From: The Friday Report

The month of Muharram marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar year and reminds the Muslims of an event of the utmost importance and joy: The Hijrah or emigration of the Prophet (SAW) and his companions (RA) from Makkah to Madinah. Hijrah was the turning point that transferred the status of Muslims from weakness to strength, from stray and instability to togetherness and establishment of state and nation. Solely, the Hijrah stands to be the greatest event in the Muslim history. This was rightly described in the Qur'an:"If you help him (Muhammad) not, it does not matter, for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (the Prophet and Abu Bakr) were in the cave, and he said to his companion: Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us. Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness and peace) upon him and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the word of Allah that became the uppermost and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." [9:40].

In the light of the reality of the Muslim's life today, the Hijrah should not be looked at as an event of the past that is to be remembered in words and to feel good about. It is rather, a time of reconciliation with Allah, a time to ponder and reflect on how again could Muslims become as strong and as united as became the Muslims who made the first Hijrah. Let us think and learn and remember that our Creator, the All-Truthful has said in the Qur'an: "Verily! Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change their state (in relation to obeying Him) and if Allah wills a people a punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find beside Him no protector."[12:11]

In the Hijrah, there is a great lesson of patience, continuation of struggle, steadfastness and not surrendering to oppressors or negotiating the word of Allah with them. Hijrah teaches us that reaching goals and achieving victory is indeed a product of patience and struggle, whether in one's own country or in a place of Hijrah. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was forced out of Makkah with not even enough food for the road, but that neither weakened him nor made him give up any of his beliefs or change part of his message to humanity. Not bending to any pressure or stopping before any obstacle, he continued struggling till Allah gave him victory over his enemies. In that fashion, Hijrah was all good and blessing and a means of success for his Da'wah.

The Qur'an says: "He who emigrates (from his home) in the cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by." [4:100]. This is a great consolation and comfort for many of today's believers who chose to follow the methodology and footsteps of the prophets (SAW) and had to face all kinds of trouble and were forced to flee their country. All of them and those who suffer everyday because they say: Allah is our Lord, should not feel desperate or be afraid for Allah has promised them victory as long as they continue to work hard and patiently, as long as they maintain sincerity to Allah in their work.
In Hijrah, the most truthful and strongest brotherhood was established between Muhajireen and Ansar (emigrants and those who received them). Founded in sincerity to Allah and by breaking all of the social cast and taboo, this brotherhood stands in the history of humanity with no equal or match. It melted all differences because Islam says: "Verily, the most honorable of you in the Sight of Allah is the one who has piety and fear of Allah" [49:13] and because Muslims can only be brothers; "The Believers are nothing else but brothers." [49:10] Materialism, both Marxist and liberal explains human motives in light of material gains and losses. But the Hijrah showed the strongest of human motives to be non-material. The Prophet (SAW) said: "...and whoever emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Prophet, his emigration is, then for Allah and his Prophet; and whoever emigrated for a worldly gain or to marry a woman; his emigration is just for that" (Bukhari and Muslim).

The main reason behind the fact that today's Muslims have drastically failed to show unity and solidarity amongst themselves is the lack of true brotherhood. How can we think of unity and strength when we do not have it? The one nation, the strong state and government can be achieved only if founded on brotherhood. The Hijrah clearly showed us that the early Muslims did just that.

Those early Muslims were able, in their emigration, to spread a creed (Aqeedah), establish Allah's code (Sharee'ah) and build a statehood (Dawlah) and never rested until they returned to their own land and peacefully defeated their enemy who embraced the new religion after seeing the effects it had on the minds and character of who those emigrated for its sake. The sad reality of Muslims today, the huge loss of land and country and the defeats and sufferings they have received on the hands of their enemies from east and west are true manifests of Allah's displeasure with them and that He (SWT) has left us to ourselves and to them. The only way out of all these miseries is through repentance to Allah and by pledging to "emigrate" to Him; truthfully and sincerely like the Prophet (SAW) and companions (RA) did a long time ago. An "emigration" or Hijrah by one's heart, soul and mind that is truly guided by the saying: "... and the emigrant is the one who 'emigrates' all of that which was made forbidden by Allah." (Bukhari)