New Hijrah Year, 1447AH: Time for reflections

Yesterday Thursday June 26, 2025 was declared by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, as the beginning of a new Hijrah year, 1447AH. It would be recalled that the Sultan had earlier directed Muslims in the country to look out for the […]

Yesterday Thursday June 26, 2025 was declared by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, as the beginning of a new Hijrah year, 1447AH. It would be recalled that the Sultan had earlier directed Muslims in the country to look out for the crescent of the month of Muharram on Wednesday June 25, 2025 which was equivalent to the 29th day of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth and last month in the Muslim lunar year. The Sultan has urged Muslims on the occasion of the new Hijrah year to re-dedicate themselves to the true teachings of Islam.

The counting of the Muslim calendar started in the year the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH), migrated from Makkah, his birthplace to Madinah, the second holiest city of Islam. This historic relocation, which took place in 622 Christian Era (CE) is referred to as Hijrah. The Muslim calendar, which is based on lunar cycles, was introduced in 638CE by Umar bn Al-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam. The Hijrah of the Prophet (PBUH) led to the foundation of the first Muslim calendar. For ease of recognition, the acronym ‘AH’, which stands for ‘After Hijrah’ is usually added to the year at the end.

While we are justified, as a nation, to give gratitude to Allah for keeping us together as a country in spite of all our challenges, the beginning of a new year should be a time for sober reflections and spiritual re-birth; more so as people who have more to lament than rejoice over. The past few years have been rough and tough for many Nigerians. Inflation, poverty and unemployment rates kept rising throughout the preceding year. Corruption, yet, remains a scourge in the country.

Insecurity keeps worsening every day; pushing many Nigerians into utmost hopelessness. For most parts of the 1446AH, residents of some states in the country including Benue State, and lately Plateau, have not known peace. The past one year has been a season of killings by people often described in the media as ‘unknown’ gunmen. No gunmen could remain unknown if government had shown genuine political will to sincerely address existing security concerns. The conflicts in Benue and other places are reflections of ungoverned spaces abandoned by relevant authorities.

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Banditry and kidnapping in the North West and North Central geo-political zones of the country still remain critical threats to lives and property of Nigerians. Similarly, Boko Haram insurgency, which two years ago, was almost a finished battle after it devastated northeast Nigeria for nearly a decade, is again resurrecting. Recent attacks launched on some communities and military formations in Borno State suggest a resurgence of terrorist activities by Boko Haram in that part of the country.

We use the occasion of the new Hijrah year to call on the country’s political leaders to re-dedicate themselves to the hopes and critical yearnings of those who gave them the mandate of leadership. As politicians and leaders, they should be seen to be doing enough in addressing insecurity, which today, is the biggest threat to the wellbeing of all Nigerians. We consider it insensitive and reckless the brazen manner and needless haste with which the country’s political leaders in recent months completely replaced governance with matters exclusive to the 2027 general elections; all to the detriment of the safety and wellbeing of Nigerians.

As the strongest security apparatus, the military should be given targets and deadlines to end all forms of insecurity bedevilling parts of the country.

We call on all Muslims to mark the new Hijrah year with prayers for the country and its leaders at all levels. Muslim scholars and leaders are urged to use this occasion to build bridges of understanding among citizens. We implore them to strengthen anything that promotes social cohesion; asking their followers to ignore things that seek to divide us. The deep-rooted mutual mistrust among Nigerians is inhibiting national development, unity, peace and progress.
Daily Trust urges Muslims to take advantage of the new Hijrah year to resolve to, as leaders and the-led, abandon the evil path of corruption, injustice, and greed. Our collective failure to epitomise the true teachings of our religion shall only endow us with a country doomed to linger in its existing national misfortunes because Allah states in Qur’an 8:53 that He “will never change the grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls.” It is time Nigerians put common national interests above personal concerns.

On the global stage, we call on world leaders to condemn Israel’s aggression that ignited the Israel-Iran war, which is currently threatening the hitherto existing peace in the Muslim world. All parties must be compelled to also honour the terms of the cease-fire agreement. The world needs peace, not war.
From the Daily Trust, we say Happy New Hijrah Year!