The King of Irbil, Abu Sa`eed alMuzaffar bin Baktakeen Kawkabriyy, initiated the Mawlid in the 7th Hijriy century and was the first person to do so. He was a pious, brave, just, generous and knowledgeable ruler and defender of Islam, who died while fighting the Crusaders in Palestine. He invited many Muslims to celebrate the Mawlid including the scholars of Hadeeth, Tafseer, Fiqh and sincere Sufis.