Editorial
On Eid-e-Miladunnabi . . .
Let us reassert Holy Prophet's principles
The place of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the life of a Muslim is that of a man whose religiosity and spirituality constitute guidelines for all mankind in every sense of the meaning. That is because the Prophet was one of us, was indeed an individual whose journey through the endless vicissitudes of life gave him to understand the complexities men and women go through along the long trail between life and death. The Holy Prophet's association with the quotidian details of existence before he received the call from divinity is a story which is as much his as it is ours. And then there is, of course, the huge impact Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has had on the lives of millions, on the imaginations of the generations that followed his propagation of Islam. Today, the message of peace and brotherhood and belief in the Almighty he disseminated in his lifetime remains the focus of our dream of what our own lives should be.
On Eid-e-Miladunnabi, therefore, we celebrate the Prophet of Islam. On a larger scale, we celebrate the principles on which he shaped the faith of Islam --- the equality of all human beings, the necessity for tolerance, respect for women --- and thereby informed us that through a practice of inclusive faith it becomes easier for us to congregate around a Creator in whose munificence we thrive and prosper. The Prophet served the caveat, though, that religion is not just a matter of remembering God at particular times of the day. It is also about going about our worldly affairs through fulfilling our responsibilities toward our elders, our children and to broader society. Ethics were what the Prophet of Islam taught us; and with that came the need for respect for other beliefs. Compulsion in matters of faith was anathema to him. And violence in the propagation of Islam, he made it clear, was not to be condoned but rejected for the fear it symbolized. Faith is never about fear. It is always about love for mankind and for the Creator.
It is these principles we must reassert today. Principles, we must remind ourselves, are not merely about recalling them on particular days. They must be part of our being, constant and strong and enduring. Principles give substance to life.
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