In the coming areas some areas are going to be transformed with a number of households putting up Milaad lights.

It may be a welcome opportunity to help spread a peaceful message of the Islam at a time when it being portrayed negatively in the media.

This year for the first time, the period will coincide with the Christmas holidays, so many areas will be lit a lot brighter than before.

Many non-Muslims may well be wondering why so many lights have gone up at this time of year.

The annual Eid Milaad ul-Nabi celebration commemorates the birthday and the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In recent years the celebration has seen households put up lights in their windows and their doorways.

The lights have got bolder and brighter and a stranger may well get confused which area he has come to.

The lights and the commemoration itself is not something everyone celebrates in this way. That is why you may well see a huge contrast around particular mosques.

The coming weeks though will see many use this opportunity to attend lectures, speeches, poems and spiritual songs on the life of Mohammad (PBUH).

Coupled with this is the fact that some mosques will relay their lectures to homes and through digital TV channels.

Some events focus on telling the story of the Prophet’s life to young children, as well as organising for children to tell the stories.

A particular theme in the coming weeks will be the annual Milaad marches. These again have grown in popularity and will take place in the first week of January.

These will attract thousands from across the region and numbers may well be up due to the holidays despite the onset of the colder weather.

Two Blackburn mosques have already announced plans for their Milaad marches. The Ghosia Mosque based on Chester Street will host its procession on Sunday, January 4 and Raza Masjid, based on Randal Street, will hold its march on Sunday, January 11.