give abundant charity, and aid the poor, needy and destitute. Let us listen to one account regarding the celebration of Mawlid:

Rabi’-ul-Awwal and the king of Irbil

The king of Irbil, whose name was Abu Sa’eed Muzaffar and who was the brother-in-law of the great commander, Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, was very generous, just, a scholar, very brave and intelligent individual. He left behind many good practices. He would greatly honour and respect the blessed month of Rabi’-ul-Awwal, in particular, he would celebrate Mawlid by undertaking great preparations and organise a very large gathering. (Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, vol. 9, p. 18, summarised)

Those who took part in these gatherings say: We saw five thousand roasted goat heads, ten thousand chickens, one hundred thousand plates of rice pudding and thirty thousand servings of a sweet dish. Many scholars and Sufis would take part in the gatherings Mawlid. The king (Abu Sa’eed Muzaffar رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه) would give them expensive clothes and gifts. He would spend three hundred thousand Dinars on the gathering of Mawlid every year. The guests would have a guest house and he would spend one hundred thousand Dinars on this yearly. He would spend thirty thousand Dinars on fixing the roads to the Haramayn Sharifayn. These donations were in addition to the charity that was given in secrecy. (Subul-ul-Huda Wal Rashad, vol. 1, p. 362)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! You have heard of how greatly our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه would honour and revere this blessed month, and how they would give abundant charity. Let us hear about the blessings of Mawlid that have been mentioned by the noble scholars:

Imam Abdur-Rahman Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: The happiness that people express at the Mawlid will become a barrier between them and Hell. O Ummah of the Beloved! Glad tidings to you! You have become worthy of abundant goodness in this world and the hereafter. The one who celebrates the Mawlid of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will be granted blessings,