Mawlid, also known as Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi, is an Islamic observance of the day when the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have been born. It is commemorated in Rabi al-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar, and is generally approved of across the four Sunni schools of law and by mainstream Islamic scholarship. The celebration includes prayer services, recitations of poetry and litanies, as well as religious gatherings. In many predominantly Muslim countries, Mawlid al-Nabi is a major public holiday. However, some Muslims refuse to participate in this observance, feeling it is an innovation which places too much emphasis on the Prophet as human and distracts from the true divine source of revelation. The various ethnic groups in the American Muslim community bring their distinct customs to the festival observance of Mawlid al-Nabi, which may include regional poetry, songs, litanies, and dishes. Celebrations of the Mawlid in America and distinctly English forms of poetry, songs, and literature show the increasing importance of Mawlid al-Nabi amongst American Muslims.