Muhammad completes Hegira - Sep 24, 622 - HISTORY.com Muhammad completes Hegira Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 622, the prophet Muhammad completes his Hegira, or “flight,” from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution. In Medina, Muhammad set about building the followers of his religion–Islam–into an organized community and Arabian power. The Hegira would later mark the beginning (year 1) of the Muslim calendar. Muhammad, one of the most influential religious and political leaders in history, was born in Mecca around 570. His father died before he was born, and Muhammad was put under the care of his grandfather, head of the prestigious Hashim clan. His mother died when he was six, and his grandfather when he was eight, leaving him under the care of his uncle Abu Talib, the new head of the clan. When he was 25, Muhammad married a wealthy widow 15 years his senior. He lived the next 15 years as a merchant, and his wife gave birth to six children: two sons, who died in childhood, and four daughters.

From time to time, Muhammad spent nights in a cave in Mount Hira north of Mecca, ruminating on the social ills of the city. Around 610, he had a vision in the cave in which he heard the voice of a majestic being, later identified as the angel Gabriel, say to him, “You are the Messenger of God.” Thus began a lifetime of religious revelations, which he and others collected as the Qur’an, or Koran. Muhammad regarded himself as the last prophet of the Judaic-Christian tradition, and he adopted aspects of these older religions’ theologies while introducing new doctrines. Muhammad’s monotheistic religion came to be called Islam, meaning “surrender [to God],” and its followers were Muslims, meaning “those who have surrendered.” His inspired teachings would bring unity to the Arabian peninsula, an event that had sweeping consequences for the rest of the world. By 615, Muhammad had gained about 100 converts in Mecca.

He spoke out against rich merchants, who he criticized as immoral in their greed, and he denounced the worshipping of idols and multiple gods, saying, “There is no god but God.” City leaders became hostile to him, and in 619 his uncle Abu Talib died and was succeeded as head of the Hashim clan by another one of Muhammad’s uncles, Abu Lahib. Abu Lahib refused to protect Muhammad, and persecution of the prophet and his Muslims increased. In the summer of 621, an entourage of 12 men came to Mecca from Medina, an oasis community 200 miles to the north. They were ostensibly making a pilgrimage to Mecca’s pagan shrines, but they had actually come to meet with Muhammad and profess themselves as Muslims. In 622, a larger group of converts from Medina came to Mecca and took an oath to Muhammad to defend him as their own kin. Muhammad immediately encouraged his Meccan followers to make their way to Medina in small groups. When city authorities learned that the Muslims had begun an exodus, they plotted to have the prophet killed.

Under this threat, Muhammad slipped away unnoticed with a chief disciple and made his way to Medina, using unfrequented paths. He completed the celebrated Hegira (Hijrah in uncorrupted Arabic) on September 24, 622. The history of Islam had begun. At Medina, Muhammad built a theocratic state and led raids on trading caravans from Mecca. Attempts by Meccan armies to defeat the Muslim forces failed, and several leading Meccans immigrated to Medina and became Muslims. Muhammad later become more conciliatory to Mecca, and in 629 he was allowed to lead a pilgrimage there in exchange for a peace treaty. Shortly after, he was attacked by allies of the Meccans, and Muhammad denounced the treaty. In January 630, he returned to his birthplace with 10,000 men, and the Meccans swore allegiance to its Muslim conquerors. He was now the strongest man in Arabia. During the next few years, most of the peninsula’s disparate Arab tribes came to him to ask for alliance and to convert to his religion.

By his death, on June 8, 632, Muhammad was the effective ruler of most of Arabia, and his rapidly growing empire was poised for expansion into Syria and Iraq. Within 20 years, the Byzantine and Persian empires had fallen to the prophet’s successors, and during the next two centuries vast Arab conquests continued. The Islamic empire grew into one of the largest the world has ever seen, stretching from India, across the Middle East and Africa, and up through Western Europe’s Iberian peninsula. The spread of Islam continued after the fragmentation of the Arab empire, and many societies in Africa and Asia voluntarily adopted Muhammad’s religion. Today, Islam is the world’s second-largest religion. Related Videos Islamic Hijri Calendar – Wajibad Hijra of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) The Hijra (Arabic: هِجْرَة‎ hijrah), also Hijrat or Hegira, is the migration or journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers from Mecca to Medina between June 21st and July 2nd in 622 CE.

