The Glorious Birth (Subḥāna Mawlid) (eBook)
Regular price £0.00The work known as the Subḥāna Mawlid, cherished amongst Tamil Muslims, stands as a sublime devotional tribute to the love of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It encompasses the sacred lore of the Muḥammadan Light, the blessed account of his noble birth, and an exalted portrayal of his beauty, majesty, and perfect character. Allah bless him and give him peace.
Traditionally attributed to Imām al-Ghazālī (raḥimahullāh) and transmitted by Shaykh Muḥammad al-Madanī, the Mawlid was brought from Medina to South India in the 17th century by Shaykh Ṣadaqatullāh Appa al-Qādirī al-Kirkarī. Known as “Mādiḥ al-Rasūl,” he introduced it to his students and community, where it became a cornerstone of Tamil Muslim devotion. From there it spread across the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia, and beyond, woven into the religious life of Muslim communities.
Written in a hybrid style of prose and poetry, the Subḥāna Mawlid blends Qur’anic verses, Prophetic narrations, ornate praise, and stirring qaṣā’id. Its rhythm and refrains invite congregational recitation, making it central to Mawlid gatherings. In its pages, the Prophet ﷺ is remembered as mercy to all creation, and as the intimate guide and beloved of the believers.
Through the centuries, it has been recited not only in Rabīʿ al-Awwal but at weddings, births, travels, housewarmings, and in times of hardship. It has been a source of blessing, protection, and serenity, and even a means for visions of the Prophet ﷺ. In some communities, it has served as a child’s first introduction to Arabic letters, embedding love for the Messenger ﷺ from the beginning of learning.
To this day, the Subḥāna Mawlid resounds in mosques, madrasahs, and homes across the globe. It remains both a devotional masterpiece and a living tradition of remembrance, celebrating the Messenger ﷺ as mercy personified and testifying to the enduring devotion of those whose hearts are illuminated by his light.