– Mahin Sadhiya
Andhra Pradesh
The Hijrah, the migration of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Makkah to Madinah, stands as one of the most important and remembered events in Islamic history. It is so important that the Islamic calendar begins from this moment, symbolising before Hijrah and after Hijrah. It is the beginning of a new chapter built on sacrifice, unity, and trust in Allah.
Hijrah means to migrate. In Islamic parlance, it refers to leaving behind anything which is harmful to Islam and moving toward something which makes Allah happy. The Prophet ﷺ explained this meaning, saying:
“The (true) muhajir is the one who leaves what Allah has forbidden.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 10)
Before the migration, the Muslims of Makkah suffered severe punishment for 13 years. They were tortured, humiliated, faced hardship, and some even died. Despite this, the Prophet ﷺ continued calling people to Islam with patience.
When the leaders of Quraysh and an uncle of the Prophet ﷺ tried to assassinate him, Allah exposed their plan in the Qur’an:
“And [remember] when the disbelievers planned against you to imprison you, kill you, or expel you. They planned, but Allah also planned; and Allah is the best of planners.” (Surah Al-Anfal, 8:30)
Under Allah’s command, the Prophet ﷺ started his journey to Madinah with Abu Bakr. They hid in the Cave of Thawr, where the attackers of Quraysh came very close. Abu Bakr, fearful only for the Prophet’s safety, whispered fearful, but the Prophet ﷺ reassured him with the words:
“Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.” (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:40)
This moment shows how much Trust they had in Allah even when the whole world was against them.
When they reached Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ was welcomed with love and happiness. This migration was not an escape; it was a strategic, guided step toward building the first Islamic state founded on equality, and brotherhood.
The Qur’an praises those who made this sacrifice:
“Those who believe, migrate, and strive in the cause of Allah, they have the hope of Allah’s mercy.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:218)
The Qur’an honours those who leave behind comfort for the sake of Allah. It says that true Hijrah requires courage, sincerity, and a willingness to sacrifice for faith.
Allah says:
“Whoever leaves his home migrating to Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah.” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:100)
This verse shows the reward given to migration even if the person never reaches their destination. What matters most is intention and willingness to sacrifice their life for the sake of Allah.
Migration is not only about moving from one place to another. Islam teaches that inner migration is leaving sins and harmful habits to seek the pleasure of Allah. This is equally important.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand people are safe, and the muhajir is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 10)
The Ansar (the People of Madinah) are also remembered for their hospitality and unity. They accepted the Muhajirin with open arms, sharing homes, food, wealth, and hearts. Their example shows how an Islamic brotherhood must be.
Valuable Lessons: Leaving Behind for a Greater Cause
Sacrifice is the stepping stone for faith. The companions of the Prophet left their homes, wealth, families, and memories for the sake of Allah even if they were rich and wealthy and strong like Abu Bakr, Umar; they left their homeland for Allah. Today, we are not required to go and leave our homes or wealth, our Hijrah is to leave behind sinful friendships, bad habits, unproductive lifestyles, or anything that weakens our imaan. We need to understand that whenever we leave something which we love for Allah, He replaces it with something far better.
Trusting Allah is Key to Success
The incident of the cave during migration reminds us that Allah supports those who trust Him. We may face doubtfulness, fear, or difficulty when changing our lives, but we need to reassure ourselves that Allah is with us.
Let us choose good companions who change our destiny. The Prophet ﷺ chose Abu Bakr who proved his best Companion. This shows us to be with the people who make our Imaan strong, the one who encourages us to do good deeds and supports us during our hardship like how Abu Bakr did during the time of migration.
Change Happens Only When We Rely on Allah and Then Plan It
Hijrah was seriously planned, which shows that Islam encourages strategic thinking and planning along with reliance on Allah.
Unity creates strong communities. The bond between the Muhajrin and Ansar shows the power of generosity, and brotherhood. Today we Muslims are divided into subgroups and hate each other. But our communities today need this same kind of understanding, rising above divisions and supporting one another.
Love for Allah may require us to leave something we love. The Prophet ﷺ loved Makkah deeply. He once said:
“You are the most beloved land to me, and if your people had not expelled me, I would not have left.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3926, Hasan)
This shows that Hijrah sometimes means letting go of what is your land, wealth, family or something you love the most.
Hijrah with Ourselves is the Most Important of All
Every believer must make an inner migration from doing sins to asking forgiveness, from ignorance to remembrance, from being disobedient to obedience, from being attached to worldly matters to closeness with Allah.
Hijrah teaches that change is possible if you rely on Allah’s Help and plan to change yourself and to have good intention, Hijrah is definitely Possible.
Lastly, Hijrah was not just a migration from one city to another; it was the turning point that changed a small group of people who were thrown off their homeland into a beautiful Ummah. This teaches us that if we need success in life and hereafter, we must sacrifice, trust in Allah, and the courage to walk away from the things which we love the most. The Prophet ﷺ and his companions proved that when you leave something for Allah, He opens the doors you never Thought.
Today, our Hijrah may be inner or inside our heart, not like how our Prophet and his companions did but leaving sins, bad habits, or harmful influences and choosing a better environment for our imaan. But the message remains the same, going forward towards Allah with sincerity.
May Allah grant us the strength to fight with our weaknesses, and to live our lives filled with purpose and to get the pleasure of our Allah.
