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The New Hijri Year - By Shaykh Ashraf Salah
The New Hijri Year
By Shaykh Ashraf Salah
Dear Muslims:
Few days ago we
received the new Hijri year, 1426. We should revere Allah (SWT) and always be
conscious of Him. We should be aware that there is manifest wisdom in the
alternation of the days and nights and in the succession of months and years.
It is incumbent upon us that we utilise the days and nights by performing
righteous deeds within them and differ from those that fill their time with
evil deeds until death overtakes them.
Allah (SWT) has
given us two indicators in the day and night; in the day there is the sun while
at night there is the moon. Upon the emergence of each new day, life is renewed
and every worshipper summons up his energy to practice more acts of devotion.
It is because of this that Allah (SWT) has likened sleeping at night to death
while likening waking up during the day to resurrection. He (SWT) has said that
which translates as: “It is He who takes your souls by night [i.e. when you
sleep] and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein
[i.e. by day] that a specified term [i.e. One’s decreed life span] may be
fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what
you used to do” (Al An'am: 60).
Dear Muslims:
It is a
manifestation of the mercy of Allah (SWT) towards His worshippers that He (SWT)
has made the sun and the moon follow exactly computed courses. By observing the
sun, people can know the different seasons and by looking at the moon, people
will be able to deduce the beginning and end of each month. Allah (SWT) has
divided the year into twelve months as He (SWT) said that which translates as:
“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the
register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of
these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion [i.e. way], so do not
wrong yourselves during them...” (At-Tawbah: 36).
Of the four sacred
months, three are consecutive: Dhu’l-Qi’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Al-Muharram. The
fourth is Rajab which lies between the months of Jumada Al-Aakhirah and
Sha’ban.
An example of the
easiness of Allah's religion is that the calculation of the beginning and end
of each Islamic month is based on the sighting of the moon. Therefore, every
person will be easily informed of each new month, regardless of whether he is
literate or not. The advent of a new month is known by the appearance of the
crescent in the west after sunset; once the crescent is manifest, one month has
come to an end and another has begun.
Dear Brothers And Sisters In Islam:
The Islamic
calendar was first introduced during the era of the Amir Al-Mu’mineen, or
leader of the believers `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RAA) during the sixteenth or
seventeenth year after the Hijrah, or migration of the Prophet (PBUH). ‘Umar
(RAA) sought the peoples advice on when the Hijri calendar should start. Some
held that it should have started from the birth of the Prophet (PBUH) whilst
others thought that it should have begun from the very first day that the
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) began his mission. Another group believed that the
calendar should have started from the emigration and the last group held that
the calendar should have begun from the death of the Prophet (PBUH).
‘Umar (RAA) agreed
with those who wished to start the Islamic Calendar with the Hijrah of the
Prophet (PBUH) due to the fact that this marked the point in history when Allah
differentiated between truth and falsehood by giving the Prophet (PBUH) real
power and authority which was manifested in the form of the first Islamic
State.
The companions
were also consulted on which month should mark the beginning of the year; ‘Umar
ibn Al-Khattab and ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (RAA) chose Al-Muharram due to it being a
sacred month and because it follows the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, which is when
the Muslims perform Hajj, or the pilgrimage, which was the last pillar of Islam
that Allah enjoined upon the Muslims. Al-Muharram also follows the month in
which the Prophet (PBUH) pledged allegiance to the Ansar (His Madeenan
supporters) to emigrate to Madeenah and this pledge of allegiance was one of
the introductory acts of emigration. Due to all these reasons, Al-Muharram was
deemed the most suitable month to begin the Islamic Calendar.
Dear
Muslims:
Days and nights
pass bringing near the far. In their quick movements is a lesson for the
understanding person that his life is fast expiring and his death is quickly
approaching. ‘Umar said, “Call yourself to account when you are in bliss before
the reckoning of that severe day; for whoever calls himself to account when he
is in bliss will win the pleasure of Allah and happiness and whoever allows his
life and desires to make him forgetful and occupy all his attention will regret
and lose.”
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “People wake up
in the morning; among them are those who are selling their lives and there are
those who are destroying their lives”. (Muslim).
Allah (SWT) created the creatures,
ordained for them their fates and decreed for them their appointed time. As the
day and night pass, He (SWT) brings new creatures to life and causes others to
die. Life continues with its natures and lessons and among people are obedient
and believing ones and the disobedient and disbelieving ones.
Dear
Muslims:
The vicissitudes of time should be a stance
of lesson and self-examination for man. Let man take a sincere stance on his
person and his life. All people will stand before their Lord and account for
what they did in this life. Allah (SWT) says, “Then surely, We shall question
those (people) to whom it (the Book) was sent and verily We shall question the
Messengers.” (Al-A’raf: 6). Allah (SWT) also says: “And fear a day when you
will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it
earned and they will not be wronged (i.e. treated unjustly).” (Al-Baqarah:
281).
We should know that Mans happiness and
success lie in his repentance to his Lord and his steadfastness upon the law of
Allah (SWT) and His religion for the entire duration of his life. It does not
lie in being distracted from working towards his eternal future by the urge to
acquire the beauties of this world. This is the way of the righteous and pious
people whom Allah (SWT) describes as: “Men whom neither commerce nor sale
distracts them from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and
giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will (fearfully)
turn about.” (An-Noor: 37). The truthful people will be questioned, “that He
may ask the truthful about their truth. ” (Al-Ahzab: 8). Those who lived
favourable lives will be held responsible. Allah (SWT) says: “Then on that day,
you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world).”
(At-Takathur: 8).
Dear
Brothers And Sisters In Islam:
A Muslim is not ordered to turn his back on the things of this life.
Rather, a Muslim is commanded to seek, exploit and use these things in
obedience to Allah (SWT) and in furthering the cause of raising Allah's
religion in the land. A Muslim should SEEK his portion of the things of
this life and seek to use them in obedience to Allah (SWT). There is not order
to turn away form such things simply because they are "wordly".
Allah (SWT) said:
“And seek with that which Allah has given
you the realm of the hereafter and do not neglect your portion in this life.
And be gracious as Allah has been gracious to you. And do not seek corruption
in the land for Allah does not love the corrupters”. (Al-Qasas:77).
I would like
to end today`s Khutbah by reminding myself and you to fear Allah and be dutiful
to Him and remember that we will one day leave this world for our everlasting
abode which will be either Paradise or Hell. We should get ourselves prepared
for that day: “So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained (his desire). And what is the life
of this world except the enjoyment of delusion?" (Aal-‘Imran: 185).
May Allah (SWT) make us from those whose
main goal in life is to please Him (SWT), bless, guide and forgive us all.
(Ameen).
