THE ORIGIN OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR “HIJRA”; THE ORIGIN OF ISLAM
IT was the beginning of all the beginnings, the Origin of the greatest empire the world has ever seen which stretched from borders of Pakistan, through Iran and the Middle East, along the northern coast of the African continent, and into south-western Europe.
It was the custom in ancient Arabia to recognize and count years based on the events of the past. like the event before the prophet's birth. The year of Elephant was used as an event to count years from, it was when Abraha, the commander of the kingdom of Akhrum in southern Arabia, attacked with his mighty army to vandalize the holy Kaaba — the preaching center of Islam “the house of Allah”.
In the holy event of the prophethood in the Gregorian calendar 610 CE (used as the standard calendar in the modern world), it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) that he will enlighten the ummah which was caught by jahaliya — era of ignorance. later known as NABWI (the year from prophethood).
The plot to assassinate Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was on rise in Makkah. The prophet along with his companion Abu Bakr (R.A) was commanded by Allah to migrate to Yathrib — a city located around 200 miles north of Makkah — delegation of which had already pledged to support Muhammad’s new religion of peace and enlightenment. Yathrib name was changed to Madinat ul NABI meaning “The city of prophet”, later the nabvi was dropped and was called Madina.
According to Dr. Shaul Shy in his article on Hijra According to Islamic state: An analysis of Dabiq, he quotes that the migration in 622 AD marked the movement from Dar al harb to Dar e Islam. Dar al harb (house of war) means land where Islamic injunctions are not fulfilled. When Muhammad (P.B.U.H) came to Madina, he had full freedom to profess and lead the ummah, which enabled rapid expansion of Islam first into Hijaz and later into three great continents.
Allah says in Quran,
“Those who believe, and have emigrated, and have struggled in the way of God with their possessions and their lives are greater in degree with God; and those, they are the triumphant.
Their Lord gives them good tidings of mercy from Him and beatitude; for them shall be gardens wherein is enduring bliss, therein they shall abide forever. Surely with God is a tremendous reward.” (At-Tawbah 9: 20–2)
After the prophet, in the era of the second Caliph Umar (R.A) due to some administrative reasons which required standards for the years to count for administrative orders being issued time to time, the Hijra was selected as the base of the Islamic calendar, as it was the single most important event which directed the suppressed religion of minority into the progressive religion of majority in 678 AD .
The writer is member of Rich History Research Journal.