Mawlid al Nabi is a celebration that occurs globally in the third month of the Islamic Calendar during Rabi’ al-awwal, celebrated on the 12th Rabi’ al-awwal.

It was declared as an official holiday by the Ottomans in 1588 which at the time was named, Mevlid Kandil. Special prayers are made, and minarets are illuminated in this process.

Mawlid is celebrated in almost all Islamic countries, and in other countries that have a significant Muslim population, such as Ethiopia, India, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, France, Germany, Italy, Iraq, Iran, Maldives, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Russia and Canada.

In Turkey, Mawlid is widely celebrated. It is referred to as Mevlid Kandili in Turkish, which means "the candle feast for the Prophet's birthday".

Traditional poems regarding Prophet Muhammad's life are recited both in public mosques and at home in the evening.

The most celebrated of these is the Mawlid of Süleyman Çelebi. Plenty of other mawlids were written in Ottoman times. (ILKHA)