Tausiyah by Habib Hassan bin Muhammad bin Salim Al-Attas at Masjid Kapitan Keling, Penang - 19 Rabiul Awal 1436 H

Bismillah.

Habib Hassan bin Muhammad bin Salim Al-Attas, the imam of Masjid Ba’Alwi of Singapore was the keynote speaker at the recent Mawlid Akbar held in Penang’s Masjid Kapitan Keling.

He spoke in a gentle fatherly manner. He began his tausiyah by asking the audience a fundamental question: ‘Why are we present here this evening?’

He said: We are here looking for mercy from Allah through the blessings of Prophet Muhammad salallah alaihi wasalam. With each step we took, we made a good intention to attend a Mawlid. And with each step we pray Allah would remove our sins and count us in with the solehin. [Ameen]

When was the Prophet salallah alihi wasalam born? It’s 12 Rabi’ul Awal. That is an accepted fact. The day is a public holiday in countries such as Malaysia, Brunei and Egypt where people would march on the streets expressing their joy on the birth of Prophet Muhammad.

Why are we all feeling delighted about his birth? Because the Prophet salallah alaihi wasalam brings mercy to mankind – rahmatan lil alamin. But many are not aware that the Prophet also passed away on Monday, 12 Rabi'ul Awal. Monday is a special day. The first verse of the Quran – Surah Al-Alaq was revealed on Monday. Israk Mikraj took place on a Monday. The Prophet was born and passed away on the same day but we rarely mention the day he passed, we only talk about mawlid. Who was the person who first celebrated mawlid? It was Rasulallah himself. He would fast on Mondays because he was born on a Monday. Did the sahabah and tabi'in celebrate mawlid? Yes. Many of them would fast on Mondays and Thursdays because it's sunnah.

As for the solehin, like Saidina Hussin we observe the day of his passing on the last Thursday of Rabi'ul Akhir. People in Egypt, at Al-Azhar University honor the day Saidina Hussin died. And likewise Imam Al Haddad, we commemorate his death by celebrating his hawl. Prophet Muhammad asked us to mention the good deeds of solehin of the past. In the Quran, Allah orders him to mention stories of the former anbiya. We should not forget the contributions of the Prophet's family, the guru/shuyukh, awliya and the pious. We must remember them and pray for them, hence celebrate their hawl.

Why do we celebrate the Prophet's mawlid? Because his birth brings mercy to the universe. At the point of his birth, statues fell. Waraqah ibn Naufal tried to give life to the statues but failed. The fire lit by the Majusi got retarded and they failed to re-ignite it. Prior to the Prophet's birth, there had been drought in Makkah. With the arrival of the Prophet, rain came and trees began to grow. Allah wanted to show that his birth was indeed rahmatan lil alamin. In the year of his birth in the year of the Elephant, Abrahah attacked the Kaabah. That was indeed a significant event. But he too failed.

Concluding his tausiyah, Habib Hassan said, the teachings of Prophet Muhammad is vast, yet all point to good characters. The five tenets of Islam i.e syahadah, prayers, fasting, alms-giving and hajj, all relate to the importance of good characters (akhlak). There is nothing else that is heavier on the Scale other than good characters. Thus Muslims should strive towards that so that we will return to Allah with husnul khuluq.          

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Allahu a'lam.

The event was organized by Majlis Ta'alim Ahbabunnabi and Masjid Kapitan Keling's Committee.

Masjid Kapitan Keling, George Town
19 Rabiul Awal 2016 H