Muslims mark Mab’ath; outset of Muhammad’s (PBUH) prophethood

Muslims in Iran, along with tens of millions worldwide, are celebrating Eid al-Mab’ath when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was appointed by God Almighty as the last messenger of God.

The occasion falls on the 27th of the month of Rajab on the lunar calendar, which has coincided with February 8 this year.

The date of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birth is Rabi’ I 17th according to the majority of Shi’a scholars, and Rabi’ I 12th according to Sunnis, Wikishia reported.

The Prophet (s) passed away on Safar 28/May 25 or on Rabi’ I 12/June 7 of 11/632 at the age of 63, added the source.

Muhammad married Lady Khadija (PBUH) when he was twenty-five years old. Khadija lived with the Prophet for 25 years and passed away 10 years after Bi’tha.

According to the Twelver Shi’as, the mission of the Prophet (s) began on the Rajab 27/ June 25, 610. In the years before his mission, Muhammad (PBUH) spent a lot of time in solitude, worshiping God. He would spend a month in solitude in a cave called Hira’, in the mountains and would worship God there.

After the month was completed, he returned to Mecca and circumambulated the Ka’ba seven times or more before returning home. He was in the cave of Hira’ when the mission began and verses of the Qur’an were revealed to him.

It is widely believed that the Prophet (PBUH) was forty years old at the beginning of his mission.

It is recorded that Muhammad (PBUH) invited people secretly to Islam for three years after his mission. However, because of the order of the revelation of the verses of the Qur’an, some believe that the Prophet’s (PBUH) public invitation was carried out very shortly after the first revelation.