Al-Awwal

How the scholars invoke Al-Awwal.

1. "Ibn Abbas said, The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was born on a Monday in the month of Rabi al-Awwal, and prophethood was bestowed upon him on a Monday at the beginning of the month of Rabi al-Awwal. The chapter of al-Baqarah was revealed to him on a Monday in Rabi al-Awwal. This is indeed very strange, as narrated by Ibn Asakir."

   — Ibn Kathir, Volume 2 — From the Israelite Prophets to Pre-Islamic Arabia

2. "Amr ibn Shabba al-Numayri related to me: Ali ibn Muhammad, that is al-Mada'ini, related to us, from Abu Ma'shar and Yazid ibn Iyad, from Ja'da, and from Ghassan ibn Abd al-Hamid and Juwayriya ibn Asma, from their elders, who said: Abu Bakr dispatched the army of Usamah ibn Zayd at the end of Rabi' al-Awwal, and news of the slaying of al-Aswad arrived at the end of Rabi' al-Awwal, after Usamah had set out; and that was the first conquest that Abu Bakr achieved while he was in Madinah."

   — Ibn Kathir, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq

3. "of the polytheists. It is said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, arrived in Medina on a Monday, nearly at noon, on the twelfth night of Rabi al-Awwal. At that time he was thirty-five years old, having been a prophet for thirteen years. He remained in Medina for the rest of Rabi al-Awwal and the following months until he set out for battle in Safar at the beginning of the twelfth month from his arrival."

   — Ibn Kathir, Volume 3 — The Sīrah: From the First Revelation to Badr

4. "Sixteen months before the Hijra, the Isra took place. According to al-Sudi, this event occurred in the month of Dhul Qidah, while al-Zuhri and Urwa state it was in Rabi al-Awwal. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was born in the year of the Elephant on the twelfth day of Rabi al-Awwal. In this month, he was sent as a prophet, ascended to the heavens, migrated, and passed away."

   — Ibn Kathir, Volume 3 — The Sīrah: From the First Revelation to Badr