Marrakech – Each year, on the twelfth of Rabi al-Awwal, Muslims worldwide commemorate al-Mawlid al-Nabawi, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. In Morocco, this occasion holds profound significance, surpassing many other religious observances, and in 2026, it will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 25, corresponding to 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1448 of the Hijri calendar. The determination of this date, as is customary, relies on the sighting of the crescent moon, a confirmation that the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs provides after observers scan the sky on the evening of 29 Safar.
In Morocco, the anniversary is known as Eid El-Miloud, and it is celebrated with a rich tapestry of historical, poetic, Sufi, and royal traditions that have developed over nearly eight centuries. To grasp the day’s significance in Moroccan society, it is essential to recognize the historical debates surrounding the observance of Mawlid, which have persisted throughout its existence.
A Celebration Born from Dispute
The Mawlid has not received unanimous endorsement from Muslim scholars, and the contention surrounding it is as old as the practice itself. At the core of the objections lies a straightforward critique: neither the Prophet Muhammad nor the Rightly Guided Caliphs observed the day, leading some jurists to categorize it as bid’a, or an innovation introduced into the faith. Critics often trace the origins of this custom to Fatimid Egypt in the fourth century of the Hijra, attributing it to a dynasty they prefer to refer to as the Ubaydids rather than the Fatimids. This perspective argues that these rulers institutionalized a calendar of commemorative birthdays, including those of Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn, and the Prophet Muhammad, gradually normalizing the notion of celebrating a sacred birth. According to this reading, the practice spread throughout Arab and Muslim societies during the seventh Hijri century and became embedded in the religious landscape. Scholars like Ibn Baz have articulated this historical narrative while contending that Mawlid lacked any precedent among the Prophet, his companions, or the first three generations of Muslims.
Moreover, critics also question the origins of the Mawlid, noting its revival during the late eighteenth century when French forces occupied Egypt. They found the celebrations dwindling due to a lack of funding and proceeded to reinvigorate them, even participating in the ceremonies. For many reformist scholars and chroniclers in the modern era, this history serves as a sufficient rationale to label the Mawlid as one of the habits that have dulled the Muslim world rather than fortified it. Some Salafi critiques assert that commemorating prophetic birthdays could engender a type of religious exaltation akin to Christianity’s veneration of Jesus, cautioning that while Mawlid itself does not deify Muhammad, excessive veneration might lead to ghuluw, or religious exaggeration regarding the status of prophets and saints. Ibn Baz explicitly makes this argument, referencing the hadith, "Whoever introduces into this matter of ours what does not belong to it, it is rejected" as a primary basis for classifying Mawlid as an innovation. Additionally, some critics highlight the irony that the precise date of Muhammad’s birth is historically disputed, while 12 Rabi al-Awwal is widely recognized as the date of his death. From this viewpoint, celebrating Mawlid on the 12th risks commemorating a date more closely associated with his death than his birth.
Despite the dissent surrounding the observance, the argument against Mawlid has not gained widespread traction, particularly in Morocco. Advocates of the celebration reference a well-known prophetic saying that promises reward for those who establish good practices within Islam. They argue that the intent behind Mawlid is what grants it significance. Moroccans have never regarded the anniversary as a third religious feast on par with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha; rather, they view it as an opportunity to renew their love for the Prophet Muhammad, revisit his biography, and reaffirm their shared moral inheritance. This perspective suggests that dismissing the day’s cultural and social implications overlooks its true essence.
How Morocco Made the Day Its Own
Morocco’s embrace of Mawlid can be traced back to the Almohads, who ruled from approximately 500 to 620 of the Hijra. They transformed the observance into a deliberate act of religious policy. In response to a Christian Iberia celebrating the birth of Christ, the Almohad dynasty sought to anchor Muslim communities in their devotion, resulting in a surge of poetry honoring the Prophet and elevating his status. This expression of devotion found its earliest manifestation in the occupied city of Ceuta, where the qadi Abu al-Abbas al-Azafi, who passed away in 633 of the Hijra, established a structured set of rituals for the day. He documented his reasoning in a book titled al-Durr al-Munazzam fi Mawlid al-Nabi al-Muazzam, presenting the celebration as an educational and cultural alternative for Muslims drawn toward their Christian neighbors' Christmas festivities.
The observance gradually transitioned into the realm of state affairs, with the first formal Moroccan celebration recorded in 1250 under the Almohad caliph al-Murtada, who organized a night of commemoration in Marrakech. The Marinids continued this tradition, with their caliph Yaqub ibn Abd al-Haqq hosting a celebration in Fez. By 1292, his successor had mandated that Mawlid be observed as an official holiday throughout the kingdom. This designation remains unchanged today, with the state granting a two-day national holiday spanning the twelfth and thirteenth of Rabi al-Awwal to public employees and schools, a generosity that sets Morocco apart from much of the Arab East, where the day typically receives far less official recognition.
