Muslims across Sri Lanka are observing Milad-un-Nabi on Wednesday, commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake calling on them to draw on the Prophet’s teachings to build a society founded on equality and justice.
In a message issued to mark the occasion, the President said the commemoration should go beyond celebration and serve as an opportunity for spiritual reflection and transformation, placing sacrifice at its forefront.
The message
Dissanayake described the Prophet Muhammad as one of the greatest teachers sent to humanity, saying his life illuminated a path of patience and compassion. The hardships endured over 23 years, he said, were directed towards establishing a virtuous society built on peace, brotherhood, purity, trustworthiness and justice.
The President highlighted the Prophet’s rejection of discrimination based on race, caste, colour or social status, saying he taught that humanity originates from a single source and that greatness should be measured through truthfulness, tolerance and compassion.
He said efforts to narrow the gap between the privileged and the disadvantaged, and to safeguard the rights of the oppressed, offered principles for building an equitable society — guidance he linked to Sri Lanka’s aspiration of a country governed by the rule of law and equal treatment.
The President also tied the occasion to his government’s national campaign against illicit drugs, saying Islam rejects forms of vice that undermine both individual purity and the moral foundation of society, and that the Prophet’s example could strengthen efforts to address such challenges.
He said he hoped Sri Lanka could move towards an era in which broken hearts are healed, love is valued over hatred and brotherhood replaces estrangement.
The national festival
The 42nd National Milad-un-Nabi celebration is being held at 3.00 p.m. at Al-Hilal College in Periyamulla, Negombo, under the President’s patronage, alongside religious, educational and community programmes.
The government allocated Rs. 10 million for the development of mosques in the Gampaha District in conjunction with the state festival, and ran a “Welcome to Our Mosque” programme opening the Periyamulla Jumma Masjid and the Negombo Mosque to people of other faiths.
Milad-un-Nabi, also known as Mawlid, falls in Rabi’ al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and is a public and bank holiday in Sri Lanka. Observances vary between Muslim traditions and typically include sermons, recitations, prayers, educational programmes and charitable activities.
Ada Derana’s companion report on the observance carried the date as “today (25)”; the national holiday and the state festival both fall on Wednesday, August 26.
