🧵 Annual Celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday in the Maldives— a Lost Tradition
From the writings of Sh Muhammad Jamīl رحمه الله, famously nicknamed “Ustādh al-Jīl” (Teacher of the Generation)
From the writings of Sh Muhammad Jamīl رحمه الله, famously nicknamed “Ustādh al-Jīl” (Teacher of the Generation)
The “Mauloodhu” (Mawlūd) is a centuries-old Maldivian tradition, involving the celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday, the most famous type being the annual “Bodu Mauloodhu” (Big Mawlūd).
Sh Jamīl رحمه الله says: “The day of the Mawlūd depends on how the fishing goes. When fishing is successful, and the islanders are financially stable, they intend to host a Mawlūd, and the island leaders discuss a date for the Mawlūd.”
I say: what the Sh mentioned is how it is in most islands, but some islands host the Big Mawlūd regarldless of their fishing and financial state, like some islands in Noonu Atoll.
This was mentioned in an article of the Zamaan Daily News, published on 26 February 1958:
This was mentioned in an article of the Zamaan Daily News, published on 26 February 1958:
He further writes: “Traveling to invite people for the Mawlūd has many traditions. A group of the leaders of the island are sent to other chosen islands, and the islanders there are invited to the Mawlūd.”
Sh Jamīl writes: “When people of an island are invited for a Mawlūd in another island, they see it as an obligation to invite those who invited them for a Mawlūd in their own island. Due to this, the Big Mawlūd has become a reason for friendship between the islands.”
Sh Jamīl رحمة الله عليه mentions that the Mawlūd is done in a specific manner, and that the most famous Mawlid recited in this celebration is “Sharrafa al-Anām”, by Sayyidī al-Imām Shihāb al-Dīn al-Harīrī al-Mālikī رحمة الله عليه.
It is a Mawlid that goes like
الحمد لله الذي شرّف الأنام.....
Hence the name.
It is very famous in many other countries as well.
الحمد لله الذي شرّف الأنام.....
Hence the name.
It is very famous in many other countries as well.
“To prepare for the Mawlūd, people travel in different directions. They bring big pots to cook in, and Malaafaiy (a circular container) to put the Keyn (traditional food) from their friends from different islands. Others go to Malé (the caiptal) to buy items from the Bazaar.”
“On the day when the guests arrive, the island is decorated, huts are built, and accommodations for the guests are arranged.”
Sh says: “Guests are received by serving them juice, and there are places prepared for this at the beach.”
I say: the juice is known as Araafani
I say: the juice is known as Araafani
Sh writes: “When all the guests are present, they are called to the hut, for the first Keyn, known as the Araakeyn. Beautiful poems in different tunes are used to invite them to the hut.”
Left: image of a Keyn (a traditional serving of food in a special circular container)
Right: old image of people eating Keyn at a Mawlūd
Right: old image of people eating Keyn at a Mawlūd
As for the Kayfiyyah of the Big Mawlūd, Sh Muhammad Jamīl writes:
“When the first smoke is placed, Thaaniya is recited, followed by Salawāt and the Fātihah. Then, the verse لقد جاءكم رسول من أنفسكم... is recited, sometimes along with its meaning.”
“When the first smoke is placed, Thaaniya is recited, followed by Salawāt and the Fātihah. Then, the verse لقد جاءكم رسول من أنفسكم... is recited, sometimes along with its meaning.”
“The verse is followed by the phrase وعليه أفضل الصلاة وأزكى التسليم. This is done by the leader of the Mawlūd. As for the Thaaniya, it is recited by the Mu’adhhins in Malé, and likewise in the islands.”
Thaaniya is defined in the dictionary as “A prayer seeking victory for the religion, and protection for the people and the rulers from all dangers”
After reciting the verse لقد جاءكم رسول... and the phrase وعليه أفضل الصلاة وأزكى التسليم, the poem-readers start to read the Salawāt poems.
Sh Jamīl describes them as “very long poems recited to a specific tune”
Sh Jamīl describes them as “very long poems recited to a specific tune”
After the Salawāt poems, the leader of the Mawlūd must say the first part of the Mawlūd, followed by further poems, followed by another piece of the Mawlūd, followed by poems again, and so on and so forth.
Each people are assigned a specific place in the Mawlūd hut. The poem-readers sit in the Northern and Southern corners of the hut, at the Eastern wall, and each corner has a book they read from. In the middle, there is the book of the Mawlūd leader, from which he reads.
In the capital city Malé, the poem-readers are special people hired by the government, known as “Zikuru Verin” (People of Dhikr). They are categorised into two: those who learned from the Henveyru Book, and those who learned from the Maafannu Book.
Henveyru and Maafannu are two of the four neighbourhoods in Malé, and each of the two books consists of different poems. The Henveyru Book is more famous, and their leader is known as the “Mureedh” (Seeker), while the leader of the Maafaannu Book is called the “Edhuru” (teacher).
The poem-readers from all other islands are trained to recite poems from one of these two books.
As for the duration, the Big Mawlūd lasts 3 days
The first day on which the guests arrive
The Mawlūd starts on this day, after ‘Ishā’
The second day on which the Mawlūd lasts the whole day till ‘Ishā’
The third day on which the guests are sent back to their islands safely
The first day on which the guests arrive
The Mawlūd starts on this day, after ‘Ishā’
The second day on which the Mawlūd lasts the whole day till ‘Ishā’
The third day on which the guests are sent back to their islands safely
Sh Muhammad Jamīl عليه الرحمة والرضوان concludes his writing by condemning those who oppose this beautiful practice, and states that the Big Mawlūd is an essential part of our culture, and that it is a tradition that needs to be revived.
The Mawlūd was held in the Maldives since centuries, until the rule of Hassan Farīd (1936-1944 AD), when he prohibited it for 8 consecutive years, until Muhammad Amīn (first president of the Maldives) came to power and reallowed it, after which it became widespread again.
It continued to be held till the 1990s, when Khawārij started to prohibit it and label it as a Bid‘ah.
Left: al-Sultān Hassan Farīd
Right: al-Amīr Muhammad Amīn رحمه الله
Left: al-Sultān Hassan Farīd
Right: al-Amīr Muhammad Amīn رحمه الله
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