Prophet Mohammed's Birthday

Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday is Fiji’s official name for the public holiday commonly known internationally as Mawlid, the commemoration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslim communities have been part of Fiji for generations, especially through the descendants of people who arrived from South Asia during and after the indenture era. Mosques, schools, charitable organisations and civic participation form part of that continuing national presence.

Mawlid practice is not uniform across Islam. Participating communities may hold recitations, lectures, prayers, charitable activities and meals focused on the Prophet’s life and ethical example, while some Muslims do not celebrate birthdays as religious festivals. A careful national guide therefore describes common Fiji observances without implying that every Muslim household follows the same practice.

The civil date moves because the Islamic calendar is lunar. Fiji’s Government consults the Fiji Muslim League and declares the date for each annual public-holiday calendar. For 2026, the official date is Monday, August 24. That declaration is the authority for civil scheduling; a date shown for 2026 should not be projected mechanically into later Gregorian years.