Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi
Mawlid · Barawafat — The Prophet Muhammad's birth anniversary, celebrated with processions, illuminated streets, naat, and qawwali — amidst deep theological controversy
Current Practices
Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi — also known as Mawlid, Milad, or Barawafat (literally "twelve deaths," a reference to the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, which is also the traditional date of the Prophet's death) — commemorates the birth of Prophet Muhammad in Mecca in approximately 570 CE. The festival is observed on the 12th day of Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar, though Shia Muslims observe it on the 17th.
The day's observances begin with special prayers (salat) in mosques, followed by processions through the streets. In cities with significant Muslim populations — particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Hyderabad, Kashmir, and parts of Gujarat — neighbourhoods are illuminated with green flags, banners inscribed with Quranic verses and naat (poetry in praise of the Prophet), and strings of coloured lights. The green colour is associated with the Prophet — green is said to have been his favourite colour, and the dome of his mosque in Medina is green.
Some Indian cities — particularly in Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Bareilly, Moradabad) and Hyderabad — illuminate entire neighbourhoods with green flags, banners, and strings of lights for Milad processions. The scale can be extraordinary: in Bareilly, the spiritual home of the Barelvi movement (named after the city), entire neighbourhoods are transformed into green canopies, and the Milad procession is one of the largest religious gatherings in Uttar Pradesh.
The most distinctive practice is the Milad mehfil — a gathering in which the Prophet's life and virtues are recounted through the recitation of naat (poetry praising the Prophet) and qawwali (Sufi devotional music). In the Indian context, qawwali — with its distinctive harmonium-and-tabla accompaniment, rhythmic hand-clapping, and ecstatic vocal style — has become a defining sonic texture of Milad celebrations. The qawwali master Amjad Sabri (assassinated in Karachi in 2016) and the Sabri Brothers recorded Milad-specific qawwalis that remain widely played. Mosques and shrines serve langar (free food) to all comers, and sweets are distributed in the Prophet's name.
The Barelvi-Deobandi Divide: Is Milad Permissible?
Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi is the most visible fault line in South Asian Sunni Islam. The Barelvi movement — the dominant Sunni tradition in much of North India and Pakistan — celebrates Milad elaborately, considering it not merely permissible but highly meritorious, an expression of love (ishq) for the Prophet. The Deobandi movement (named after the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in Uttar Pradesh) and the Ahl-e-Hadith tradition consider Milad an bid'ah (innovation) — a practice not observed by the Prophet himself or his immediate companions, and therefore religiously impermissible.
The Barelvi-Deobandi disagreement over Milad celebrations is one of the most visible Sunni theological divides in India. Both are Sunni, both follow the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, both revere the Prophet — but they differ fundamentally on the permissibility of celebrating his birthday. The debate draws on centuries of Islamic scholarly discourse about bid'ah (innovation) and the veneration of the Prophet, and has been amplified by modern sectarianism. The split is particularly visible in mosques: a Barelvi mosque will be illuminated and host Milad gatherings on 12 Rabi' al-Awwal; a Deobandi mosque across the street may remain dark and conduct no special observance at all.
This theological divide has concrete spatial and political consequences. In some North Indian towns, Milad processions have been a source of sectarian tension, not just between Muslims and Hindus but between Barelvi and Deobandi Muslims. The debate also plays out in fatwas (religious rulings), online forums, and mosque sermons, making Milad a recurring site of intra-Islamic contestation. For Barelvis, celebrating Milad is an identity marker as much as a devotional practice — it signals allegiance to a particular tradition of popular Sufi-inflected Islam against the more austere reformist traditions.
The debate on Milad's permissibility is not merely a modern phenomenon. The 13th-century scholar Ibn Taymiyyah (often cited by Salafi and Deobandi critics of Milad) had a nuanced position: he acknowledged that some scholars permitted it and that those who celebrated it might be "rewarded for their intention." Later scholars in the Ibn Taymiyyah tradition, however, categorically rejected it. The Deobandi position, formalised in the 19th century, represents a hardening of the anti-Milad stance in the South Asian context, partly in reaction to the perceived excesses of popular Sufi practice.
The Shia observance of Milad (on the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal, five days after the Sunni date) adds further complexity. Shia theology accords the Prophet's family (Ahl al-Bayt) a central role, and Milad gatherings in Shia communities include eulogies that connect the Prophet's birth to the martyrdom of his grandson, Imam Husayn.
Naat and Qawwali: The Soundscape of Milad
The Milad mehfil is fundamentally a musical and poetic event. Naat — poetry in praise of the Prophet — is a genre with deep roots in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu literature. The naat tradition entered South Asia through Sufi channels and flourished in the multilingual literary cultures of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods. Classical naat reciters (naat khwan) follow a formalised style, often beginning with hamd (praise of God) before proceeding to praise of the Prophet. The emotional register ranges from reverential to ecstatic, and it is common for both reciters and audience to be moved to tears.
