HAPPY ISLAMIC NEW YEAR 1441

Happy Islamic New Year, whether or not it is a Public Holiday where you live. This Column continues to call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency and justice and fair play declare Muharram 1 as Public Holiday. Doing so at the federal level will short-cut the reluctance of some states, including […]

Happy Islamic New Year, whether or not it is a Public Holiday where you live. This Column continues to call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency and justice and fair play declare Muharram 1 as Public Holiday. Doing so at the federal level will short-cut the reluctance of some states, including Muslim-majority ones, in doing same.

The Islamic Year 1441, ushered in by Islamic New Year’s Day Muharram 1, is upon us. It means one thousand, four hundred and forty one years have passed since Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace), the greatest person to walk on this Planet Earth, left his hometown of Mecca to migrate to Medina, know as Hijra, to renew the call of Islam.

Sallal Lahu ala Muhammad!

It is Muhammad, upon whom be peace, the last and seal of all the Prophets and Messengers of God, that Allah Himself (exalted be His Name), unceasingly celebrates the praises of, and orders us to do so accordingly, as in Qur’an Surah al Ahzab (The Confederates, or “The Coalition Forces”) Chapter 33:56: “Innal Lah wa mala’ikataHu Yusalluna alan nabiy; ya ayyuhal lazina amanu sallu alaihi wa sallimu taslima.” (Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Shower blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation.”

Sallal Lahu ala Muhammad!

The date of the Hijrah is said to have corresponded with July 16, 622AD. This journey is a history in itself and in it is a message of historical proportions for mankind. Muharram 1 is such a significant and momentous occasion of reflection and remembrance. Muslims do not date their calendar from the birth of the Prophet, unlike other religions, but the Hijrah is a milestone in the life of Islam as epitomised by the Prophet.

Sallal Lahu ala Muhammad!

Yesterday, the last Friday of Islamic Year 1440, this Columnist prayed Jumu’ah at Al Manar Mosque in Kaduna. The Imam, Shaikh Muhammad Tukur Adam Abdullahi, delivered his sermon on the ‘Importance of Time’, for Time is what the transition from 1440 to 1441 signifies and denotes. Among other things, the Imam reminded the worshippers that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, had mentioned that most of his people would ‘live only up to their sixties and seventies, except for a few’ before passing on, as indeed the Prophet himself transited at 63.

Imam Tukur further dwelt on Surah Al Asr (The Time) Qur’an 103:1-3 where Allah (exalted be His Name) said: “By Al-’Asr (meaning, Allah swears by The Time); Verily! Man is in loss; Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience.”

The Imam stated that one of the Pious Predecessors said of this Chapter, short as it is, that had Allah only revealed this as Qur’an and no more, it would have sufficed Muslims as admonition. Time!

At the end of the Khutba, the Shaikh reminded us of that beautiful verse of the Qur’an – La Taqnadu! (Surah Az-Zumar 39:53) where Allah the Exalted says to Muhammad “Say: “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

Allah could have straightaway said ‘O My servants! Do not despair…” But He defines the nature of those servants before announcing the good news! ‘…allazeena asrafu ‘alaa anfusihim’, ‘those who have transgressed against themselves by sin and evil’.

When we begin and continue to read this verse, an air of positivism strikes our mind, heart and soul. And when we reach ‘la taqnathu mir rahmatillah….’ our heart is filled with utmost satisfaction and an intense feeling of love reflects back to Allah that how Kind and Generous Allah is towards us!

The Imam is reminding us – there is still Time to return to Allah with Istighfar, as Allah is more Merciful towards His servants than a woman is to her baby!

In his prayer proper, the Imam delved into Surah Al Infitar (‘The Cleaving’ Qur’an Chapter 82) which began with the scary scenario of the ‘Final Time’ (or the Final Day or the Final Hour) where Allah uses the refrain WHEN: “When the sky breaks apart; And when the stars fall, scattering; And when the seas are erupted; And when the [contents of] graves are scattered; A soul will [then] know what it has put forth and kept back…” (It is only a question of Time!)

And the Imam began his recitation of this Surah from Verse 6 and further: “Ya ayyuhal insaanu ma gharraka bi rabbikal kareem?” O man! What deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous; Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you; In whatever form He willed has He assembled you…”

And so we end this Happy New Year with a story on the significance of “Alhamdu lilLah” (Thanks be to Allah) in the life of Muslims.

It was reported that Imam Abu Hanifa, one of the Pious Predecessors (may Allah envelope him with rahma) was not only a great scholar but a successful merchant as well. Once while he was teaching, some people rushed to him and said that his merchant ships (containing all his goods) had sunk. Imam Abu Hanifa paused for a moment, then calmly said: “Alhamdu lilLah” and then continued teaching. A little while later, the same group hastened back to inform him that they had made a mistake as his ships were all fine, that it was others’ ships that had sank. The Imam again paused for a moment, then said: ‘’ Alhamdu lilLah’’ and continued teaching.

His students thought it very strange that he had answered exactly the same way to both the bad and the good news, and they asked him about it. He explained that when he was first told his ships had sunk, he paused for a moment to examine his heart; and when he found it unmoved by the loss, he had replied “Alhamdu lilLah.” And then the second time when he was informed it wasn’t his ships that had sunk, he paused again to examine his heart; and he again found it unmoved by the gain, so he replied “Alhamdu lilLah.”

The Imam’s gratitude to Allah on each occasion was not because of the gain or the loss of his worldly wealth, but his “Alhamdu lilLah’’ was about the fact that his heart was not attached to the gain or the loss, but to Allah.

Alhamdu lilLah for 1441!