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Happy Birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
& Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (pbuh) to all free Humans of the Globe!
And also Happy Unity Week to all Muslims!

On 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, our Sunni brothers regard as the birth anniversary of the Almighty's Last and Greatest Messenger to mankind, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).

Since, we the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt, on the basis of narrations from the Holy Household, consider the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal as the auspicious day of the Prophet’s birthday, this 5-day span has been bridged as the Unity Week thanks to the dynamic initiative taken 34 years ago by the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), to promote Islamic solidarity on the national and international level, in accordance with God’s command in ayah 103 of Surah Aal-e Imran:

“Hold fast, all together, to Allah’s cord, and do not be divided [into sects]”

Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) was sent by God with the universal message of Islam, for all humanity. As the Messenger of Mercy, whose mission was foretold by all previous prophets over the different parts of the world, he preached brotherhood of humanity. Although born in Arabia, he never said the Arabs had any preference over the non Arabs. Among his companions were Salman the Persian, Sohaib the Roman, and Bilal, the black Abyssinian.

As a matter of fact, he hailed his Iranian companion Salman as “from us the Ahl al-Bayt”, an honour no Arab companion was able to achieve. Once, on the commandment of God, he concluded pact of brotherhood among his companions, selecting a pair of those who were friends of each other. For instance, if Salman and Abu Zar were paired as brothers, the others paired together were Zubair and Talha, as well as Abu Bakr and Omar, and Osman and Abdur-Raham Auf. Yet another pair was Meqdad and Ammar Yasser.

After pairing some 740 companions, the Prophet then held the hand of his dear cousin, Imam Ali ibn Taleb (AS), in his hand, and declared him his brother. The brotherhood accord was so firm and binding that when one such pair was martyred in the Battle of Ohad, the Prophet instructed the two be buried in a single grave. This is all indicative of the spirit of brotherhood in Islam, and this warrants Muslims to close ranks, instead of drifting away from each other. Thus, in view of these facts, it is necessary for the different denominations of Islam, especially the schools of jurisprudence to work closely with each other.

Today, international paganism in the form of the Zionists and the secularists of the West are trying to harm Islamic unity. Unfortunately, they are being assisted in their unholy mission by the Salafis and Wahhabis and the terrorist groups they have formed to create sedition in Muslim ranks, such as the al-Qa’eda, the Taleban, the Laskhar Jhangavi, etc. These terrorist groups are active in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt, and other countries, and under the guise of Islam, they are carrying out the mission of their masters in the West and the usurper state of Israel.Under such circumstances, it is vital for Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims to assemble on a single platform. The Prophet is the ideal for all Muslims, and before departing the world, he made it clear that the Muslims will never go astray if they hold fast to Weighty Things, which he introduces as Thaqalayn.

On the command of God, he said that he was leaving behind the Book of God, that is the holy Qur’an, and his progeny, the Ahl al-Bayt. The Prophet said the two are inseparable from each other, and as long as Muslims hold fast to them there never will be any discord. Thus, in order to thwart the plots of the enemies of Islam and humanity, Muslims should converge on the common platform of Islamic unity, on the basis of love and affection for the Infallible Ahl al-Bayt.

According to the holy Prophet (SAWA), a true Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands others are safe. A true Muslim should not oppress anyone, since oppression is a grave and unforgivable sin. Trampling the rights of others disrupts the psychological health of persons and is the most important factor for discord and separation. The Seal of Prophets made it clear that Muslims should regard themselves as brethren of the same community, and anyone who is not concerned about the affairs of fellow Muslims is not a true Muslim. It means, a Muslim should not betray another Muslim, let alone slander or kill him. As per the practice and behavior of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), a Muslim ought to be the mirror of his Muslim brother.

On the one hand, he views his values and virtues and turns to them and on the other hand, he distances from evilness and warns him. Muslims should help Muslims in achieving economic stability, rather than being influenced by the enemies of Islam to destroy the economy and industry of fellow Muslims.

In view of these facts, it is rather unfortunate for many Muslim countries to bow to the pressures of the US, to stop trade and other ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, or engage in state terrorism against Syria. The holy Quran says “Power, altogether, belongs to Allah.” In ayah 29 of Surah Fath, the holy Quran presents us an interesting visage of the Prophet and his true companions, when it says: “Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the faithless and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in worship], seeking Allah’s grace and [His] pleasure. Their mark is [visible] on their faces, from the effect of prostration.”

