MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Muslims around the world commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal in the Hijri calendar. This year, the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday, known as Mawlid, falls on Sunday, September 15.
The President of Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir called on Muslims to embody the exemplary character, or uswah hasanah, of Prophet Muhammad in their daily lives.
“As the majority of the population in this country, let us practice Islam as a religion of mercy for all creation, promoting goodness, virtue, peace, unity, and the core values of life in personal, family, social, national, and global contexts,” said Haedar on Sunday, September 15.
Haedar urged Muslims to embrace two central principles, namely compassion and mercy for all creation, as the foundation for building a noble civilization in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. He expressed confidence that when Muslims lead in promoting goodness, virtue, truth, justice, unity, and moral excellence in life, they truly follow the Prophet’s example.
“When Muslims become the vanguard of these values, they naturally embody the qualities of uswah hasanah,” said Haedar.
He also emphasized that Prophet Muhammad has provided a model for progress in all aspects of life, encouraging Muslims to develop an enlightened and alternative civilization.
“Muslims should advance pure intelligence, knowledge, and technology, using all the potential which Allah has granted to understand His creation and to establish a superior civilization for all of life on this earth,” Haedar said.
Furthermore, Haedar expressed his hope that Muslims would see Islam and the figure of Prophet Muhammad as role models for cultivating a more civilized, moral, and principled way of life.
The Indonesian people, with their rich cultural heritage, are expected to realize their noble aspirations of building a better life.
“I believe that the commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birth will always be a source of values for goodness, virtue, and the nobility of life for all of us,” he said.
Haedar also called on Muslims to continue spreading peace and righteousness in following the Prophet’s example.
“Let us demonstrate these values through our actions, not through empty rhetoric. We must avoid extremism (ghuluw), hatred, and hostility. The naive belief that one is always right and pure does not reflect the noble character and prophetic mission,” said Haedar.
