Significance of Rabi al-Awwal by Shaykh Abdal Haqq Muhaddith Dehlavi (r.a)

Islamic Months & Year (Ma sabata bilsunnah un amal as sunnah)
Shaykh Abdal Haqq Muhaddith Dehlavi (R.A)
Rabi al-Awwal

Blessed Birth of Prophet (saws)
1. Year of Prosperity & Joy
Dear Friends! Allah Taala guide you with light of Certainty (Nur al-Yaqeen) and illuminate your heart with remembrance of His beloved Prophet (saws), blessings on the Chosen Prophet (saws), his family & companions. As mentioned in the books of Sira & Ahadith, Hazrat Amina (r) witnessed unusual & strange events during her pregnancy. Quraysh of Makkah were suffering with severe famine and their land became green with trees bearing fruits after the blessed pregnancy. They became prosperous and therefore named 570 AD as “The Year of Prosperity & Joy”.
2. Blessed Birth in State of Prostration (Sajjada)
Abu Nuaym has narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (r) “Hazrat Amina, the mother of Prophet (saws) dreamed that someone said to her “You have conceived the best of humankind and master of the worlds, when you give birth to him, call him Muhammad and tell no one about your situation”. She said: “I saw a flock of birds that had come without my noticing from whence they came, until they covered my chamber. Their beaks were made of emerald and their wings of rubies. The veil was lifted from my sight and at that moment I saw the eastern and western regions of earth. I saw three banners raised a banner in the East, a banner in the West and a banner on the top of the Kabah.” “I gave birth to Muhammad (saws); when he came out of my belly I turned and looked at him, and lo and behold, I saw him prostrating himself with his Shahadah Finger raised like one who was pleading and supplicating. Then I saw a white cloud that had come from the sky, came down until it covered him and he was concealed from my sight; I heard a voice call out “ Take Muhammad (saws) around the East and West of the world; take him into all of the oceans, so that they will know his name, his description, and his form and they will know that he is called al-Mahi, the Effacer, because there is no polytheism but it will be effaced by him in his time.”
3. Last of the Prophets ( Khatim al-Nabiyeen)
Imam Ahmad,Bazar,Tibrani,Hakim and Allama Bayhaqi has narrated from Arbaz bin Sariya that Prophet (saws) said “ I am servant of Allah and last of the Prophets. I was Prophet when Adam was between water and mud and I will inform you of all events shortly. I am answer to the supplication of my father Hazrat Ibrahim, glad tiding of Hazrat Isa and I am dream of my mother which she saw. The mothers of Prophets see dreams about prophecy of their sons. The mother of Messenger of Allah (saws) saw a light emanating from her belly that reached to the castles of Syria. Hazrat Abbas bin Muttalib said about this
light in his poetry “Oh.Rasul! The earth became illuminated on your blessed birth and skies became bright with your light and we tread the path of guidance with your light.”
4. Seal of the Prophethood ( Muhr e Nabawwut)
Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (r) stated that a Jewish Resident of Makkah addressed the Quraysh on the day of the blessed birth of Prophet (saws): “Oh !People of Quraysh! Did you have a birth of a son in your family? Then he said “The Prophet of Ummah will be born this night and there will be a seal of Prophethood between his shoulders as a sign of Prophecy. Quraysh found out that Abdullah bin Abdal Muttalib had a son. He took few persons with him to visit Hazrat Amina and wished to see the seal. He fainted after witnessing the seal and then stated “ Oh.People of Quraysh ! Listen, Prophecy has finished in the house of Bani Israel. Now you will become prominent & dominant in the world through this Prophet(saws) and his message will spread from East to the West.” Yaqub bin Sufyan has written this tradition with hasan isnad and is also included in Fath al-Bari.
5. Date and Time of the Blessed Birth
There is difference of opinion about date and time of birth however 12th Rabi al-Awwal is most popular opinion. The People of Makkah visit the birth place of Prophet (saws) on this day and this tradition is practiced even today. Taibi states, there is a concensus amongst Muslims that Prophet (saws) was born on this date. I (Abdul Haq) agree with Taibi. It is popularly believed that day of birth was Monday Morning. Qatada Ansari states that Prophet (saws) used to fast on Mondays and when he was asked about this, he said “This is the day I was born and this is the day, I was given Prophethood”. (Sahih Muslim)
6. Superiority of Night of Mawlid
The night of Mawlid is superior to the night of Destiny (laylat al-qadar). The night of Mawlid is the night of Prophet’s coming to this world and Night of Power was given to him, that which was honored by the very existence of one for whose sake it is honored, is more honorable than that which is honored by reason of what was given to him.
Thuwayba, the slave girl of Abu Lahab gave the glad news of the blessed birth of Prophet (saws) and therefore he freed her out of delight. When Abu Lahab died, one of his relatives saw him in dream. He said to him,” What happened to you?”.Abu Lahab replied I am suffering in hell however on Mondays, there is some relief and then he pointed to his two fingers, by signaling which, he freed Thuwayba .I am able to drink water with these two fingers. Ibn al-Jauzi has written that if Abu Lahab, the unbeliever whose condemnation was revealed in the Quran, was rewarded in hell for his joy on the night of Prophet’s Birth (saws), what is the case of Muslims who delight in his birth and spend all that they can afford or love of him? By my life, his reward from the Allah Taala can only be that He graciously causes him to enter the gardens of bliss. The Muslims have always celebrated Mawlid un Nabi (saws) during the month of Rabi al-Awwal. They prepare food, give charity to poor, distribute gifts and express happiness. They spend generously, recite Quran and decorate their homes. Allah Taala continues to shower His blessing & baraka on them. The Muslims who celebrate Mawlid-un-Nabi (saws) remain in Allah’s Security and their needs are fulfilled. Allah Taala sends His mercy on the person who celebrates Eid on the night of Mawlid un Nabi (saws). May Allah Taala reward us for our sincere intensions and enable us to follow the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (saws). Allah is enough for us and He is the Best Helper.
Shaykh Abdal Haqq Muhaddith Dehlavi (r.a)
He was born in 1551 (958 AH) in in Delhi, hence the suffix Dehlavi to his name. He went on become a noted writer in Arabic and Persian, who was respected &honored by Mughal Emperors Jahangir (r.1605-28) and Shah Jahan (r.1628-58), and in time became a respected,authentic & authoritative scholar of Islam. His ancestors were natives of Bokhara, and later while visiting Delhi was enobled and attached to the Mughal Royal Court at Delhi. His father was also a great Islamic Scholar.In 996 AH, 1587 CE, he made the pilgrimage to Mecca, where he stayed remained for the next two years studying the Prophetic Traditions ( Hadith) and Sufism under various noted scholars. Upon his return to Delhi, he taught for half a century, and authored more than 100 works, noted among them a History of Medina, a Biography of Prophet Muhammad (saws), and a work on the lives of saints. He died in Delhi, in 1642 (1052 AH), and has over 40 works to his name. His mausoleum, today exists at the edge ofHauz-i-Shamsi near Qutub Minar, Delhi.

His Works
"Akhbar al Akhyar", 16th Century. Urdu Edition 1990
Sharh Mishkat Shareef
Perfection of Faith (Translation), Adam Publishers.
Madarij e Nabuwwah
Tārīh-i Haqqī (The History by Haqq). General history of South Asia from the time of the Ğūrids to the 42nd year of Mughal Emperor Akbar’s reign (1005/1596-7).
Source Wikipedia
Brief Biography at nfie.com/blog
http://www.nfie.com/welcome/blog/2009/12/shaykh-abdal-haqq-muhaddith-dehlvi.html