MUSLIMS countrywide celebrated the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad in a celebration titled Mawlid al-Nabi, or Youman Nabi on Monday.

Muslims recognise that Youman Nabi also represents the struggles for justice, peace and equality. The Prophet Muhammad, On Whom Be Peace (OWBP), lived and established a global and universal religious movement now embraced by millions of mankind.

Prophet Muhammad as the final messenger of God to mankind brought a message of total innoculation against the evil of society. He liberated women and provided a system to maintain stability in the home, society and the world. He taught mankind how to preserve their honour and property and infused in them the understanding of respect, compassion, love and concern for each other. He changed mankind’s way of thinking towards the recognition of God and His commandments. He influenced people’s behaviour and altered their evil inclinations. He came as a Mercy unto Mankind and was emulated in his character and disposition that helped transform brutal men into sacred personalities.

Most Masjids will organise Youman Nabi functions and deliberate on the relevance of the Prophet’s message that include the moral teachings of the Prophet Mohammad. The prophet’s message of peace is particularly relevant today as humility and kindness are needed within society. The primary message of Prophet Muhammad encapsulates all that is necessary to become a good human being, as unless one is a good human being they cannot belong to the community of Islam, because the Prophet exemplifies and characterizes the way a good human being should live.

Today most Muslims try to follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad; but it is only the true followers of Prophet Muhammad who will heed the lessons he imparted and treat with their fellow humans the way he instructed.

The Muslim calendar sets the time at the 12th day of the month of Rabi al-Awwal. Prophet Muhammad was born about A. D. 570 and died in A. D. 632. Tribalism was a way of life in the Muslim world before the advent of the Prophet, with much infighting, so he established Islam as a religion with the intention of replacing tribal loyalty with equality among all Muslims. The Prophet’s birthday was first observed during thirteenth century with month-long celebrations.