In June 622, warned of a plot to assassinate him, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) secretly escaped out of Mecca with Abu Bakr. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers immigrated to the city of Yathrib, 320 kilometres (200 mi) north of Mecca, in several steps. Yathrib was soon renamed Madinat un-Nabi, literally “the City of the Prophet”, but un-Nabi was soon dropped, so its name in English is Medina, meaning “the city”. The Muslim year during which the Hijra occurred was designated the first year of the Islamic calendar by Umar in 638 or 17 AH (anno hegirae = “in the year of the hijra”). In the following chronology the city will be referred to as Medina, and the region surrounding it as Yathrib. DAY 26 Rabi’ Al-Awwal AH 1 (11 July 622) Moved from Quba’ to Medina. NB, Al-Biruni alone is in disagreement with Alvi, Ibn Sa’d, Abu Ja’far and Ibn Hisham on the above dates.

The hypothetical dates in the retro-calculated Islamic calendar extended back in time will differ from the actual dates as they would have been be on the modern international Gregorian calendar. The Hijra is celebrated annually on 1 Muharram, the first day of the Muslim year, causing many writers to confuse the first day of the year of the Hijra with the Hijra itself, erroneously stating that the Hijra occurred on 1 Muharram AH 1 (i.e. 18th April 622) or even the hypothetical Gregorian date from retro-calculating on the Hijri calendar 16 July 622 even though it actually occurred on 12 Rabi’ I (i.e. 27th June 622. Thus it is important to remember that whenever the tabular Islamic calendar invented by Muslim astronomers is extended back in time it changes all these dates by about 88 days or three lunar months as the first day of the year during which the Hijra occurred, 1 Murhamman AH 1, would be mistaken from Monday 19 April 622 to Friday 16 July 622.

The Muslim dates of the Hijra are those recorded in an original lunisolar Arabic calendar that were never converted into the purely lunar calendar to account for the three intercalary months inserted during the next nine years until intercalary months were prohibited during the year of Muhammad’s last Hajj (AH 10). First Hijra: Technically, the first Hijra occurred in 615 when a group of Muslims was counseled by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to escape persecution in Mecca and travel to the court of Axum, which was ruled by a Christian king, the Negus. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself did not join this emigration. In that year, his followers fled Mecca’s leading tribe, the Quraysh, who sent emissaries to Axum to bring them back to Arabia. The nascent movement faced growing opposition and persecution. When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers received an invitation from the people of Yathrib, they decided to leave Mecca HIJRI CALENDAR: ذو الحجّة Days of the week In Arabic, as in Hebrew, the “first day” of the week corresponds with Sunday of the planetary week.

The Islamic and Jewish weekdays begin at sunset, whereas the medieval Christian and planetary weekdays begin at the following midnight. The Christian liturgical day, however, kept in monasteries, begins with vespers (see vesper), which is evening, in line with the other Abrahamic traditions. Muslims gather for worship at a mosque at noon on “gathering day” (Yaum al-Jumu‘ah, yawm يوم means ‘day’) which corresponds with Friday.Thus “gathering day” is often regarded as the weekly day of rest. This is frequently made official, with many Muslim countries adopting Friday and Saturday (e.g. Egypt) or Thursday and Friday (e.g. Saudi Arabia) as official weekends, during which offices are closed; other countries (e.g. Iran) choose to make Friday alone a day of rest, and few others (e.g. Morocco) adopted the Western Saturday-Sunday weekend while making Friday a working day with a long midday break to allow time off for worship. Months: Four of the twelve Hijri months are considered sacred, although there is disagreement over the designated months, such as between proponents for the sequences {7,11,12,1} vs.

{12,1,2,3}. The twelve Hijri months are named as follows in Arabic: Muḥarram — المحرّم, “forbidden” — so called because it was unlawful (haram) to fight during this month. Muharram is the second most sacred Muslim month and includes the Day of Ashura. Ṣafar — صفر, “void” — supposedly named because pagan Arabs looted during this month and left the houses empty. Rabīʿ I (Rabīʿ al-Awwal) — ربيع الأوّل, “the first spring”. Rabīʿ II (Rabīʿ ath-Thānī or Rabīʿ al-Ākhir) — ربيع الثاني or ربيع الآخر, “the second (or last) spring”. Jumādā I (Jumādā al-Ūlā) — جمادى الأولى, “the first month of parched land”. Often considered the pre-Islamic “summer”.

