31, Hasan chain)
❀ Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated that when Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه recited the verse:
﴿وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ﴾
(Aal Imran: 144)
Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه was so struck that his legs gave way, and he collapsed, realizing that the Prophet ﷺ had indeed passed away.
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 4454)
❀ Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه narrated the grief of Fatimah رضي الله عنها when she said after the burial:
يا أنس، أطابت أنفسكم أن دفنتم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى التراب ورجعتم
“O Anas! How could you bring yourselves to bury the Messenger of Allah ﷺ beneath the soil and then return?”
(Musnad Ahmad, 3/204, Sahih chain)
A Painful Reflection
On this day — the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal — the companions were drowning in grief at the greatest tragedy in history: the passing of the Prophet ﷺ. Yet, today we celebrate it with joy? Even if unknowingly, do we not realize the contradiction?
Not only this, but under the banner of Eid Milad al-Nabi ﷺ, countless innovations and evils have emerged:
✔ Shirk-laden poetry and beliefs
✔ Standing in gatherings under the notion that the Prophet ﷺ himself attends (al-‘iyadh billah)
✔ Distribution of sweets, feasts, illuminations, flags, pictures of the Prophet’s sandal
✔ Music, dancing, and intermixing of genders
✔ Bid‘ah practices such as group fasts, group prayers, and fabricated stories
✔ Fireworks, processions resembling Christians, indecency, extravagance, rioting, and even bloodshed
Therefore, the only way to prevent these evils is by abandoning the innovation of Milad altogether.
