5 July 2024
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
The Prophet’s Guidance (Sunna) and the Significance of the Hijrah (Islamic New Year 1446). In a hadith narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and others on the authority of Al-Irbad bin Sariyah, may Allah be pleased with him, he recounted: "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, delivered a sermon that caused our hearts to tremble and our eyes to shed tears. We said, 'O Messenger of Allah, it is as if this is a farewell sermon, so advise us.' He said, 'I advise you to fear Allah Almighty, to listen and obey even if a servant is appointed over you. Whoever lives after me will see much disagreement. Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after me. Hold on to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance.'
The Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, urges us to adhere to his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs—Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. As we welcome the new Islamic year, we remember the significant event of the Prophet’s migration (Hijrah), which marked the formation of the Islamic nation in an independent Islamic state.
During their time in Mecca, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his companions, may God be pleased with them, endured severe persecution. They faced beatings, torture, hunger, and ridicule. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is narrated that Khabbab bin Al-Art, may Allah be pleased with him, approached the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was in the shade of the Kaaba and asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, won't you pray for us?' The Prophet replied, 'Among those before you, a man would be sawed in half or have his flesh combed with iron combs, and that would not turn him away from his religion.'
Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, was tortured with a stone on his chest in the intense heat, and yet he remained steadfast. The Prophet and his companions faced severe hardships, but they were patient until Allah granted them victory. When the Prophet gave permission for his companions to migrate to Medina, the Quraysh tried to prevent them and even plotted to kill the Prophet. However, Allah informed His Prophet of their plans, and with Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, sleeping in his place, the Prophet safely reached the cave. The Quraysh, deceived by a spider’s web at the cave’s entrance, failed to find him.
After three nights, the Prophet and Abu Bakr continued their journey to Medina. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, expressed fear, but the Prophet reassured him, 'Do not be sad, Allah is with us.'
This migration marked a turning point between truth and falsehood, strengthening the Muslims and elevating the word of Allah. The annual Hijri calendar was established during the caliphate of Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, after a suggestion from Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, who noted the need for a consistent calendar. The Companions agreed to start the calendar from the migration and then debated on which month to begin the year. Some suggested Ramadan, the month the Qur’an was revealed, while others proposed Rabi’ al-Awwal, when the Prophet arrived in Medina. However, Umar, Uthman, and Ali chose Muharram, as it follows the month of Hajj, completes the pillars of Islam, and marks the Ansar’s pledge to the Prophet.
Muslims adopted this calendar in compliance with the Prophet’s guidance to follow his Sunnah and that of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Allah Almighty has informed us that the number of months is twelve, of which four are sacred. The way to know these months is through the sighting of the crescent. When the crescent is seen in the west after sunset, the new month has begun. This event reminds us of the trials faced by the early Muslims and the importance of steadfastness and faith in Allah's support.p>
happy new year 1446