Muslim Unity at the “Ummat Ahmad” Festival on the Prophet’s Birthday

The “Ummat Ahmad (peace be upon him)” festival is one of Iran’s most significant cultural programs, held annually during the Unity Week to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The “Ummat Ahmad (peace be upon him)” festival is one of Iran’s most significant cultural programs, held annually during the Unity Week to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Unity Week, observed between the 12th and 17th of Rabi al-Awwal each lunar year, was proposed by Imam Khomeini (may God’s mercy be upon him), the founder of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, as a symbol of solidarity between Sunni and Shia Muslims across the Islamic world.

This festival was first launched in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, and after three consecutive years, it expanded this year—on the occasion of the 1500th anniversary of the Prophet’s birth—to cities across Iran. According to official statistics, 9,206 celebrations were held in 307 cities nationwide, along with 11 major festivals under the name of “Ummat Ahmad” in provinces such as Kurdistan, Tehran, Fars, Qom, Isfahan, Golestan, Hormozgan, and Sistan & Baluchestan.

Special programs included recitations of Islamic chants and poems, speeches by religious and cultural figures, popular street carnivals, cultural and artistic exhibitions, street plays, daf performances, children’s and youth entertainment, as well as participation by national and local artists. In Sanandaj alone, tens of thousands of people took part, with guests from 17 Iranian provinces and 7 Islamic countries also attending.

This year’s highlight was the presence of both Sunni and Shia Muslims side by side, celebrating the Prophet’s birth in an atmosphere of brotherhood and unity. On social media, users contrasted the ban on Prophet’s birthday celebrations in Syria by the Jolani administration with Iran’s grand public festivities, calling it a clear reflection of the difference between a Takfiri regime and a Muslim, Shi’a-led state honoring the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In 2025, Iran stood as the host of the largest Prophet’s birthday celebrations in the entire Muslim world.