Qawwali — developed in the Indian subcontinent, associated particularly with the Chishti Sufi order, and epitomised by the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan — is the other defining sonic element of Milad. The qawwali session at a major Milad mehfil can last hours, with the qawwals (singers) working through a repertoire of naat, manqabat (praise of Ali, in Shia-influenced gatherings), and Sufi poetry, driven by the hypnotic rhythm of the harmonium, tabla, dholak, and hand-clapping. The Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi — the shrine of the Chishti saint Nizamuddin Auliya — hosts a famous Milad qawwali that draws devotees from across the country and abroad.
Qawwali's contested permissibility: The use of musical instruments in religious settings is itself a point of Islamic debate. Deobandi and Salafi traditions generally prohibit musical instruments. Barelvi and Sufi traditions permit them within devotional contexts. The Milad qawwali thus represents a triple assertion: of Barelvi identity, of popular Sufi practice, and of the South Asian cultural synthesis that produced qawwali itself.
Historical Origins
The celebration of the Prophet's birthday (Mawlid) did not exist during the Prophet's lifetime or the first few centuries of Islam. The first recorded public Mawlid celebrations date to Fatimid Egypt in the 11th century CE, where the Shia Fatimid caliphs celebrated the Prophet's birth, along with the birthdays of Ali, Fatima, and the reigning caliph, as part of state ceremony. The practice spread to Sunni communities through Sufi channels in the 12th–13th centuries, particularly under the Zengid and Ayyubid dynasties in Syria and Iraq.
"The Sultan [Muzaffar al-Din Kokburi, ruler of Erbil] used to hold the Mawlid celebration in the month of Rabi' al-Awwal with great pomp. He would invite scholars, Sufis, preachers, reciters, and poets... The celebration cost him 300,000 dinars." — Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-A'yan (13th century)
In India, Milad celebrations arrived through the Sufi orders, particularly the Chishtiyya, who were instrumental in spreading Islam in the subcontinent. The Chishti emphasis on love, music, and accessibility made them natural vectors for a festival centred on emotional devotion to the Prophet. The Mughal emperors — particularly Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan — patronised Milad celebrations, incorporating them into the imperial calendar. The scale of Mughal Milad observances, with public illuminations, alms-giving, and poetic recitations, set a template that persists in Indian Milad practice today.
Regional Variations
| Region | Distinctive Feature |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Bareilly) | Barelvi epicentre; elaborate illuminated processions; naat competitions; strong Barelvi-Deobandi contrast visible in mosque observances |
| Kashmir | Milad at Hazratbal shrine (houses a relic believed to be a hair of the Prophet); one of the largest Milad gatherings in India; distinct Kashmiri naat tradition |
| Hyderabad | Combined Sunni-Shia elements; distinctive Deccani naat; illuminated Charminar area; processions from Mecca Masjid |
| Gujarat | Processions in Ahmedabad, Surat; strong Barelvi presence; Dawoodi Bohra (Shia Isma'ili) observe Milad with distinctive community traditions |
| Kerala | Nabi Dinam; Mappila Muslim community; distinctive Arabi-Malayalam literary tradition; moderate observance compared to North India |
| Mumbai | Cosmopolitan Milad; processions in Muslim-majority neighbourhoods (Bhendi Bazaar, Mahim); inter-sectarian participation |
Fun Facts
In some parts of India, Milad processions include beautifully decorated elephants and horses, recalling the caravan culture of Arabia from which Islam emerged. This tradition, while now declining, represents a remarkable fusion of Arabian imagery with Indian festival culture.
The Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, Kashmir, houses a Moi-e-Muqqadas — a relic believed to be a strand of the Prophet Muhammad's hair. On Milad-un-Nabi, the relic is displayed to the public in a ceremony that draws hundreds of thousands of devotees. The relic's display is a rare public event — for most of the year, it is kept in secure storage. The shrine has been the site of political-religious tensions, including a 1963 theft of the relic that sparked massive protests across Kashmir.
The worlds of naat have a competitive dimension akin to poetry slams. In cities like Lucknow and Hyderabad, Milad naat competitions attract thousands of participants, with reciters judged on voice, emotional delivery, and poetic composition. Winning a major Milad naat competition can launch a career as a professional naat khwan, performing at Milad gatherings, weddings, and Sufi festivals across India and the diaspora.
