By Mualim Muhsin Allidina

The Month of Rabee' Al-Awwal/Rabee' I, the month of the first spring was the ninth month of the Arabs in pre-Islamic times. The beginning of the Islamic Calendar is marked by the  Hijra of The Prophet SAWW when on 1^st Rabi’ul Awwal  in the Thirteenth month of the Bi’that, he SAWW migrated from Makkah for Madinah and Imam Ali AS undauntedly soundly slept in The Prophet SAWW’s bed amidst the open swords of the enemies who had surrounded The Prophet SAWW’s house to swoop upon him at day break. In Madinah, The Prophet SAWW  built the first mosque, Masjid Qubba in this month.

Chronologically, the 4^th is the day of the wafaat of Hadhrat Fatima (Maasuma Qummi) Binti Imam Musa Ibni Ja’far AS, the sister of Imam Ali Al-Ridha AS. The 8^th Rabi’ul Awwal is the date of the shahadah of Hadhrat Imam Hassan Al-Askari AS. Thus, the 9^th Rabee’ al-Awwal, 260 AH becomes the first day of the Imamah of our Living Imam, Hadhrat Hujjat Ibnul Hassan AFS.  The 9^th Rabee’ al-Awwal is also regarded as the date of the marriage of The Prophet SAWW to Seyyidah Khadijatul Kubraa AS.

Since the tragedy of Karbala of 61 AH the Ahlul Bayt AS had no cause to rejoice. However,  thr 9th Rabee’ al-Awwal 66AH was the first time that there was a flicker of a smile on the lips of Imam Zainul Abidiin AS when news was brought to him that Mukhtar Al-Thaqafi RA had captured and dispatched to Hell Ibn Ziyad, Umar Al-Sa’ad and Harmala. The Imam AS went into prostration of thanks (Sajdatu Sshukr). It is reported that in the Court of Kufa when Imam Zainul Abidiin AS witnessed Ibn Ziyad brazenly relishing his meal with the severed head of Imam Hussein AS in front of him, the Imam AS prayed to ALLAH SWT to grant him sufficiently long life to see the day when he would be eating his meal and the head of Ibn Ziyad would have been severed. ALLAH SWT fulfilled the Imam AS’ wish.

The 14^th of Rabee’ al-Awwal  64 AH saw the death of Yazid ibni Mu’awiyah as his cruel, degenerate army under Muslim ibni Uqba attacked the Ka’ba (The Harra incident) after having sacked Masjidu Nnabawi and Madinah the previous year.

And, of course, the most historic and most holy event of the month of Rabee’ al-Awwal is the Wiladah of Prophet Muhammad SAWW on the 17^th in the Year of The Elephant (‘Aamul Fiil). Some other dates, the 2^nd, 6^th, 9^th, and 12^th have also been mentioned, but the 17^th is the most authentic since this was the date that was testified by The Prophet SAWW’s household. The birth of The Prophet SAWW is a life-changing episode in mankind’s history. On the day of The Prophet SAWW’s birth, a thousand-year old fire of the Zoroastrians in Fars was suddenly extinguished, fourteen historic towers of the Persian ruler’s palace broke, Lake Saveh dried up and the idols in Makkah fell on their face. In Qur’anic words: “The Truth has come and Falsehood has vanished. Indeed Falsehood is destined to vanish” (17:81). Al-Sadiq (The Truthful) which was one of the epithets accorded to The Prophet SAWW by his enemies for his absolute truthfulness, was also the epithet of his great grandson Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq AS who was born on the 17^th of Rabee’ al-Awwal in 83 AH in Madinah.

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By Sheikh Ali Rasheed

Rabee' Al-Awwal/Rabee' I is the third Islamic month. Many important events happened in this month included the birth of Prophent Muhammad (S.A.W.).

The 5^th of Rabee’ al-Awwal marks the beginning of the Prophet’s (S) Hijrah or emigration to the city of Yathrib which later became known as Medinah an-Nabi (City Of The Prophet). This event occurred thirteen years after the Prophet (S.A.W.) began his mission. The Hijrah also marks the beginning point of the Islamic calendar.

The 8^th of Rabee’ al-Awwal is the death anniversary of Imam Hasan al-‘Askari (AS) who died in the year 260 AH/874 AD at the age of 28 in Sammara, Iraq. It is reported that he died after being poisoned.

The 10^th of Rabee’ al-Awwal, the Prophet (S) married his first wife Umm al-Mumineen, Khadijah Bint Kawailid (AS) with whom he remained happily married for fifteen years. The marriage occurred forty-eight years after the Year of the Elephant (‘aam al-Feel).

Lastly, the 17^th of Rabee’ al-Awwal is the birth date of the Prophet Muhammad (S) who was born after Fajr on Friday morning in the Year of the Elephant.

Rabee' al-Awwal
Date	Event
1	-
2	-
3	-
4	Shahadat of Masuma-e-Qum
5	-
6	-
7	-
8	Shahadat of Imam Hasan al-'Askari (A.S.)
9	Eid-e-Zahra
10	-
11	-
12	-
13	-
14	-
15	-
16	-
17	Wiladat of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and Wiladat of Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A.S.)
18	Wiladat of Umme Kulsum
19	-
20	-
21	-
22	-
23	-
24	-
25	-
26	-
27	-
28	-
29	-
30	-