Jumādā II (Jumādā ath-Thāniya or Jumādā al-Ākhira) — جمادى الثانية or جمادى الآخرة, “the second (or last) month of parched land”. Rajab — رجب, “respect” or “honor”. This is another sacred month in which fighting was traditionally forbidden. Shaʿbān — شعبان, “scattered”, marking the time of year when Arab tribes dispersed to find water. Ramaḍān — رمضان, “scorched”. Ramadan is the most venerated month of the Hijri calendar during which Muslims must fast between dawn and sunset. Shawwāl — شوّال, “raised”, as she-camels begin to raise their tails during this time of the year, after giving birth. Dhū al-Qaʿda — ذو القعدة, “the one of truce”. Dhu al-Qa’da was another month during which war was banned. Dhū al-Ḥijja — ذو الحجّة, “the one of pilgrimage”, referring to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj.

The Hijra هِجْرَة The Hijra or Hijrah (Arabic: هِجْرَة‎), also romanized as Hegira and Hejira, is the migration or journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib, later renamed by him to Medina, in the year 622 CE. In June 622 CE, after being warned of a plot to assassinate him, Muhammad secretly left his home in Mecca to emigrate to Yathrib, 320 km (200 mi) north of Mecca, along with his companion Abu Bakr. Yathrib was soon renamed Madīnat an-Nabī, literally “the City of the Prophet”, but an-Nabī was soon dropped, so its name is “Medina”, meaning “the city”. The Hijra is also often identified erroneously with the start of the Hijri calendar which was set to Julian 16 July 622.

Hijrah Date: Thursday 17 June — Friday 2 July 622 Julian calendar Location: Arabian Peninsula Also known as: The Flight of Mahomet; The Migration of Mohammad; The Migration; Hijrah; Hegira Participants: Muhammad and his followers Outcome: Renaming Yathrib as “the City (of the Prophet)” (Medina); Enmity between the Aus tribe and Khazraj tribes ended; Muhammad made political leader and united the new Muslims. First Hijra The first Hijra is dated to 615[citation needed] or Rajab (September-October) 613 when a group of Muslims counseled by Muhammad to escape persecution in Mecca arrived at the court of a Christian king, the Negus in Ethiopia (who ruled Abyssinia at the time). Muhammad himself did not join this emigration. In that year, his followers fled Mecca’s leading tribe, the Quraysh, who sent emissaries to Ethiopia to bring them back to Arabia. The nascent movement faced growing opposition and persecution. When Muhammad and his followers received an invitation from the people of Yathrib, they decided to leave Mecca.

Muhammad’s Hijra (pbuh) In Mecca, at the pilgrimage season of 620, Muhammad met six men of the Khazraj tribe from Medina, propounded to them the doctrines of Islam, and recited portions of the Quran. Impressed by this, the six embraced Islam,[9] and at the Pilgrimage of 621, five of them brought seven others with them. These twelve informed Muhammad of the beginning of gradual development of Islam in Medina, and took a formal pledge of allegiance at Muhammad’s hand, promising to accept him as a prophet, to worship none but one God, and to renounce certain sins such as theft, adultery, and murder. This is known as the “First Pledge of al-Aqaba”. At their request, Muhammad sent with them Mus`ab ibn `Umair to teach them the instructions of Islam. Biographers have recorded the considerable success of Mus`ab ibn `Umair in preaching the message of Islam and bringing people under the umbrella of Islam in Medina.

The next year, at the pilgrimage of 622, a delegation of around 75 Muslims of the Aws and Khazraj tribes from Medina came, and in addition to restating the formal promises, they also assured Muhammad of their full support and protection if the latter would migrate to their land. They invited him to come to Medina as an arbitrator to reconcile among the hostile tribes. This is known as the “Second Pledge of al-`Aqaba”, and was a ‘politico-religious’ success that paved the way for his and his followers’ immigration to Medina. Following the pledges, Muhammad encouraged his followers to migrate to Medina, and in a span of two months, nearly all the Muslims of Mecca migrated to Medina. During the early seventh century, Medina was inhabited by two types of population: the Jews and the pagan Arabs. The Jews there had three principal clans – Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nazir, and Banu Qurayza. The Arab pagans had two tribes – Aws and Khazraj. At that time, the Jews there had the upper hand with their large settlement and huge property.

