Hijrah: Islamic New Year

IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Almighty Allah says in Qur’an, Taubah, 9:36, “The number of months in the sight of God Is twelve (in a year)— So ordained by Him The day He created the heavens and the earth; Of them four are sacred: That is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves Therein, and fight the Pagans All together as they Fight you all together. But know that God Is with those who restrain Themselves.”

Another 12 full calendar months have rolled by for the Muslim faithful across the world. Another divine year is complete. The Hijra calendar New Year is here.

Another commemoration of the holy flight of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Makkah to Madinah is here (Q.8:30; 9:40). Another joyful moment for the Muslim faithful is here when the Prophet triumphed over all persecutions, humiliation and attempted killing by the pagans in Makkah after preaching the oneness of Allah for 13 years in Makkah. Another reflection moment over the victorious incident of 622A.D. is here when the conveyor of the Message escaped death with his followers for delivering the divine message (Qur’an 36:1-9). Another period to ponder the miraculous victory of Islam over all religions as the Divine religion named by Allah for Mankind is here when it escaped elimination as its leader survived extinction.

Almighty Allah reminds Prophet Muhammad (SAW) how He saved him on the Day of Emigration from Makkah to Madinah on Friday, September 24, 622 A.D. (13 Rabiul-Awwal, 1) in Holy Qur’an, Anfal, 8:30, “Remember how the unbelievers plotted against thee to keep thee in bonds or slay thee or get thee out (of thy home). They plot and plan and God too plans but the best of planners is God.”

Also, God Almighty testifies that the only companion of the Prophet (SAW) on the day of the emigration from Makkah to Madinah (Hijrah) from the persecutors, killers, and tormentors was Abu-Bakr Siddique.

According to Holy Qur’an, Taubah, 9:40, “If ye help not (your Leader), (It is no matter): for God Did indeed help him, When the Unbelievers Drove him out: he had No more than one companion: They two were in the Cave, and he said to his companion, ‘Have no fear, for God Is with us’: then God Sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces Which ye saw not, and humbled to the depths the word Of the Unbelievers. But the word of God Is exalted to the heights: For God is Exalted in might, Wise.”

It was truly miraculous (Mujiza), how Almighty Allah saved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) when the killer-idolaters stormed his house to murder him on emigration day (Hijrah). The invaders slept off as Prophet Muhammad (SAW) placed his cousin Alli Bin Abu-Talib on his bed and walked past them while he recited these verses: “Ya Sin. By the Qur-an, Full of Wisdom, — Thou art indeed One of the apostles, On a Straight Way. It is a Revelation Sent down by (Him) The Exalted in Might, Most Merciful, In order that thou mayest Admonish a people, Whose fathers had received No admonition, and who Therefore remain heedless (Of the Signs of God).  The Word is proved true Against the greater part of them: For they do not believe. We have put yokes Round their necks Right up to their chins, so that their heads are Forced up (and they cannot see). And We have put A bar in front of them and a bar behind them, and further, We have Covered them up; so that They cannot see.”

The Holy Qur’an, Hajj 22:27-33, says, “Behold! We gave the site, To Abraham, of the (Sacred) House, (Saying): ‘Associate not anything (In worship) with Me; And sanctify My House For those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (Therein in prayer). And proclaim the Pilgrimage Among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) On every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys Through deep and distant Mountain highways; That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them, and celebrate the name Of God, through the Days Appointed, over the cattle Which He has provided for them (For sacrifice): then eat ye Thereof and feed the distressed Ones in want. “Then let them complete the rites prescribed for them, perform their vows, and (again) circumambulate The Ancient House.” Such (is the Pilgrimage): Whoever honour the sacred Rites of God, for him It is good in the sight of his Lord. Lawful to you (For food in pilgrimage) are cattle, except those mentioned to you (As exceptions): but shun the abomination of idols, And shun the word That is false, — Being true in faith to God, And never assigning partners To Him: if anyone assigns Partners to God, he is As if he had fallen From heaven and been snatched up By birds, or the wind Had swooped (like a bird On its prey) and thrown him Into a far-distant place.  Such (is his state): and Whoever holds in honour The Symbols of God, (In the sacrifice of animals), Such (honour) should come truly from piety of heart. In them ye have benefits For a term appointed: In the end their place Of sacrifice is near The Ancient House.”

And we are witnessing the first lunar month, Muharram, in the New Year, which is one of the four sacred months when wars, battles, and all forms of hostilities and wrangling are strictly forbidden. It is the Blessed month of Istijabah in which we have the blessed night of Ashura (10th Muharram) when prayers of prophets, great sheikhs, and ulama were answered and granted. Ashura falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. For Sunnis, Ashura commemorates the exodus of Moses from Egypt, and is usually observed by completing an optional fast as practised by Prophet Muhammad. This day also marks the anniversary of the tragic death of the Prophet’s grandson, Husain at the hands of the Umayyad ruler Yazid. For Shi’as, the day is marked with mourning and often with re-enactment of the tragic event.

The use of the Islamic lunar month calendar in the reckoning of dates is as old as creation (Qur’an 9:36). But the adoption of the great event of Hijrah, i.e., emigration of Prophet Muhammad and his companions from Makkah to Madinah as the beginning of the Muslim era took place during the caliphate of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, the second caliph after Prophet Muhammad (SAW). We are now heralding the year 1446 after Hijrah.

This is wishing Muslims worldwide a happy Islamic New Year.

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