12 Rabi ul Awal 2025: Islamic Calendar 2025 & Prophet’s Birthday
The Islamic calendar has lunar cycles, which is why it differs from the Gregorian calendar. A Hijri month starts with a sighting of a new moon. The calendar is used by Muslims worldwide to mark holy days, including Ramadan, Hajj, and Eid. Ramadan 1446 started on March 1, 2025. June 26, 2025 (1 Muharram 1447) was the beginning of the Hijri year 1447. Since the number of days in the Islamic year is approximately 11 days less, the Islamic dates advance earlier each Gregorian year. 12 Rabi al-Awwal 2025 will occur on 5-6 September 2025, depending on the country you’re living in and moon sighting.
The lunar character of the calendar implies that 12 Hijri months amount to approximately 354 days (less than 11 days per 365-day solar year). The calendar set was from 622 CE, when the Prophet Muhammad moved (Hijra) from Makkah to Madinah. All important rituals and festivals are planned by Muslims with the help of this calendar. e.g. Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha. Likewise, the Islamic New Year (1 Muharram 1447) was on June 26, 2025, and the Ashura (10 Muharram 1447) was on July 5, 2025.
Everything is based on local moon sightings, so 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1447 (Prophet Muhammad {Salla Llahu Alayhi WaSallam} birthday) will be on either 5-6 September 2025, depending also on the country you happen to be in.
Understanding Rabi al-Awwal
The third month of the Islamic calendar is called Rabi al-Awwal. Rabi means spring, and al-awwal means first, thus Rabi al-Awwal literally translates to the first spring. This title shows regeneration and hope. Its innermost meaning is of history: the Prophet Muhammad, صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, was born during Rabi al-Awwal. According to Islamic scholars, Rabi’ al-Awwal is one of the most important months since this is the month of the birth of the Prophet. The anniversary of that birth is called the Mawlid an-Nabi or Eid Milad un-Nabi, the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal.
The Prophet ﷺ is the Last Messenger.
As the Qur’an states:
he is the “Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets”
During Rabi al-Awwal, Muslims reflect on his life and also go through the seerah of the Prophet PBUH.
As Allah says:
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad ﷺ) you have a good example to follow”
By honoring the birth of the Prophet PBUH, Muslims renew their commitment to follow the teachings of the Prophet PBUH.
Celebrating Mawlid al-Nabi (12 Rabi al-Awwal)
Mawlid an-Nabi is celebrated by Muslims in different ways. Such festivals are more about enriching the soul and community than material gifts. Plans are usually made way ahead of the day. In most homes, individuals wash and adorn their houses. Special foods are prepared. Events are planned at community centers and mosques. Common activities during Mawlid include:
- Reciting Quran and Naʽat: Devotional poems (Naʽat) praising the Prophet ﷺ are recited on this day.
- Sharing the Prophet’s biography (Seerah): To encourage people with his character and the challenges he went through, families and scholars retell the stories in his life.
- Charitable giving and community meals: Acts of charity and feeding the poor are underlined. (Prophet Muhammad said serving others is one of the best ways of honoring him).
- Group prayers and lectures: Special sermons in the mosques to emphasize the message of the Prophet can be made. Unity and love are built through communal meetings.
One of the main themes of Islamic celebrations is charity, and Mawlid cannot be an exception. Compassion and empathy are among the positive characteristics of Islamic teachings, and on 12 Rabi al-Awwal, Muslims attempt to express their affection to the Prophet Salla Llahu Allayhim WaSallam by imitating his core message of assisting the poor. Indicatively, most of them give donations to food drives or clinics in their communities during the birthday of the Prophet. Organizations and individuals in our modern age also donate Zakat or host fundraisers to remind themselves of the mercy of the Prophet.
It should also be noted that various Muslim groups observe Mawlid in a variety of ways. There might be large processions or feasts of publicity; some like banquets; others like quiet study circles; some just sending blessings to the Prophet {صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم}. The traditions all concur on one thing: that the day is an occasion to recollect the life and message of the Prophet.
As the Qur’an instructs believers to send salutations on the Messenger:
Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace”of Allah (Muhammad ﷺ) you have a good example to follow
In a hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said:
Whoever invokes blessings on me once, Allah will bless him ten times
Thus, Muslims often say ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam (peace be upon him) whenever his name is mentioned, especially on 12 Rabi al-Awwal.
Using the 2025 Islamic Calendar
It is not difficult to know when 12 Rabi al-Awwal 2025 is using the Islamic calendar or a date converter. Based on the trusted calendars, 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1447 AH will happen on September 5-6, 2025, as well as it will depend on your country and location. (This minute variation is owing to local moon observations.)
By way of reference, the following is a brief look at other important Islamic dates in 2025 (Gregorian year) with their Hijri dates.
