Rabi-ul-Awwal

Chronologically, the 4^th  is the day of the wafaat of Hadhrat Fatima (Maasuma Qummi) Binti Imam Musa Ibni Ja’far AS, the sister of Imam Ali Al-Ridha AS. The 8^th Rabi’ul Awwal is the date of the shahadah of Hadhrat Imam Hassan Al-Askari AS. Thus, 9^th Rabi’ul Awwal, 260 AH becomes the first day of the Imamah of our Living Imam, Hadhrat Hujjat Ibnul Hassan AFS.  9^th Rabi’ul Awwal is also regarded as the date of the marriage of The Prophet SAWW to Seyyidah Khadijatul Kubraa AS.

Since the tragedy of Karbala of 61 AH the Ahlul Bayt AS had no cause to rejoice. However,  9th Rabi’ul Awwal 66AH was the first time that there was a flicker of a smile on the lips of Imam Zainul Abidiin AS when news was brought to him that Mukhtar Al-Thaqafi RA had captured and dispatched to Hell Ibn Ziyad, Umar Al-Sa’ad and Harmala. The Imam AS went into prostration of thanks (Sajdatu Sshukr). It is reported that in the Court of Kufa when Imam Zainul Abidiin AS witnessed Ibn Ziyad brazenly relishing his meal with the severed head of Imam Hussein AS in front of him, the Imam AS prayed to ALLAH SWT to grant him sufficiently long life to see the day when he would be eating his meal and the head of Ibn Ziyad would have been severed. ALLAH SWT fulfilled the Imam AS’ wish.

Rabi’ul Awwal 14^th 64 AH saw the death of Yazid ibni Mu’awiyah as his cruel, degenerate army under Muslim ibni Uqba attacked the Ka’ba (The Harra incident) after having sacked Masjidu Nnabawi and Madinah the previous year.

And, of course, the most historic and most holy event of the month of Rabi’ul Awwal is the Wiladah of Prophet Muhammad SAWW on 17^th  in the Year of The Elephant (‘Aamul Fiil). Some other dates viz. 2^nd,6^th 9^th or 12^thhave also been mentioned, but 17^th is the most authentic since this was the date that was testified by The Prophet SAWW’s household. The birth of The Prophet SAWW is a life-changing episode in mankind’s history. On the day of The Prophet SAWW’s birth, a thousand-year old fire of the Zoroastrians in Fars was suddenly extinguished, fourteen historic towers of the Persian ruler’s palace broke, Lake Saveh dried up and the idols in Makkah fell on their face. In Qur’anic words: “The Truth has come and Falsehood has vanished. Indeed Falsehood is destined to vanish” (17:81). Al-Sadiq (The Truthful) which was one of the epithets accorded to The Prophet SAWW by his enemies for his absolute truthfulness, was also the epithet of his great grandson Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq AS who was born on 17^th Rabi’ul Awwal in 83 AH in Madinah.