Ge'ez CalendarWhat is Mawlid?
Mawlid (መውሊድ) celebrates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. It is observed on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar, and is a public holiday in Ethiopia.
How Mawlid is celebrated in Ethiopia
Ethiopian Muslims mark Mawlid with prayers at mosques, recitations of poetry in praise of the Prophet, and religious songs called manzuma, sung in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, Harari and other languages. Gatherings with food and coffee follow. Some communities hold large celebrations at shrines and historic mosques, and the day is also an occasion for charity.
Islam and Ethiopia
Ethiopia holds a special place in Islamic history. Around 615 CE, early followers of the Prophet Muhammad, facing persecution in Mecca, were given refuge by the Christian king of Aksum, known in Islamic tradition as al-Najashi. This First Hijra is remembered at the al-Nejashi mosque in Tigray, one of the oldest Muslim sites in Africa.
How the date is set
Mawlid follows the lunar Islamic calendar, so it comes about 11 days earlier every year. The dates on this page come from the Umm al-Qura calendar; in Ethiopia the date is confirmed by moon sighting and can differ by a day.