Re: Eid Milad un Nabi Festivities
I give you two answers.
For a personality who is labeled as rehmatulil alameen, a person who is blessings for all the worlds from beginning till the end - his day of appearnce in this world is no longer significant in the greater scheme of things, but the fact that he was sent to us. Do you see his impact or his influence any less if he was born in 7th century instead of 6th? So why 12th rabiul awwal should be treated any different than 16th of Safar or any other day?
When Hazrat Umar saw the need of having a Islamic calendar, he checked with his counselors about the event that should be the start of that calendar. People suggested the year of battle of badar, the year of death of prophet, the year of start of prophethood and many, and later concluded that the most significant date in Islam is nothing but the event of hijrat, so that should be the first year of the Islamic calendar. It amazes me that sahaba who were ready to die for prophet, did not count his date of birth as the most significant and blessed day for Muslims, but 1400 years later, we are trying to prove it as a significant day (without even knowing if 12th rabiul awwal is indeed a correct date or not)
My point is first of all for use of word Eid, which has been made controversial for nothing, as we all know that its not celebrated like normal Eids. No Eid prayers, no gathering for Khutba.
Sahaba might have discussed to make Prophets birth as start of Hejri calendar (who knows?), but if they chose event of migration that doesn’t mean that birth of the Prophet was not a significant event for them.