SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE:

Rabi al-Awal (the First Spring Season) is the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar and it is well known in the Muslim world as Shahr al-Mawlid (the Month of Birth) of the Prophet Muhammad, who was born on the 17th of Rabi al-Awal.

The Prophet Muhammad, whose name means “highly praised,” was born in 570 AD. Under the care and guidance of his paternal uncle Abu Talib, he grew into an exceptional man who was known among his community as “Al-Ameen,” which means “The Honest, the Reliable and the Trustworthy.”

During one of his retreats in the mountains near Mecca, the first Koran revelation from the Archangel Gabriel sent by God was revealed to him. The first passage of this revelation led to a 23 time-period of divine revelations. These revelations were bonded into a book known as the Koran, Islam’s divine book.

During his earlier missionary years, the elders of his community met him with severe prosecution. They tried bribing him, even killing him, but he swore saying, “If they put the Sun in my right hand and the Moon in my left on condition that I desist from this affair I would not leave it until God causes it to prevail or I died in the process.”

Prophet Muhammad’s mission was to remind humankind about the oneness of God and to live a moral and humane life. Through his exemplary character and moral standing, he continued to preach God’s revelation.

His message and the Koran live in the heart of Muslims worldwide, but it is his impeccable manners, character, and compassion that inspires and directs the lifestyle of Muslims. Thus, Muslims recognize his birth as a day of thanks and praise.

The Islamic Educational Center of Orange County will celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad at 7 p.m. today. The public is welcomed to join.

SAYED MOUSTAFA AL-QAZWINI is the Imam of the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County in Costa Mesa.