Artwork References
Mughal Calligraphic Manuscripts (16th–17th century) — British Museum, London. The Mughal court produced magnificent calligraphic manuscripts of the Quran and hadith, some of which were commissioned specifically for Milad gatherings. Illuminated with gold and lapis lazuli, these manuscripts represent the highest form of the Islamic calligraphic arts in South Asia.
Company School Painting: Muslim Procession (19th century) — Victoria and Albert Museum, London. A detailed Company School watercolour showing a Muharram or religious procession in a North Indian city, providing visual documentation of the street processions that characterise both Muharram and Milad observances — the decorated taziyas (for Muharram) or the green-flagged processions (for Milad).
Mughal Miniature: The Prophet's Ascension (Mi'raj) (16th century) — British Museum, London. While not specifically a Milad painting, Mughal depictions of the Mi'raj — the Prophet's night journey to heaven — are connected to the broader devotional culture of prophetic veneration that also sustains Milad. These paintings represent a remarkable visualisation of Islamic sacred history within a South Asian artistic idiom.
Sources
Primary & Scholarly Sources
Schimmel, Annemarie. And Muhammad Is His Messenger: The Veneration of the Prophet in Islamic Piety. University of North Carolina Press, 1985.
Metcalf, Barbara D. Islamic Revival in British India: Deoband, 1860–1900. Princeton University Press, 1982.
Sanyal, Usha. Devotional Islam and Politics in British India: Ahmad Riza Khan Barelwi and His Movement, 1870–1920. Oxford University Press, 1996.
Kugle, Scott. Sufis and Saints' Bodies: Mysticism, Corporeality, and Sacred Power in Islam. University of North Carolina Press, 2007.
Qureshi, Regula. Sufi Music of India and Pakistan: Sound, Context and Meaning in Qawwali. Cambridge University Press, 1986.
Food & Diet — Festival Table 🍽️
Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi — the Prophet Muhammad's birth anniversary — is celebrated across Muslim communities in India with a cuisine that is sweeter and more celebratory in character than the fasting-ending feasts of Eid-ul-Fitr or the sacrificial meals of Eid-ul-Adha. The festival commemorates birth, not sacrifice or fasting, and the food reflects this joyous register. Sweets take centre stage; charity feeding (sabil/langer) is central to the religious observance. India's regional Muslim cuisines — Lucknowi Awadhi, Hyderabadi Deccani, Malabar Mappila, and Kashmiri Wazwan — each contribute distinctive dishes to the Milad table.
| Dish | Local Name(s) | Region(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veg Nuts Gluten Sheer Khorma | Sheer Khorma (Urdu), Sheer Khurma | Pan-Indian Muslim | Vermicelli slow-cooked in milk with dates, dry fruits, and sugar. The quintessential Milad-un-Nabi sweet — served at virtually every celebration across all Muslim communities. |
| Non-veg Biryani | Biryani (Urdu), Dum Biryani, Kacchi Biryani | Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Malabar, Kashmir | Fragrant rice layered with spiced meat (goat/chicken) slow-cooked in a sealed pot (dum). The centrepiece of Milad community feasts across India. |
| Halal Nihari | Nihari (Urdu) | Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad | Slow-cooked meat stew (traditionally beef or mutton shank) enriched with bone marrow. Eaten after Fajr (morning) prayers with naan or sheermal. |
| Veg Gluten Sheermal | Sheermal (Urdu/Kashmiri) | Lucknow, Kashmir | Saffron-flavoured sweet leavened flatbread baked in a tandoor. Served alongside nihari or enjoyed alone as a Milad sweet bread. |
| Halal Gluten Haleem | Haleem (Urdu/Dakhni), Harees (Arabic) | Hyderabad | Wheat, meat, and lentils pounded and slow-cooked for hours into a thick porridge. A Hyderabadi speciality associated with Milad and Muharram. |
| Halal Pathiri & Kozhi Curry | Pathiri (Malayalam), Kozhi Curry | Kerala (Malabar Coast) | Rice-flour flatbread served with spiced chicken curry in coconut milk. The defining Malabar Mappila Muslim dish served at community feasts during Milad. |
All dishes listed are traditional preparations. Ingredient availability, dietary restrictions (religious fasting rules, vegetarian/non-vegetarian, allergen concerns), and preparation methods vary significantly by community, caste, and family tradition.