- Ramadan 1446: Beginning of Ramadan, started on March 1, 2025.
- Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power): was on March 26, 2025 (27 Ramadan 1446)
- Eid al-Fitr (1 Shawwal 1446): March 30, 2025
- Hajj 1446: ~June 4-6, 2025 (8-10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1446)
- Islamic New Year (1 Muharram 1447): June 26, 2025.
- Day of Ashura (10 Muharram 1447): July 5, 2025
- Mawlid an-Nabi (12 Rabi al-Awwal 1447): Sep 5-6, 2025
You may have planned last Ramadan, or be planning Ramadan 2026, you may be learning about the history of Islam, or you may be preparing for the birthday of the Prophet; in either case, learners will turn to educational materials. Nowadays, online Quran and Islamic studies programs empower a lot of students. Here are a few examples that can be taught by an online Quran tutor or class: the Seerah of the Prophet and the importance of Islamic dates. Such online classes can make everyone of any age learn at home, extending their understanding of events such as 12 Rabi al-Awwal in addition to the study of the Quran. Apex Quran Academy is one of the best institutes that provide such online one-to-one classes.
Key Lessons and Reflections
Rabi al-Awwal (and the birthday of the Prophet, in particular) is all about values. Muslims assume that the Prophet brought mercy and justice to everyone through a message. Compassion, honesty, and humility were taught to him by his life. Parents in this month tend to remind their children about the benevolence of the Prophet (like educating children, being just, and forgiving others). Many recite Quranic verses that highlight his status, such as “And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Quran 21:107) or “You have a good example in the Messenger of Allah” (Quran 33:21).
A Hadith (saying of the Prophet ﷺ) famously says: “Send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, for your blessings reach him wherever you are.”. This reminds Muslims to think of him all year round and not only on his birthday. In contemporary times, families may view a short-length documentary on his life, visit a local lecture, or just sit together and read the stories of real Seerah books. The soul is one of gratitude to be guided.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is 12 Rabi ul Awwal 2025?
12 Rabi al-Awwal in 1447 AH is expected to be on September 5-6, 2025. The exact Gregorian date depends on the moon sighting, but most sources agree on Sept 5 or 6 for Eid Milad un-Nabi in 2025. It is wise to check closer to the date via a local Islamic authority in your country or region, or a reliable calendar.
What is the Islamic date for Mawlid al-Nabi 2025?
Mawlid an-Nabi 2025 will be on 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1447 AH. It will be seen on this 12th day of Rabi al-Awwal in South Asia and in most places. Since the Hijri year 1447 is from mid-2025 to mid-2026, 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1447 is on 5-6 September 2025.
What is the significance of Rabi al-Awwal?
Rabi al-Awwal is referred to as the first spring, and it is holy since it is during this month that the Prophet, Salla Llahu Alayhi WaSallam, was born. His life and teachings are still remembered during Rabi al-Awwal, particularly on the 12th. It is time to think, to wish peace to the Prophet (like Allah orders in Quran 33:56), to learn from his example in our daily life.
How is Eid Milad un-Nabi celebrated?
Different cultures have different celebrations. The traditions are to recite the Quran, praise the Prophet (in poems and sermons), to tell the good news of his Seerah to children, and to give charity. Another way of loving the Prophet is by Muslims adhering to his Sunnah (way). Most of the communities have special celebrations in mosques or residences to remember his birth, but instead of celebrating the world, they focus on spiritual development.
Why do Islamic dates shift each year?
Since the Hijri calendar is lunar (approximately 354 days), it is approximately eleven days short of the solar year.. So an Islamic date such as 12 Rabi al-Awwal shifts leftward on the Gregorian calendar every year. To plan the process, a convenient tool is an Islamic date converter or an application that allows one to change Hijri and Gregorian dates quickly (e.g., when Ramadan or Eid will take place).
How can I learn more about the Islamic calendar and the Prophet’s life?
There are many sources like Seerah books, reliable Islamic online sources, and talks by other scholars. You can also take online Quran and Islamic studies courses, whereby the teachers discuss the life of the Prophet and the importance of the Islamic months. Most families refer to such tools as Hijri calendars or applications to educate children on significant days. The structured way of learning, in a local mosque or in an online course, is what helps to relate faith to everyday life.
Knowing the Islamic Calendar also benefits Muslim life by putting the purpose of each day in perspective. A 2025 reminder that 12 Rabi ul Awwal is on 5-6 September assists believers in mentally and spiritually preparing for Mawlid an-Nabi. On these dates, we should remember the Quranic instruction to respect the Prophet, Salla Llahu Alayhi WaSallam, and enrich our souls with the guidance of the Prophet PBHU. May this guide guide you to plan and enjoy the blessings of 1447/2025.