Before the encounter between Muhammad and the six men from Medina in 620, there ensued a terrible battle between Aws and Khazraj, known as the Battle of Bu’ath, in which many leading personalities of both the sides died and left Yathrib in a disordered state. Traditional rules for maintaining law and order became dysfunctional, and, without a neutral man with considerable authority over things, stability seemed unlikely. As the pagan Arabs of Medina lived in close proximity of the Jews, they had gained some knowledge about their scriptures,and had heard the Jews awaiting the arrival of a future prophet. It is because of this knowledge, taken together with their need for an adjudicator, that the six men who met Muhammad at the pilgrimage season of 620 readily accepted his message, lest the Jews should steal a march over them. The Migration Upon receiving divine direction to depart from Mecca, Muhammad began taking preparation and informed Abu Bakr of his plan. On the night of his departure, Muhammad’s house was besieged by men of the Quraysh who planned to kill him in the morning.

At the time, Muhammad possessed property of the Quraysh given to him in trust, so he handed it over to Ali and directed him to return it to its owners, and asked him to lie down on his bed assuring him of God’s protection. It is said that when Muhammad emerged from his house, he recited the ninth verse of sura Ya-Seen of the Quran and threw a handful of dust at the direction of the besiegers, causing the besiegers to be unable to see him. Soon Muhammad joined Abu Bakr, left the city, and the two took shelter in a cave outside the city. Next morning, the besiegers were frustrated to find Ali in Muhammad’s place. Fooled and thwarted by Muhammad’s plan, they rummaged the city in search for him, and some of them eventually reached the threshold of the cave, but success eluded them. When the Quraysh came to know of Muhammad’s escape, they announced heavy reward for bringing Muhammad back to them, alive or dead. Unable to resist this temptation, pursuers scattered in all directions. After staying for three days, Muhammad and Abu Bakr resumed their journey and were pursued by Suraqa bin Malik.

But each time he neared Muhammad’s party, his horse stumbled and he finally abandoned his desire of capturing Muhammad. After eight days’ journey, Muhammad entered the outskirts of Medina around June 622 CE, but did not enter the city directly. He stopped at a place called Quba’, a place some miles from the main city, and established a mosque there. After a fourteen-days’ stay at Quba’, Muhammad along with Abu Bakr continued their migration to Medina, participated in their first Friday prayer on the way, and upon reaching the city, were greeted cordially by its people. Dates of events The Muslim year during which the Hijra occurred was designated the first year of the Islamic calendar by Umar in 638 or 17 AH (anno hegirae = “in the year of the hijra”). The following table lists the dates of various events of Muhammad’s hijra as mentioned by Fazlur Rehman Shaikh and F.A. Shamsi in their works.

It should be noted that Fazlur Rehman in his work has listed other dates for the arrival of Muhammad in Quba’, as proposed by modern scholars, ranging from 31 May 622 to 22 November 622. Al-Biruni alone is in disagreement with Alvi, Ibn Sa’d, Abu Ja’far and Ibn Hisham on the above dates. The hypothetical dates in the retro-calculated Islamic calendar extended back in time differ from the actual dates as they were on the Julian Calendar.

Annual celebration of the Hijra has long been assigned to 1 Muharram, the first day of the Muslim year, causing many writers to confuse the first day of the year of the Hijra with the Hijra itself, erroneously stating that the Hijra occurred on 1 Muharram AH 1 (which would be 19 April 622 in Fazlur Rehman Shaikh’s system) or even the hypothetical Gregorian date from retro-calculating 26 Rabi’ I in AH 1 to 16 July 622 (not to be confused with Julian 16 July 622, the retro-calculated start date for of the regular Hijri calendar system) even though the first visit to Medina for Friday prayers actually occurred on 16 Rabi’ I (i.e., 2 July 622).

Thus it is important to remember that whenever the tabular Islamic calendar invented by Muslim astronomers is extended back in time it changes all these dates by about 88 days or three lunar months as the first day of the year during which the Hijra occurred, 1 Muharram AH 1, would be mistaken from Monday 19 April 622 to Friday 16 July 622. The Muslim dates of the Hijra are those recorded in an original lunisolar Arabic calendar that were never converted into the purely lunar calendar to account for the three intercalary months inserted during the next nine years until intercalary months were prohibited during the year of Muhammad’s last Hajj (AH 10). Aftermath The Islamic prophet Muhammad’s followers suffered from poverty after fleeing persecution in Mecca and migrating with Muhammad to Medina. Their Meccan persecutors seized their wealth and belongings left behind in Mecca.