Regional Similarities & Differences
The Milad-un-Nabi food map reveals India's regional Muslim cuisines at their festive best. Lucknowi (Awadhi) Milad celebrations feature the nawabi repertoire — biryani, sheermal, nihari, galawati kebab, and zarda (sweet rice) — reflecting the refined courtly culinary tradition of the Awadh Nawabs. Hyderabadi Milad is marked by haleem and Hyderabadi kacchi biryani — the Deccani Muslim food identity closely associated with the Nizam's patronage. Malabar Mappila Milad feasts feature pathiri, kalathappam (rice cake), muttamala (egg-yolk strings in sugar), and Kozhikodan biryani — a distinct Kerala Muslim cuisine with Arab maritime trade-route influences. In Kashmir, the Milad feast draws from the Wazwan tradition — rista (meatballs in red gravy), goshtaba, tabak maaz — though Milad meals are typically simpler than wedding Wazwan. An important intra-Muslim distinction: Deobandi communities tend toward simpler food distributions at Milad, arguing that elaborate feasts constitute bid'ah (religious innovation); Barelvi and Sufi-associated celebrations embrace fuller culinary expression, viewing the feast as an expression of love (ishq) for the Prophet. Across all traditions, feeding the poor is religiously meritorious — food charity (sabil, langer, niyaz) is integral to Milad processions.
Attire — Clothing & Accessories 👗
Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi attire shares the festive spirit of Eid-ul-Fitr but with a distinctive emphasis on green — the colour associated with the Prophet Muhammad's family (Ahl al-Bayt) and Paradise in Islamic tradition. Green turbans, green dupattas, and green flags dominate Milad processions across South Asia. The naat (devotional poetry) gatherings involve modest, clean clothing — not the elaborate finery of Eid-ul-Fitr, reflecting Milad's devotional rather than celebratory character. Procession participants often wear matching green attire in coordinated community groups. In Kashmir, men wear the traditional pheran with a green scarf; in Kerala, the distinctive Mappila Muslim attire includes the mundu and kuffiyah cap. The Milad aesthetic blends Islamic modesty with festive colour — green as devotion, white as purity.
| Garment / Accessory | Local Name(s) | Worn By | Region(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Turban / Pagri | Sabz Pagri (Urdu), Sabz Dastaar, Green Safa | Men — procession participants | North India, Deccan (Hyderabad), Bengal | Cotton or Silk; green — the Prophet's colour; tied in regional styles; often coordinated with matching green kurta |
| Green Dupatta / Scarf | Sabz Dupatta, Green Orhni, Hijab | Women — procession observers and participants | Pan-South Asian Muslim | Silk or Cotton; green dupatta worn over salwar kameez or abaya; with or without hijab as per community practice |
| Sherwani / Achkan (Formal) | Sherwani, Achkan, Jodhpuri Suit | Men — speakers, community leaders | North India, Deccan | Silk or brocade; white, cream, or green; worn with churidar; formal Milad gathering attire for naat reciters and scholars |
| Mappila Mundu & Kuffiyah Cap | Mundu, Kuffiyah (Malayalam), Mappila Thoppi | Mappila Muslim men — Kerala | Malabar Coast, Kerala | Cotton; white mundu (waist-wrap) with kurta; distinctive white kuffiyah cap (thoppi); the Kerala Muslim festival look |
| Green Jhandi / Flag | Sabz Jhandi, Green Alam, Islamic Flag | Carried by procession participants | South Asian Muslim communities | Silk or Cotton green flags with Islamic calligraphy; carried at the head of Milad processions; the most visible public symbol |
| Attar / Ittar (Perfume) | Attar, Ittar, Sugandhit Tel | All attendees — men and women | Pan-South Asian Muslim | Rose, jasmine, and sandalwood perfume oils; applied before gatherings; the Prophet's sunnah of fragrance; an olfactory "accessory" integral to Milad attire |
Garment styles, fabrics, and accessorising traditions vary significantly by region, community, class, and generation. Diaspora celebrations may adapt traditional attire to local climates and contexts.
Evolution Through Time
Regional Similarities & Differences
In Lucknow and Awadh, Milad gatherings feature sherwanis, silk pagris, and formal ethnic wear reflecting the Nawabi courtly tradition — the naat recitation is as much a cultural-aesthetic event as a devotional one. In Hyderabad (Deccan), Milad processions incorporate the Deccani aesthetic: men in green kurtas with Hyderabadi sherwani influences, and processions illuminated with green lights. In Kerala's Malabar Coast, the Mappila Muslim community celebrates Milad with distinctive white mundu, kuffiyah cap, and green scarf — a uniquely Kerala Muslim aesthetic that blends Arab coastal influence with local textile tradition. In Kashmir, Milad gatherings feature the pheran with green accents, and the emphasis is on relic display (Mo-e-Muqaddas) rather than public procession. In Bengal and Bangladesh, the green aesthetic is prominent in Milad processions, with huge community gatherings featuring coordinated green dress and banners. An important distinction: the green dome of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina is itself a post-Ottoman development (painted green in 1837, completed 1909) — its global iconic status further cemented green as the Prophet's colour in the modern imagination.