HIJRAH – VARIOUS MIGRATIONS STATED IN THE QUR’AN AND LESSONS TO LEARN FROM THEM
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
VARIOUS MIGRATIONS IN THE QUR’AN
- Prophet Musa (AS)
His du’a in the Qur’an surah 28 verse 24:
رَبِّ إِنّي لِما أَنزَلتَ إِلَيَّ مِن خَيرٍ فَقيرٌ
“My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!”
- People of the cave
Du’a of people of the cave
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“Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!” 18: 10
- Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
إِلّا تَنصُروهُ فَقَد نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ إِذ أَخرَجَهُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا ثانِيَ اثنَينِ إِذ هُما فِي الغارِ إِذ يَقولُ لِصاحِبِهِ لا تَحزَن إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكينَتَهُ عَلَيهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنودٍ لَم تَرَوها وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا السُّفلىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ العُليا ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزيزٌ حَكيمٌ
“If you help him (Muhammad) not (it does not matter), for Allaah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two; when they (Muhammad and Abu Bakr) were in the cave, he said to his companion (Abu Bakr): “Be not sad (or afraid), surely, Allaah is with us.” Then Allaah sent down His Sakeenah (calmness, tranquillity, peace) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allaah that became the uppermost; and Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”
[al-Tawbah 9:40]cf
Examples in hadith – the person who killed 99 men
LESSONS TO BE GAINED FROM ALL THESE MIGRATIONS
لَقَد كانَ في قَصَصِهِم عِبرَةٌ لِأُولِي الأَلبابِ ۗ ما كانَ حَديثًا يُفتَرىٰ وَلٰكِن تَصديقَ الَّذي بَينَ يَدَيهِ وَتَفصيلَ كُلِّ شَيءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحمَةً لِقَومٍ يُؤمِنونَ
Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding. It (the Qur’an) is not a forged statement but a confirmation of the Allah’s existing Books [the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel) and other Scriptures of Allah] and a detailed explanation of everything and a guide and a Mercy for the people who believe. 12 111
- Intention – do it for the sake of Allah. Allah does NOT need us but we completely need Him.
- Be patient
- Trust in Allah
- Seek help in Allah alone
- Allah is always with the believers
- Worshipping Allah must come first – if you cannot worship Allah you MUST leave the place.
- Obeying Allah always comes with difficulties – Allah’s Tests
- Tie the camel – meticulous planning
- With Difficulties comes ease
فَإِنَّ مَعَ العُسرِ يُسرًا
إِنَّ مَعَ العُسرِ يُسرًا
So verily, with the hardship, there is relief,
Verily, with the hardship, there is relief (i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs). 94: 5-6
Hijrah in the Arabic Language is written as هِجْرَة
It comes from the word هَجَر or هِجْرًا to literally mean journey, migration, exodus.
Hijrah in itself is a solemn word.
It is an action that involves major changes, tremendous sacrifices, intense exertion, energy and resources. It is a process that involves inconceivable discomforts, unimaginable risks and hazards – for the sake of a peace of mind and heart.
Thus we find that Hijrah was and is only undertaken, under dire need and circumstances. It is when harmony has been severely disrupted, that it no longer becomes practical or safe to live in peace.
The Original Migration
It is the nature of the Prophetic duty to migrate. Prophets (alaihim solaatu was-salaam) were sent to nations when disharmony and gross injustice becomes a norm and habit in a nation. Prophets begin their call to re-establish harmony, peace and justice among their own people.
It is an established pattern in Prophethood, that their messages were denied, and their people will turn against them – despite the fact that they were the most beloved among their people.
When the odds turn against them, and they have exhausted all means to live and preach peacefully by their people – they will then be given the permission to leave and migrate.
Our dear Prophet ﷺ lived in Makkah, for the first 53 years of his life (according to his cousin Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه). He was of such noble character that even his enemies could not deny his nobility and graciousness (even while they strove to murder him). He was also renowned and prominent, trustworthy and dependable as a businessman and arbitrator.
The Prophet’s call to Islam – had attracted the young, the minorities, the oppressed – who make up the majority of the new believers. Unfortunately, this is seen as ‘upsetting the social order’, and the Quraish began ‘Operation Persecution’. The new Muslims were terrorised and persecuted, much as the Rohingyan Muslims are suffering today. The order to migrate came as a relief to the Muslims – and several batches migrated secretly and quietly.
The Prophet’s migration was a dangerous mission (read more here) that he journeyed with his best friend, Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه).
Reasonable and responsible people will agree that it is generally easier to stay still, quiet and submitting in a negative environment, despite the costs – as compared to facing the unknown, by migrating and expediting into unfamiliar territories, and having to begin again with little to nothing.
Which was why The Creator acknowledged and credited those who partook in this difficult journey, for their courage and struggle.
Allah, The Creator of the Heavens & Earth, promises in the Quran:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَٰئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
As for those who believed and those who migrated and struggled in the path of Allah,
they do hope for Allah’s mercy and Allah is Forgiving, Very Compassionate .
Surah Al Baqarah 2 : 218
وَمَن يُهَاجِرْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَجِدْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً وَمَن يَخْرُجْ مِن بَيْتِهِ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And whoever migrates in the way of Allah, shall find in the earth many a place to settle and a wide dimension (of resources). And whoever leaves his home migrating for the sake of Allah and His Messenger and death overtakes him, then, his reward is established with Allah. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Very Compassionate
Surah An Nisa 4:100
وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا فِي اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
And those who migrated for the sake of Allah after they were subjected to injustice, to them We shall give a good place to be in the world, while the reward of the Hereafter is certainly great – only if they had realized!
Surah al-Nahl 16:41
Spiritual Migration
After the migration from Makkah to Madinah, other believers from far and wide, came to Madinah to pledge their devotion and gain the reward for migration.
It has been reported on the authority of Mujashi’ b. Mas’ud as-Sulami who said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ to offer him my pledge of migration. He said:
حَدَّثَنِي مُجَاشِعُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ السُّلَمِيُّ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُبَايِعُهُ عَلَى الْهِجْرَةِ فَقَالَ
“ إِنَّ الْهِجْرَةَ قَدْ مَضَتْ لأَهْلِهَا وَلَكِنْ عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَالْجِهَادِ وَالْخَيْرِ ”
The period of migration has expired (and those who were to get the reward for this great act of devotion have got it). You may now give your pledge to serve the cause of Islam, to strive in the way of Allaah and to follow the path of virtue.
Reported in Sahih Muslim No. 4594
In the hadith related by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn As radhiallahu ánhuma, Our Beloved Prophet, Rasulullah ﷺ graciously extended the term hijrah by saying:
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم :
“المسلم من سلم المسلمون من لسانه ويده، والمهاجر من هجر ما نهى الله عنه”
“A Muslim is the one whose tongue and hands the Muslims as safe from,
and a Muhajir is one who leaves everything that Allah and His Messenger have prohibited.”
Reported in Riyadussaliheen/18/55
Therefore, what we have today is the Hijrah of our state and consciousness.
We make the migration from one state of consciousness to another – From the place of the lower desires to a state of higher consciousness.
