Rabi’ al-Awwal is a significant time of spiritual rebirth, renewal, and increased charitable giving for Muslims worldwide. Keep reading to discover more about this sacred month in Islam!
Every year, Muslims around the world celebrate the blessed month of Rabi’ al-Awwal.
In this article, we shed some light on what this significant month means, when it will be celebrated in 2025, and common practices Muslims partake in.
We’ll also share how Islamic organizations can make giving easy for the ummah.
As the third month of the Islamic Hijri calendar, Rabi’ al-Awwal marks the birth month of the Prophet Muhammad and follows the sacred months of Muharram and Safar.
Rabi’ al-Awwal translates to “the first spring” in Arabic and is considered a blessed month of spiritual renewal and new life.
Many Islamic scholars also hold the view that the Prophet passed away during this month, following a period of illness.
The 12th day of Rabi’ al-Awwal is known as Mawlid or Milad un-Nabi, and is the official day of the Prophet’s birthday. Hosting festivities and feasts and hanging colorful lights, crescents, and other decorations in homes are common practices, as are increased acts of kindness and sadaqah (charity in Islam).
Muslims also spend quality time with family and friends, and often exchange sweets as gifts.
In some parts of the world, dhikr gatherings are a cherished tradition, bringing people together to recite sacred poetry and offer salutations to the Prophet. In other countries, religious programs take preference, with Muslims gathering in masjids to pray and recite the Quran.
The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar, with each month beginning at the sighting of a new month.
The start of Rabi’ al-Awwal depends on the sighting of a new moon, but is expected to begin on August 24th and end on September 22nd, 2025.
Mawlid – the 12th day of this significant month – will take place on September 4th or 5th, 2025.
Rabi’ al-Awwal is of equal importance to other significant months in the Hijri calendar, such as Ramadan or Dhul Hijjah. However, there aren’t any obligatory acts of worship required by Muslims.
Still, there are common practices to commemorate this sacred month that enable the ummah to receive multiplied blessings from Allah and acknowledge the role of the Prophet in Islamic history.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect during Rabi’ al-Awwal in 2025.
Charitable giving and acts of kindness increase significantly during Rabi’ al-Awwal. Many consider sadaqah and good deeds to be the most significant ways to honor the life and teachings of the Prophet, who gave selflessly to the less fortunate.
Muslims also partake in acts of kindness, such as feeding the poor, visiting the sick, and caring for orphans. They can also give zakat or sadaqah to a trustworthy Islamic organization or masjid.
The rewards for giving sadaqah include:
Many Muslim charities and organizations run special campaigns during this sacred month, making it easy for the ummah to assist the underprivileged.
Muslims fast to express sacrifice and gratitude to Allah for sending the Prophet as a messenger and for revealing the Holy Quran on this day.
Fasting on Mondays is sunnah (common practice) during Rabi’ al-Awwal.
Regular prayer and mosque visits are encouraged to commemorate the Prophet and his teachings.
Muslims often gather with their loved ones and pray together to please Allah. It’s also important to teach children this sunnah.
Rabi’ al-Awwal is the ideal time to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad and mirror his teachings. As mentioned, Muslims can do this by fasting on Mondays, performing a good deed, and giving back to the less fortunate.
Beyond this, it’s good practice to establish a personal list of actions that align with the Prophet’s teachings to establish good habits. This list can include daily prayer, repenting and seeking forgiveness, and reading the Quran.
Masjids and Islamic charities can make it easy for the ummah to donate to causes they care about. Here’s how to boost charitable giving during Rabi’ al-Awwal.
Did you know that only 13% of Americans use cash when making purchases? As for donors, a whopping 63% prefer to donate online.
Since cash is no longer preferred by donors, you need to include contactless fundraising options in your strategy to amplify donations to your cause.
Place a donation kiosk in high-traffic areas, whether that be at the entrance of your masjid or multiple locations at your fundraising event. This encourages the ummah to donate when they feel most moved.
Donorbox Live™ Kiosk allows you to turn your tablet or Android smartphone into a powerful donation kiosk (Tap to Pay coming soon to iOS). Donors can give generously with a single tap, dip, or swipe using credit/debit cards, smartphones, and even smartwatches.
Watch this short video to see how the Islamic Center of Passaic County raised more than $40,000 using Donorbox Live™ Kiosk:
Family-friendly in-person or hybrid fundraising events are a fantastic way to get the ummah together to commemorate Rabi’ al-Awwal!
Get really creative with your event and turn it into a communal feast on the 12th day of this sacred month. Or, ask an Islamic scholar to lead a discussion on the significance of the occasion and share key takeaways for the Muslim community.
Mobilize your fundraising efforts by appointing volunteers to collect cashless donations of zakat or sadaqah using a donation kiosk.
Whatever type of fundraising event you decide to host, use powerful event ticketing software to promote it and sell tickets online, like Donorbox Events. Include custom questions to collect relevant information from attendees during the ticket purchasing process, such as dietary restrictions or seating preferences.
Proceeds from donations can be split to fund your event and help the less fortunate, as an example.
Take a look at how this organization promoted their Mawlid event using Donorbox:
Sell Tickets to Your Event with Donorbox
Bonus resource: Learn how to set up an event form using Donorbox Events in this blog post.
Create a brand-aligned donation form to appeal to the ummah and offer a simple way to boost online donations. You can embed the form on your website or host it for free with a Donorbox donation page.
Remember to include designations like sadaqah, zakat, and Sadaqah Jariyah so donors can indicate their type of gift. Plus, offering multiple payment methods like credit/debit cards and digital wallets make donating to your cause a breeze!
See how the Global Ehsan Relief Malaysia uses Donorbox to raise funds for orphans:
Rabi’ al-Awwal is one of the most sacred months of the year for Muslims across the globe. This special time is marked by increased sadaqah, sunnah, and general acts of kindness that reflect the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
Your Islamic organization can streamline giving for the ummah using powerful online and in-person fundraising tools from Donorbox. Our robust features have already helped more than 100,000 organizations – including Islamic organizations – raise more than $3 billion and counting.
Raise more for your cause when you sign up today.
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Jamy-Lee Holt