What truly distinguishes the Moroccan Mawlid, however, is its deep integration into everyday life. In various regions, particularly in the Rif, families welcome the anniversary with the same joy as they would a newborn. Women adorn rooftops with fine fabric flags and prepare traditional dishes typically offered to a new mother, symbolically nodding to the arrival of the greatest of all newborns, the Prophet Muhammad. Households often slaughter a rooster or prepare couscous, while children don new clothing. This bond has influenced the naming of children born during the El Miloud season, who often bear the names Mouloud, Milouda, or Miloudi.
The observance extends over a month, beginning on the first of Rabi al-Awwal, with mosques hosting nightly lessons after the Maghrib prayer that guide the faithful through the Prophet’s biography, the lives of his companions, and his virtues, accompanied by sung praise and religious chants. The celebration culminates on the eve of the anniversary, when each city gathers for a grand ceremony in its main mosque attended by state representatives, elected officials, scholars, members of Sufi orders, and the public. Following the Isha prayer, the gathering transitions through Quranic recitation and prophetic praises, concluding with a brief sermon on the Prophet’s life. At the moment the narration reaches his birth, the congregation rises to their feet in a standing tribute, remaining upright as the account of his qualities continues, punctuated by blessings upon him. Dates and milk are shared among attendees, incense fills the air, and women on rooftops express their joy through ululations. A second gathering takes place at dawn on the day itself, with praises timed to coincide with the hour of the Prophet’s birth.
Alongside mosque celebrations, private homes also partake in the observance, particularly among conservative families with ties to scholarship, Sufism, and the Makhzen. These evenings often commence with the Quran and progress through sung praises and narratives from the Prophet’s life, frequently drawing upon classic texts such as al-Shifa by Qadi Iyad and the Mawlid compositions of al-Barzanji and al-Kattani. Culinary offerings vary by region, with guests treated to dishes like ‘asida, couscous with seven vegetables, or the baghrir and msemmen popular in the Chaouia plains, where tabrouida, a mounted display of horsemanship, also takes place.
In Amazigh regions, the morning begins with a spoonful of warm honey and a blessing offered in Tamazight, with honey featuring prominently in subsequent dishes. Men and boys typically wear traditional jellabas and belghas, homes are perfumed with incense and oud, and markets fill with sweets, pastries, dried fruits, and toys for children. The colorful rituals of Sufi brotherhoods also contribute to the season’s vibrancy, with the Boudchichiya attracting large crowds to Madagh near Oujda for an annual gathering centered around religious litanies and devotional poetry. The Issawa brotherhood convenes in Meknes at the shrine of their founder, Sheikh al-Hadi ben Aissa, who passed away in 1526, setting up their tents near his tomb in the days leading up to the holiday. Each participating group, identifiable by its own banner, engages in a three-day procession toward the shrine, reciting significant devotional poems, particularly the Burda and the Hamziyya of Imam al-Busiri.
No ritual has traveled farther than the candle procession of Salé, known as the mawkib al-shumu’. This tradition dates back to the Saadian era when Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur was inspired by the Ottomans’ candlelight celebrations of Mawlid in Istanbul. Upon returning to the throne, he commanded a similar display, leading to elaborately decorated candles being paraded through Marrakech to the royal palace, a practice that soon spread to Fez and other cities. Although the tradition lost momentum after al-Mansur’s death in Marrakech and Fez, it persevered in Salé under Sheikh Abdellah ben Hassoun from the Jazouliya Chadhiliya order, who transformed the candles into a distinctly Moroccan form, resembling the square minarets of the country’s mosques. His descendants continue to organize the procession, which has garnered international attention.
Preparations for the candle procession begin a month in advance, with the candle frames being transported from the sheikh’s shrine to a custodian Slawi family’s home. The process involves cooking raw wax, pouring it into wooden molds, dyeing the pieces, and affixing them onto tall frames wrapped in white paper. On the day of the procession, bearers in traditional dress carry the candles from Bab Sabta through the old city to Bab el-Mrissa, passing by the official platform at Sahat Chouhada, and making their way to the house of the Hassouni shurafa while performing an elegant candle dance.
Among the participants are the Flaykiya and the Tabjiya, a nod to the naval men who once safeguarded Salé’s coast. The procession garners support from both historical religious endowments and contemporary sources, including the ministries of culture and religious affairs, the city council, and private donors. The program also features lectures, collective circumcisions for the city’s boys, and evenings filled with Andalusian music.
At the pinnacle of the celebrations lies the state ceremony. As the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu’minin) and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad through the Alaouite dynasty, King Mohammed VI presides over a religious vigil at the Royal Palace in Rabat, continuing the tradition upheld by his predecessors. This year, the vigil will commence on the eve of Monday, August 24. The evening honors religious scholarship through a series of royal awards, including the Mohammed VI Prize for Islamic Thought and Studies, the Mohammed VI Prize for Moroccan Calligraphy, and the Mohammed VI International Prize for the memorization, recitation, and interpretation of the Quran. The King also customarily grants pardons to a number of prisoners across the kingdom, culminating a day that, for centuries, has been shared by some Moroccan Jewish communities, underscoring that El Miloud in Morocco has always been as much about belonging as it is about belief.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