This day is also the Birth anniversary of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (pbuh) too. (the prophets mohammad's Direct Grandson (Father-to-Father) and the sixth Shia Imam.)

Some useful Links:

• Understanding Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (V)
• Islam, Muslims & Unity Week
• Afghans mark "Unity Week"
• Iranian Muslims mark birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad
• Iran holds International Music Festival of 'Muhammad, the Prophet of Kindness'
• Kashmir Muslims mark birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad
• Karachi celebrates birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad
• Ugandan Muslims mark birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad
• Iraqis celebrate Prophet Muhammad's birth anniversary in Erbil

Read Some History:

The great Prophet of Islam (PBUH&HP) was born in the area of Hijaz in Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula. His birth was during the era of "Ignorance" (Jaheliah).

The era of Ignorance:
The era of Ignorance is the time from 200 years before the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) to the beginning of his prophethood. Jaheliah (Ignorance) means to commit an offence or do bad deeds that are the result of ignorance. The nomadic Arabs did not believe in any religion. The Arabs who resided in cities worshipped idols made of rock, wood and dates. It is even possible that in case of poverty they ground these dates and ate their idols! They used to kill their daughters; this was a common habit among them. The war and disgust between different tribes was commonplace. They believed that spirits and superstitions influenced their lives, but the Prophet(PBUH&HP) eradicated idol worshipping and called their vanity and bigotry "Ignorance". He confined their indefinite freedom by developing moralities and chastity. He made them a united nation whereas before they were constantly quarrelling.

Quraish tribe and ancestors of the Prophet (PBUH&HP):
The tribe that the Prophet(PBUH&HP)came from was named "Quraish". This tribe was one of the most influential tribes that governed Muslims centuries after Islam. The fame of Quraish is because of Ghasa ibn Klab, the great great great grandfather of the Prophet (PBUH&HP). Abde Manaf, the son of Ghasa, the geat great grandfather of the Prophet (PBUH&HP), was a noble and good-tempered person. Hashim, the great grandfather of the Prophet(PBUH&HP), was one of the brilliant faces of the Quraish. His son was Abd al-Mutallib, the grandfather of the Prophet(PBUH&HP). He was the most famous and wisest man among the Arabs.  He dug Zamzam (the well in Masjid al-Haram) and was responsible for giving water to pilgrims and receiving them. Isma'il/Ishmael (PBUH) is also a distant ancestor of the Prophet (PBUH&HP). In fact all his grandfathers worshipped Allah (SWT). Abdullah, the Prophet's(PBUH&HP) father was the youngest son of Abd al-Mutallib. He was famous for being handsome and chaste. He married Amena, the daughter of Wahab, who was famous for her modesty and chastity. Abdullah had a trip toShaam for trading. On the return trip from Shaam, Abdullah became sick and passed away in Medina when he was only 25. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was born on the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal of Aam al-Fil (580 A.D.) in Mecca. Aam al-Fil (The Year of the Elephant) is the year in which the king of Abyssinia (Negus) commanded Abrahe with his army to attack the Kaaba and destroy it. However, he was not successful because a huge number of birds, carrying stones with their feet and beaks, came over the army and dropped the stones and killed them all.

It is narrated that on the day which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was born, the following incidents happened:

1. All the idols fell down.
2. The "Kasra Veranda" (a part of the palace of Iran's King) shook and fourteen of its notches were damaged.
3. The "Saweh Lake” that people worshiped for years, dried up.
4. Water flowed in "Samaweh Desert”, where no one had seen water for many years.
5. The fire-temple of "Fars" was extinguished after several years.
6. On that night, a light came out from "Hijaz" and spread to the east.

According to the narrations from Amena, during her pregnancy period she did not feel that she was pregnant like other pregnant women. It is said that when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was born, he first looked at the sky and then prayed to Allah (SWT). He was neat and clean and no blood or other things came out from his mother's womb. Amena says that at the birth time, someone told her that she had given birth to the best human and that she should name him "Muhammad". When Abd al-Mutallib was informed of this happening, he slaughtered a sheep, invited the heads of the Quraish tribe, and named the child Muhammad (meaning praised) on that party.