Various Opinions on the Birth Date of Prophet Muhammad

The popular opinion among scholars and Muslims is that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born on Monday, 12 Rabiul Awal. However, some scholars hold that he was born on the eighth of the same month, while others say the tenth. Yet another view places his birth on the night of the twelfth.

Az Zubair bin Bakar stated, “Prophet Muhammad was born in the month of Ramadan.” However, this opinion is considered anomalous (shadhdh). This was related by As Suhaili in his Ar-Raudh. Regarding the year of the Prophet’s birth, the great event took place in the Year of the Elephant, precisely 50 days after the event.

Some say it was 58 days after, while others say ten years after. Another opinion states it was 30 years after the event of the Elephant army, and yet another says 40 years after.

The correct view is that Prophet Muhammad was born in the Year of the Elephant itself. This opinion was related by Ibrahim bin Al-Mundzir Al Khuzami, the teacher of Imam Al Bukhari, and Khalifah bin Khayyath as well as other scholars by consensus.

This explanation is sourced from the book Al-Fushuul fii Siirat Ar Rasuul written by Al Hafizh Ibnu Katsir, published by Daar Ghiras-Kuwait in 2003 and translated by Abu Ihsan al-Atsari, then republished by Pustaka Imam Asy-Syafi’i.

Regarding the death of the Prophet’s father, there are also several opinions. One holds that he passed away while the Prophet was still in his mother’s womb. Another view says his father died several months after the Prophet’s birth.

Some even say the Prophet’s father died two years after his birth. However, the first opinion is more widely known.

Prophet Muhammad was nursed among the Bani Sa’ad tribe. His wet nurse was named Halimah As Sa’diyyah, as narrated with an authentic chain of transmission. The Prophet remained with that tribe during the period of Halimah’s nursing, around four years.