Milad-un-Nabi celebrated with religious ardour (watch pics)

New Delhi: The Prophet's Birthday, or Milad un Nabi as it is commonly known in Muslim culture, is celebrated in most of the Muslim countries and in India as well. The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. While the Shias celebrate it on the 17th of the month, the Sunnis celebrate on the 12th of the month, according to the Islamic calendar. The date of this festival varies in the Gregorian calendar.The celebration of Prophet's birthday is believed to have its origins on the 8th century when the Prophet Muhammad's birth house was converted into a house of prayer by Al-Khayzuran. Al-Khayzuran was the mother of a caliph, Harun-al-Rashid.Watch in pics Muslims celebrating Milad-un-Nabi with religious ardour:Muslim devotees raise their hands in prayer as a head priest displays a relic of Prophet Muhammad An Indian Muslim man sits on a truck during a procession to mark Milad-un-NabiMuslim devotees pray at the Hazratbal shrine on Milad-un-Nabi Tears roll down the cheeks of a Muslim woman on the birth anniversary of Prophet MuhammadKashmiri Muslim women pray outside the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Naqashbandi in SrinagarMuslims offer prayer as it snows in SrinagarIndian Muslims participate in a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad in HyderabadA Muslim boy warms his hands as women offer prayers on Milad-un-Nabi Muslim devotees pray on the birth anniversary of Prophet MuhammadMuslim devotees raise their hands in prayer at the Hazratbal shrine which houses a relic believed to be a hair from the beard of the prophet.