The Sultan of Sokoto announced yesterday Friday as Muharram 1, 1439, the Islamic New Year. Oyo State has been reported to have joined the ever-growing number of Muslim-majority states that declared Muharram 1 as Public Holiday, that Muharram 1 is at par with January 1, alhamdu lilLah. In our commemoration of this season, we shall embed within the Hijra Story a couple of stories under the theme GOODNESS; per chance we shall find goodness in our lives this 1439, in sha Allah.
This Islamic Year means one thousand, four hundred and thirty nine years have passed since Prophet Muhammad (upon whom and his family be the peace and blessings of Allah), began his journey, the Hijra, from his hometown of Makkah (Mecca) to Madinah (Medina), on a date equivalent to July 16, 622 in the Christian Gregorian Calendar. This journey is a history in itself, and in it is a message of historical proportions for mankind.
Many people will not be aware that we have entered the new Hijri year 1439 [especially Muslims living in the West], argues Shaikh Haitham Al-Haddad (writing on Islam21C.com). Were this the first day of the Gregorian calendar, every one of us would know about it, and some may even celebrate it. This reflects the fact that we have become detached from our faith-based heritage. Many Muslims are oblivious of the Hijri calendar such that most are unaware of what lunar year or month we are currently in. Most of our children are unaware of the names of the Arabic months, let alone able to name them in the correct order.
The concern is not with regards to celebrating the new Hijri year, as we do not ‘celebrate’ any day except the two Eids – Ad’ha and Fitr. Rather, it is a matter of being connected to and aware of the Islamic emblems. It is a matter that links this Ummah to its root and heritage. Three of the pillars of Islam are carried out according to the Islamic calendar: Zakah, Fasting and ajj. Some practical steps to propagate the use of the Hijri calendar include that we need to use the Islamic calendar for all of our Islamic activities, mosques should have facilities that digitally display both the Hijri and Gregorian calendars, and families should always remind their children of the importance of certain Hijri dates in the life of a Muslim.
GOODNESS: A certain Muslim sister called a taxi company for a cab to take her to a Ta’alim Session at a certain mosque. A young driver turned up and took her to the Islamic Centre. On arrival, she gave the driver the fare. The young man politely declined to take the money and said, after she asked him why, that: “I have vowed that whoever I take to the mosque or to a hospital I would carry them for free. But I would ask the passenger that they pray for my mother who passed away three years ago.” So he asked the woman to pray for her. The sister was amazed. After the lesson, she told all present about this young man and asked all to pray for the departed mother. With their sympathy and admiration for the young man, they made instant collections to dig a borehole for a water-challenged community somewhere, all for the sake of this young man’s mother. The woman passenger continued to mention that the du’a for that late mother continued to spiral among friends far and near – all for the price of a taxi fare and the goodness of a son.
The Hijra, from which the Islamic calendar took its counting, is all about a person we care most about – Prophet Muhammad (upon whom and his family be the peace and blessings of Allah), the greatest person to walk on this Planet Earth, the one person who is the most beloved of all to Allah, the Leader of the Prophets and the Messengers, the heart-throb of the Muslims. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic Calendar, and the others (for ýan boko and the Islamiyya-challenged) are Safar, Rabi’ Awwal, Rabi’ Thani, Jumada Awwal, Jumada Thani, Rajab, Sha’ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Zul Qa’adah and Zul Hijjah. The Islamic Calendar is lunar, and uses the moon, rather than the sun (as in the Gregorian Calendar) to count the days and weeks and months and years.
And as the lunar cycle is usually eleven days shorter than the Gregorian Calendar, the Islamic new year reduces by that number of days every year, and Muharram 1 shall fall on each of the days of January to December in a generation of about thirty three years.
So, now that the 1999 Constitution is being amended by the National Assembly, it will be apt and deserving to insert Muharram 1 as a National Public Holiday, at par with January 1. That will be justice. That will be equity. And as this Column is “Walks Its Talk”, let your Columnist start: “Dear My Senator (Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, APC Kano Central) and Dear My House of Representatives Member (Hon. Nasiru Baballe Ila, APC Tarauni) – Stand up in your Chambers and proclaim that your constituent, Bala Muhammad, hereby demands that Muharram 1 be declared a National Public Holiday. I so move you. Aye!”
GOODNESS: A certain Muslim brother called his friend and said: “I’m in need of money urgently; my mother is ill and I have no money for her treatment. Can you please get me a loan or something?” The friend said: “May Allah make it easy for her and us. Will see what I can do in sha Allah. Let’s communicate after Isha.” When it was time, the brother called his friend several times but the latter’s phone seemed switched off. He kept calling over and over again until he got tired and gave up on this friend and went in search of another who could help him, thinking that the other had let him down. But try as he could, he couldn’t find anyone to help. He again gave up and returned to his mother’s bedside in the hospital. Amazingly, he found a bag of all the required medications near his mother’s pillow, and she was sleeping after having been treated already. He asked his younger brother who was there with the mother – how come the medications? The brother said: “That your friend [and he went on to describe the very same friend] came and collected the prescription and brought these medicines. He left not long ago.” The brother burst into tears of happiness and regretful anguish for doubting his brother and friend. He went out in search of the medicine-buyer. When he finally found him, before he could thank him he asked what happened that he had been calling but his phone seemed switched off. The friend replied: “I sold the phone and bought the medications.”
The Noble Prophet arrived Madinah to the chorus of Tala al Badru, rendered beautifully by famous Muslim singer Yusuf Islam, the former Cat Stevens (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5HiXM9JGJQ):
Tala al badru ‘alayna
Min thaniyati-al Wada’
Wajaba Shukru ‘alayna
Ma da’a lillahi da’
O the white moon rose over us
From the valley of Wada’
And we owe it to show thankfulness
Where the call is to Allah
Ayyuha-al Mab’uthu feena
Ji’ta bi-al amru muta’
Ji’ta sharafta-al Madeenah
Marhaban ya khayra da’
O you, who were raised amongst us
Coming with the words to be obeyed
You have ennobled this city
Welcome O caller to God’s way
May the Islamic New Year 1439 be a harbinger of glad tidings to all! Happy New year to the entire Muslim Ummah! Kullu ‘aamin wa antum bikhayr!”
