Also known to Muslims in Malaysia as Maulud Nabi. This is purely a religious festival and is marked as a public holiday.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born in Mecca on 12 Rabiulawal in the year 570 CE. The prophet’s full name is Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim.
Muhammad is believed to have been a descendant of Ishmael. According to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Isaac and Ishmael were two sons of Abraham. Whereas Jews are believed to have descended from Isaac, Arabs are believed to have descended from Ishmael.
By his 6th birthday, Muhammad was an orphan and was raised by uncle Abu Talib and his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib. He learned about business from his uncle and earned a reputation as a trustworthy trader.
It was not until Muhammad was 40 years old that he was commanded by the angel Gabriel, who carried God’s message, to declare God’s oneness and to shun the idolatry of his tribesmen.
Over the following 20 years, his preaching of the Qur’an which was revealed to him would establish one of the world’s great religions, Islam.