Muqtada al-Sadr says marking Prophet Muhammad's birthday is obligatory, not merely permissible

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist Movement, declared during Friday's sermon that Muslims are obligated to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, arguing the observance is a religious duty rather than a matter of personal choice. Delivered in Baghdad during the weekly Friday prayer, the sermon described the birth of the Prophet as "the most beautiful manifestation of God's light." Sadr drew a comparison with the annual commemoration of the Exodus of the Prophet Moses from the Red Sea, marked during Ashura, questioning why Muslims would observe that event while leaving the Prophet's birth uncelebrated. The statement comes during a period in which Muslims around the world mark the Prophet's birthday, known as Mawlid, and follows the spread on social media of content questioning whether such celebrations are religiously permissible. Sadr has led the Sadrist Movement for years and retains a wide following among Iraqi Shia Muslims. No further details on planned observances or official responses were immediately available.