Palestinians in Jerusalem commemorate Prophet's birth

By Abdel Rauouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Palestinian Muslims on Tuesday marked the anniversary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

Hundreds took part in the celebration, which was organized by Jerusalem's Jordan-run Religious Endowments Authority.

The event saw sermons delivered by Mohamed Hussein, mufti of Jerusalem; Wasif al-Bakri, supreme Sharia judge for Jerusalem; and Yasser Abu Ghazaleh, an advisor to the endowments authority.

The celebration was overseen by Youssef Abu Sneineh, the imam (preacher) of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Muslims around the world mark the Prophet’s birthday on the 12th day of Rabi al-Awwal, the third month on the Islamic calendar.

The day is a public holiday in several Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Palestine and in some parts of India.

Prophet Muhammad passed away at the age of 63 -- on the same day as his birth -- in the city of Medina in the year 632 AD.