Lesson from Hijra

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It coincides with the beginning of the new Hijra year, which is capitol and important occasion in the history of Muslims. What we can do perhaps in few minutes is just highlight in very brief manner seven lessons that we can learn from this event of Hijra (the Migration to Madina).

First Lesson:

The first lesson reminds us with the grace of Allah and his generosity and care about his creation by sending prophets and Messengers to guide humans to the path of Allah and to bring people forth from darkness into light as we read in the Quraan Allah counts his favours. Indeed Allah has bestowed his favour upon the unlettered people, when he sent to them a prophet from among themselves, rehearsing to them.The verses of Allah, to purify them and to teach them the book and the wisdom, even though hence for, they have been in manifest error. This grace of Allah was never a monopoly of the Israelites, nor was it a monopoly of the children of Ismaiil either, but, it was a grace that embrace the whole of humanity, as we read in the Quraan Indeed we have sent in every nation a messenger, meaning teaching namely, worship Allah and ovoid false gods.

The Quraan makes it clear that this mission include it all people, even though some names of the prophets do not appear in the Quraan, Allah says there is no nation or group of people, except that a warner has been sent to them.

Second Lesson:

The second lesson from Hijra reminds us, not only with the phenomenon of sending prophets, but also choosing prophets, as the role model of their people in particular, and humanity at large. Indeed Allah choose the best for his mission, to convey his mission, and that is why Muslims differ. With some literatures we find in previous scriptures, attributing majors sins to those great prophets, for indeed when Allah sent his prophets as he says Allah knows best, where to put his message, or to entrust his message. And surely Allah will not entrust his message, except to the people, who are the purest of hearts, the most clean in their souls, and the most truthful in their words. These are the prophets, respected by Muslims, and indeed all of those good qualities and the essence of that message, has been embodied in the mission of prophet Muhammad, the Man who was truthful as he was called even by his people before his mission.

Third Lesson:

Thirdly, Hijra reminds us with some of the luminous aspects as well as the dark aspects of human nature. It reminds us with the dark aspects in the form of the opposition, and the stance, taken by the idol Arabs, in the face of the call to Allah. Their pride, and vanity and refusal to follow the truth, even though they know it, as Quraan sometimes caught them, admitting, this is the truth, not only this, moving on from there, even to try to prevent and discourage people from following the path of truth, and worst of all, torture, even kill those who chose Islam as their way of life.But in the meantime, we don’t look at humanity with pessimism or optimism, there are both elements there. We look at the luminous aspect of human nature, in the position of the believers, who persevered in patience, in the face of all hurt and assaults against them, and their adherence to the truth that has been revealed onto them, and their readiness to sacrifice their properties and their persons to please Allah.

Fourth Lesson:

The forth lesson from Hijra reminds us with great models and examples of trust in Allah and dependence upon him. Especially when the going becomes rough and difficult, here we see the elect of Allah Muhammad, with his companion Abu Bakr hiding in the cave of thour and those who pursuing them to kill them, reach, just the mouth of the cave, and scared not for himself, but for the prophet, Abu Bakr whispers in the prophet’s ear, if any of them even looked under his feet, he will see us. But then, we get the response of some one who never wavers in his trust in Allah under any circumstance, he tells him with great fortitude, don’t you grieve, suffice Allah, for us, Allah is with us.

Fifth Lesson:

Fifthry, it reminds us also, of the duty of a Muslim, when he or she, can not even fulfil their basic, duties, to migrate, not to migrate to make more money or get higher position, no, the real migration require sacrifice is that intend to be able to practice Islam and carry the message of Islam to the rest of humanity.

Sixth Lesson:

The sixth lesson from Hijra that it reminds us, that Islam is not a religion, in the commonly understood or perceived meaning of religion. In the secular west, and even among some religious people, where religion has been marginalised, to refer only to acts of worship, or certain beliefs, or some aspects of moral behaviour. It reminds us, that Islam is a complete way of living.For the early Muslims, they could have simply stayed in Mecca, rather than leaving their properties, and suffer. They could have prayed secretly in their homes or in the desert. They could have fasted, they could have paid zakat. Who that prevented them from doing this, but that was not the point, the Hijra was not just about going to a place where they can pray and fast or pay zakat, but to a place where they can implement the teaching of Islam in its entirety and comprehensiveness.

In all aspects of their individual, spiritual, social, moral, economic, and yes political life, or way of governess in accordance with the guidance of Allah, that is realizing the true vision of Islam. A complete and comprehensive vision, that is based on understanding of Allah, understanding of the nature of the human, understanding of the universe that Allah created for our use, and the relationship between all ofthose, and achieving the higher objectives of Shariaa, or the higher objectives of the final comprehensive way of life, rather than religion, used in the west.

Seventh Lesson:

Finally, migration also reminds us of the duty of Muslims, to defend or fight for legitimate freedom and their legitimate rights. And stand in the face of all forms of aggression against those rights, against tyranny, oppression, ethnic cleansing, occupation. Even if that requires as a last resort, military confrontation in the battle field. That is why we see the first verse as the scholar suppose, give the Muslims for the first time the right to carry arms, instead of the stage, where they were required to hold back their hands and perform salat, they come a time.And we read it clearly in chapter Haj, that permission has been given to those who have been fought against, not they fought against other, that indeed they were wrong. And that Allah is able to give them victory. And the Quraan continues those driven from their homes, without any due cause, or reason, except that they said our lord is Allah. So let us remember in this place and time our brothers and sisters who are suffering all kind of oppression, murder, ethnic cleansing, occupation and destruction in every place in the world, praying to Allah to destroy those who are occupying and destroy those who are inflicting murder, injustice, bloodshed against them. May Allah help them to restore thdr legitimate rights and destroy those who are destroying them, for indeed Allah is able to do it.

We pray to Allah as we reflect in this few minutes on some of the profound lessons of Hijra. We pray to Allah to reform us as Muslim as to be de servant of his victory, for his victory is promised, not to Muslim who pay lip service to Islam. Allah said indeed we have decreed upon us that we give victory, not to Muslim, but to believers. May Allah make us in higher degree than official Islam give us the quality of Mumin as to deserve his long promised victory which is coming. [Please listen to audio for reminder of the khutbah]