This Day in History- the Hijra or Migration

[أبو الحسنيين]

[frame="14 10"]IN THE NAME OF GOD THE COMPASSIONATE THE MERCIFUL

*THIS DAY IN HISTORY
*THE 01st of MOHARRAM 01AH
*THE 01st of MOHARRAM 1430 AH
*ELAPSED TIME: 1429 YEARS
*THE HIJRA OR MIGRATION



The Hijra or Migration of the Blessed Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), and his Companions to the city of Medina or Yathrib occurred in the month of September 622 CE, undoubtedly, the Hijra from Makkah to Madinah, is one of the greatest landmarks in the history of Islam, it is a unique event in the history of humankind, as such the Hijra marks the beginning of the construction of an ideal Islamic society in all aspects of life, contains several lessons moreover , it also gives us the message of hope.


Some may ask why was the Hijra chosen as the starting point of the Islamic calendar year and not the dates of the birth and the death of the Holy Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), the date of the revelation of the Holy Quran or even the dates of the victories in the battle fields, such as the conquest of Mecca or triumphs in Badr or Yarmuk?

Hijra was chosen because it was the first major sacrifice offered by the Islamic Ummah for the preservation of faith in its formative stages , furthermore , the word “Hijra” has often been misrepresented by many Western scholars as it means neither flight nor fleeing , the Arabic word “Hajara” means: to break off from the relations or abandon one’s tribe.

The Islamic Calendar was not fixed right after Hijra (the event of tremendous proportions in the history of Islam), but started from the 17th year of Hijra, the decision was taken in the fourth year of the Caliphate of Omar Ibn Al Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam, who felt motivated to institute the Islamic calendar and is reported to have remarked, “The Hijra has separated truth from falsehood, therefore, let it become the epoch of the era.”

The Hijra teaches the believers about advanced preparations and adequate planning, which are highly essential for the propagation of the Islamic system of life, it also highlights the total submission of the believers to the Will of Almighty Allah as they leave behind everything that is dear to them including their family, wealth, homes and parents and this is the only possible for those who have strong faith and commitment to the cause of Islam.

It would be worth recalling that once the Blessed Prophet Mohamed discovered that the “Quraysh” had plotted to kill him rather than to allow him to emigrate to Madinah where he might entrench the forces of Islam for a resolute stand against Makkah and from where he might cut off its trade with al Sham., no one doubted that the Beloved Prophet would hence-forth seize any opportunity to carry out his plan for emigration , but no one knew of any plans he might have had; not even Abu Bakr, who had been commanded to keep two beasts alert and ready ever since he asked the Prophet for permission to emigrate and the Prophet advised him to wait.

The Blessed Prophet remained in Makkah until he learned of the Quraysh's plot to assassinate him, and until none but the fewest Muslims were still left there with him so he waited for the command of his Lord for emigration and when, finally, that command did come, he went to the house of Abu Bakr and informed him of the permission God had granted, he asked Abu Bakr to accompany him on the trip.

Surely in the midst of these great events in the History of Islam and Muslims, begins one of the greatest adventures that history has ever known in the cause of truth and genuine religious conviction , It is one of the noblest and most beautiful. Abu Bakr had chosen his two beasts and given them to “'Abdullah Ibn Urayqit” to graze until the time when they would be needed , and when the two men planned to leave Makkah they were absolutely certain that Quraysh would follow them in their trail in order to seize them and bring them back.

Here, the Blessed Prophet decided to surprise his enemies by leaving under circumstances and at a time hardly conceivable to them , the young men whom the Quraysh had prepared for performing the assassination had blockaded his house during the night in fear that he might run away , and on the night of the Hijra, the Blessed Prophet confided his plan to the young Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (A.S) and asked him to cover himself with the Prophet's green mantle from “Hadramawt” and to sleep in the Prophet's bed, he also instructed him to tarry in Makkah until he had returned all things left with the Beloved Prophet Mohamed to their rightful owners.

The Quraysh men waiting to kill the Prophet felt reassured whenever, looking through a hole in the door, they saw somebody sleeping in the Prophet's bed and just before dawn, the Blessed Prophet left without being noticed, picked up Abu Bakr at the latter's house and from there they proceeded through a back door southward toward the cave of “Thawr”, the southerly direction of their flight was inconceivable to everyone.


In this cave of “Thawr” occurred one of the great Divine miracles of all Apostles of God , the cobwebs, the two wild pigeons, and the tree and its branches these are the miracles which the biography books relate concerning the hiding in the cave of Thawr , this great miracle is that none of these things were there when the Prophet and his companion entered the cave, and that thereafter, the spider hurried to weave its cobwebs, the two pigeons to build their nest and to lay their eggs, and the tree to grow its branches around the door.

However, the Holy Quran describes in such fascinating manner the story of these miracles:
“When the unbelievers plotted to imprison you, to kill you or to banish you, God planned on your behalf, and He is the best of planners , If you [the people] do not help Mohamed, then know that God Will, For God helped him when the unbelievers drove him out, and he and his companion hid in the cave, At that time, the Prophet said to his companion, “Grieve not for God is with us”, It was then that God sent down his peace upon him and assisted him with hosts invisible that the word of God might be supreme and that of the unbelievers might be repudiated , For God is almighty and all wise”.[Holy Quran : 8:30; 9:40]

Analysing the events of this paramount event of the Hijra will lead us to double efforts regarding the high profile attributes that the Blessed Prophet did carry for instance, returning trusts and things that had been entrusted to him and hand over what remained to a very highly God fearing Man, Ali, is something to genuinely meditate over, and in this very “hard and very difficult situation” faith and highly inspired moral values do not deter the Muslim from carrying his duties.

What is required from us is to duly reserve a lapse of our time to meditate and to take the lessons that were laid down from this event of Hijra, as the clear hopes of Islamic revivalism make us courageous to proceed in the way of Almighty Allah, and it is an obvious matter, that the Islamic calendar contains several lessons and reminds us about the marvellous lessons from the life mission of the Blessed Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and let’s wholeheartedly hope from our deepest mind and heart that with this event of Hijra , Muslims will be more “United” than before especially in this very time where the strongest enemies of Almighty God and the Believers “the Zionists” are carrying one of the most terrible crimes against humanity and against innocent civilians in the “bloody ornamented land “of Palestine and Gaza.[/frame]