Hijrah & Enlightenment
| Khatib : |
Sadullah Khan |
| Khutbah No: |
224 |
| Khutbah Date: |
01/19/07 |
[b]نِّي لاَ أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَامِلٍ مِّنكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍفَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ وَأُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَأُوذُواْ فِي سَبِيلِي وَقَاتَلُواْ وَقُتِلُواْ لأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ ثَوَابًا مِّن عِندِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الثَّوَابِ[/b][i]Surely, I will not ignore the effort of any worker, male or female, to be lost. You are an integral part of one another. So those who fled and were driven forth from their homes and suffered damage for My cause, who fought for the truth and were slain, verily I shall remit their evil deeds from them and verily I shall enter them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, A reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards. [/i][b][Qur’an 3:195] [/b][b]Muharram[/b]As we leave the old year and enter the new one today, we are about to enter the month of
Muharram of the Islamic lunar calendar, we reflect on the that momentous occasion of the
hijrah from which our calendar derives its title.The word
Muharram means “forbidden”, and even before the mission of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), this month was always known as a scared month in which specific acts were considered forbidden/restricted. The word Muharram means “forbidden”, and even before the mission of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), this month was always known as a scared month in which specific acts were considered forbidden/restricted; prominently war fare/the shedding of blood. It is one of the four sanctified months about which the Quran says, [i]“The number of the months according to Allah is twelve months (mentioned) in the Book of Allah on the day in which He created heavens and the earth. Among these (twelve months) there are four sanctified.” [/i]Of the four sanctified months, three of them are in sequence;
Zul-qadah(11th),
Zul-hijjah(12th),
Muharram(1st), and the fourth is
Rajab(7th).Many events of historical significance occurred in this month prior to and after the time of the Prophet.
[b]Hijrah[/b]After suffering much persecution in Makkah for the Believers and after the darkest period in the life of the Prophet (passing away of his caring and protective uncle ~ Abu Talib; and his beloved wife and confidant ~ Khadijah) people from Yathrib came to invite the Prophet to their city and made pledges to him that was to pave the way or a brighter future.The
Hijrah was not a “flight”, but rather a carefully planned immigration which not only marks a beginning of the “Islamic era”, but also the ushering of a global civilization. [b]Paving the Way for the Hijrah[/b][i]First Pledge of ‘Aqabah [/i](2 BH / 620 CE)In the tenth year of Prophet’s mission Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) met six people from Yathrib at ‘Aqabah (near Mina in Makkah). They listened to him earnestly, learnt about Allah and the message of Islam. All six people from Yathrib accepted Islam. They pledged an oath of allegiance to the Prophet and promised..[list][*]To worship none but one Supreme Being, Allah [/*][*]To avoid acts of indecency and impropriety [/*][*]To be honest and fair [/*][*]Not to indulge in backbiting, slander, and false accusations [/*][*]To avoid all negative customs (such as killing of children) [/*][*]To obey what is right irrespective of difficulty or ease. [/*][*]To defend the truth and stand up for justice irrespective of the consequences [/*][/list] The new Muslims asked the Prophet to send a Muslim who could teach them the Qur’an and Islamic injunctions and he sent Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr. [i]Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah [/i]History documents 64/73
Ansaar أنصار / “helpers” who came to give the second pledge of allegiance to the Prophet at ‘Aqabah. They came to offer the Prophet and his followers refuge in Yathrib. The Apostle's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib is reported to have commented [i]“Muhammad is held in high esteem by us. If you can stand by him through difficulty and ease, take him with you to Yathrib; if not, then abandon the whole idea.”[/i][i]Consequence of the ‘Aqabah Pledges[/i][list][*]The Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah is a landmark in the history of Islam. Following pledge Makan Muslims (Muhaajir / emigrants) began to leave Makkah, in small groups to settle with their hosts (Ansaar / helpers) in Yathrib. [/*][*]It was the gateway to the island on which the frail vessel of Islam came to rest at last, after being persecuted for thirteen years in the turbulent seas of paganism in Makkah. [/*][*]It must be noted that those who pledged were not only declaring their faith in Islam, but also promising economic support and political freedom to the Muslims; and if needs be … military protection to the Prophet and his followers. [/*][/list] [b]“The full moon has risen”[/b]Allah Guides [b]من الظلمات الى النور[/b][i]from darkness to light [/i][Qur’an 2:257] and the Prophet (pbuh) is [b]سِرَاجًا مُّنِيرًا [/b][i]a source of light [/i][Qur’an 33:46].From imminent physical danger to the Prophet’s life and the darkest moments, Allah guided His Messenger to the nucleus of the everlasting radiance of the Islamic civilization; this Prophet, of whom it is said …[list][*]
"Four years after the death of (Roman emperor) Justinian, in 569 A.D., was born at Makkah in Arabia, the man who of all men, who exercised the greatest influence upon the human race, Muhammad" [Anglo-American historian and philosopher, Dr John William Draper, A History of the Intellectual Development of Europe][/*][*]Lamartine, in his well known work, "Histoire de la Turquie", observes:
"if greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and the souls. On the basis of a Book, every letter of which has become law, he created a spiritual nationality which blended together peoples of every tongue and of every race." [/*][/list] So, from imminent physical danger to the Prophet’s life and during the darkest moments of his life, Allah guided His Messenger to the nucleus of the everlasting radiance of the Islamic civilization. As he entered Yathrib, the little kids sang
طلع البدلر علينا the full moon has risen. The Prophet came to honor the city
جئت شرفت المدينة , a city that was to become known as Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, the Luminous City, the City of Light.From this we learn that our faith, or authentic “insight,” tells us, it will all be all right, even in the darkest moments of our worldly life. Better times are always due! If a lesson is to be drawn from that optimism, it is that of patience and of hope. [b]Need of the Hour [/b][list][*]value the opportunity of life; for life is a gift and an
amaanah/trust [/*][*]be tourist in your own life and consider the temporary nature of this world [/*][*]consider the consequence of your living and ask yourself, "Does my existence make a difference?" [/*][*]be optimistic and hopeful; for wherever there is faith, there must be hope. Hope is the best attitude one can harbor towards the future; this realistic expectation that something good or better could/will happen if only we continue doing the best we can. So, where there is Faith, there must be Hope
لا تقنطوا من رحمة الله[i]Do not ever despair of the mercy of Allah.[/i] [Qur’an 39:53][/*][*]migrate from bad to good, physically [Q 3:195] and spiritually (A
muhaajir is one
المهاجر من هاجر ما نهي الله عنه who moves from the evils that Allah has forbidden); paving the pathway to genuine
repentance توبة النصوحا [Q 66:8] [/*][*]be morally maturity by always aiming for what is best
[b]احرص عللا ما ينفعك و استعن بالله و لا تعجز[/b][i]Endeavor for that which will benefit you, seek Allah’s assistance and do not give up.[/i][Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)] [/list] [/*]
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