When is Prophet’s Birthday?
In 2026, Prophet’s Birthday falls on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. It is classified here as a Lebanese public holiday.
History of Prophet’s Birthday
The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday, commonly called Mawlid, falls on 12 Rabi al-Awwal in the Hijri calendar. The remembrance has taken varied forms across the Muslim world: devotional poetry, sermons, charitable food, study, lights and family gatherings are all possible, and views about how to observe it differ among communities and scholars.
Lebanon’s holiday decree recognises the date as a nationwide closure. Its inclusion beside Christian feasts reflects the legal structure of a shared public calendar designed around several religious traditions. As with other lunar dates, the official civil day should be confirmed annually through a current Lebanese notice.
The 2026 Council of Ministers memorandum fixed the public-administration closure for the Prophet’s Birthday on Tuesday, 25 August. That notice provides a confirmed civil date for this calendar instead of an unsupported long-range lunar estimate. Mawlid practice varies: some communities organise Qur’an recitation, praise poetry and public decoration, while others prefer teaching, charity or no special ceremony. The national closure accommodates the occasion without prescribing one theological view or ritual form.
How Prophet’s Birthday is observed
A nationwide public holiday on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. Confirm the annually announced Gregorian date and applicable public- or private-sector arrangements before planning.
Traditions of Prophet’s Birthday
Worship and reflection
Lebanese congregations mark the Prophet’s Birthday through services, prayer and teaching shaped by their own rite, local clergy and community calendar.
Visiting and hospitality
Relatives, neighbours and friends commonly exchange greetings and share food, while the precise menu and visiting pattern differ among Lebanon’s communities.
Giving and care
Charitable gifts, food distributions, remembrance of people in need and attention to older relatives connect Lebanese religious practice with practical care.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Lebanese official and legal guidance. Lunar dates, decree updates and public-service schedules should be confirmed against official notices.
History sources: Lebanese Ministry of Industry: Working Hours and Holidays (Decree No. 15215, as amended), Council of Ministers: official holidays and public closures, Council of Ministers: 2026 Mawlid closure memorandum.
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