Beginning in January 623, some of the Muslims resorted to the tradition of raiding the Meccan caravans that traveled along the eastern coast of the Red Sea from Mecca to Syria.[citation needed] Communal life was essential for survival in desert conditions, as people needed support against the harsh environment and lifestyle. The tribal grouping was thus encouraged by the need to act as a unit. This unity was based on the bond of kinship by blood.[clarification needed] People of Arabia were either nomadic or sedentary, the former constantly traveling from one place to another seeking water and pasture for their flocks, while the latter settled and focused on trade and agriculture. The survival of nomads (or Bedouins) was also partially dependent on raiding caravans or oases, thus they saw this as no crime. According to Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar), a modern Islamic hagiography of Muhammad written by the Indian Muslim author Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri, Muhammad ordered the first caravan raid led by Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (Muhammad’s uncle) seven to nine months after the Hijra.

A party of thirty to forty men assembled at the seacoast near al-Is, between Mecca and Medina, where Amr ibn Hishām (Abu Jahl), the leader of the caravan was camping with three hundred Meccan riders. Ubaydah ibn al-Harith was the commander of the second raid. This raid took place nine months after the Hijra, a few weeks after the first one at al-Is. Share this: What Is Hijra? Islamic New Year Facts, Dates, Plus History Of Prophet Muhammad's Migration From Mecca To Medina What Is Hijra? Islamic New Year Facts, Dates, Plus History Of Prophet Muhammad's Migration From Mecca To Medina 10/13/15 AT 2:29 PM Close For Muslims all over the world, Wednesday night marks Hijra , the first day of the month of Muharram and the beginning of the Islamic New Year. Hijra means "migration" in Arabic, and it marks the beginning of the historic journey the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, made from Mecca to Medina in the year 622.

Centuries later, Hijra generally passes with little fanfare , especially compared with holidays like Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr, even though Hijra is a public holiday in some countries. There are no particular rituals or traditions to celebrate it, although some Muslims will use the opportunity to make resolutions for the coming year, according to the BBC. But Hijra is nonetheless important because it signifies the birth of a community, centuries ago, that today includes more than 1.5 billion people. According to Islamic history, Muhammad, born in 570 in Mecca, was meditating one night in the year 610 in a cave on a mountain when the angel Gabriel came to him and told him to recite. Those recitations, which Muhammad believed were words from God, formed the basis of the Quran , the sacred Islamic scripture. Hijra, the Islamic New Year, starts Wednesday evening. Above, a Muslim pilgrim prays atop Mount Thor in the holy city of Mecca ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage Sept. 19, 2015.

Photo: Ahmad Masood/Reuters Related Stories Everything You Should Know About Eid Al-Adha Muhammad began to preach what he had heard, gathering a local following in the process. But as his popularity increased, so did the perception that he was a threat. In 622, Muhammad and his followers left Mecca for Medina, a city more than 200 miles away. There, he gathered enough adherents to eventually return to and take Mecca. Hijra also marks the beginning of the month of Muharram , the first month of the Islamic calendar and one of four holy months. For Shiite Muslims, the first 10 days of Muharram are days of mourning for the Imam Hussain, the grandson of Muhammad, who was killed in a battle in 680. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, it changes every year with respect to the Gregorian calendar, which is solar. Hijra was celebrated last year Oct. 25; this year it begins at sunset Wednesday. Next year, Hijra will shift another 11 days earlier.

Hijrah | Islam | Britannica.com Hijrah Alternative Titles: Hegira, Hejira, Hijra Related Topics Mecca Hijrah, also spelled Hejira or Hijra (“Flight” or “Emigration”), Latin Hegira, the Prophet Muhammad ’s migration (622 ce) from Mecca to Medina in order to escape persecution. The date represents the starting point of the Muslim era. Muhammad himself dated his correspondence, treaties, and proclamations after other events of his life. It was ʿUmar I , the second caliph , who in the year 639 ce introduced the Hijrah era (now distinguished by the initials ah, for Latin anno Hegirae, “in the year of the Hijrah”). ʿUmar started the first year ah with the first day of the lunar month of Muḥarram, which corresponds to July 16, 622, on the Julian calendar . In 1677–78 (ah 1088) the Ottoman government, still keeping the Hijrah era, began to use the solar (Julian) year, eventually creating two different Hijrah era dates, resulting from the differences between a solar and a lunar year.

The Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, containing the tomb of Muhammad; one of the three … Nabeel Turner—Stone/Getty Images The term hijrah has also been applied to the emigrations of the faithful to Ethiopia and of Muhammad’s followers to Medina before the capture of Mecca. Muslims who later quitted lands under Christian rule were also called muhājirūn (“emigrants”). The Khawārij ( Kharijites ), those Muslims who withdrew their support from the arbitration talks that called into question the right of the fourth caliph, ʿAlī , to the caliphate in 657 ce, used the term to describe those who joined them. The most-honoured muhājirūn, considered among those known as the Companions of the Prophet , are those who emigrated with Muhammad to Medina. Muhammad praised them highly for having forsaken their native city and following him and promised that God would favour them. They remained a separate and greatly esteemed group in the Muslim community , both in Mecca and in Medina, and assumed leadership of the Muslim state, through the caliphate, after Muhammad’s death.

Similar Topics The Spirit of Islam - Chapter 4: Muhammad's Migration To Al-Madina Chapter 4: Muhammad's Migration To Al-Madina Al Madina was a city located 200 kilometers from Mecca. Its name was Yathrib. Muhammad migrated with many of his followers to Al-Madina. This migration, called in Arabic "Hijra,"is regarded by Muslims as the key date in the history of Islam, and the Muslim calendar begins with that year. Today, in Muslim lands, documents, letters, and newspapers are dated from the Hijra. The Meccans Rejected Muhammad [ TOP ] When Muhammad began calling people to Islam in Mecca, the majority of Meccans did not respond to his call. They criticized him, and called him mad (Surat Al-Hijr 15:6, Surat Al-Qalam 68:51), a possessed poet (Surat Al-Saffat 37:36, a forger (Surat Al-Nahal 16:101) and bewitched (Surat Al-Furqan 25:7,8). They persecuted his followers.

In the beginning of his call to Islam, Muhammad spoke highly concerning the Jews and declared that Allah assigned the Holy Land to them. The Quran says: And verily we gave the children of Israel the Scripture and the command and the Prophethood, and provided them with good things and favored them above (all) peoples (Surat Al-Jathiya 45:16 MPT). And (remember) when Moses said unto his people: O my people! Remember Allah's favour unto you, how he placed among you prophets, and he made you kings, and gave you that (which) He gave not to any (other) of (His) creatures. O my people! Go into the holy land which Allah hath ordained for you (Surat Al-Maidah 5:20, 21 MPT). These verses in the Quran clearly show that prophethood is exclusively for Israel, not for the Arabs. Moreover, it declares that the holy land was ordained for Israel. The holy land was given to Israel by God's decree. The Muslims have no right to object to Jerusalem being the capital of Israel if they believe the Quran. Muhammad tried to win the Jews to his side.

He also tried to win the people of other religions. He declared in the Quran: Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans - whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:62 MPT). In spite of all that Muhammad siad to win the people in Mecca, the Meccans rejected his call to Islam. Muhammad's Migration To Al-Madina [ TOP ] In the year 622 A.D. Muhammad asked his followers to make their way in small numbers to Al-Madina, a journey of several weeks by camel. Learning that the Quraysh were planning to prevent him from leaving Mecca, he and Abu-Bakr escaped from the city, hid for several days in a cave, and then took a safe route to Al-Madina. In Al-Madina, Muhammad established a kingdom for himself.

He tried to win the Jews of Al-Madina to his side so he commanded the Muslims to pray toward the destroyed Jewish temple in Jerusalem. But the Jewish clans rejected his claim that he was a true prophet; first, because he was an Arab, not a Jew, and also, because they saw that he lacked all the qualifications of a true prophet. A true prophet must perform miracles, utter prophecies, and be consistent with that which was revealed in the Torah (The Old Testament). They realized that Muhammad performed no miracles. He uttered no prophecies. He contradicted by his revelations the clear teachings of the Torah. And He used the revelations which he claimed that he received from Allah to satisfy his desires and achieve his purposes. They rejected him and rightly so. The Quran did not convince the Meccans, the true Christians, and the Jews, so Muhammad decided to use the sword. Teachers Guide - Muslims | Teacher Center | FRONTLINE | PBS Beliefs and Daily Lives of Muslims Islam Timeline The start of Islam is marked in the year 610, following the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad at the age of 40. Muhammad and his followers spread the teachings of Islam throughout the Arabian peninsula.

Soon after the death of the prophet Muhammad, there were military expeditions, called "futuhat," or literally "openings," into what is now Egypt and other parts of North Africa. In other parts of the world, Islam spread through trade and commerce. The following is a brief timeline that highlights some of the major occurrences in Islam's development, as well as the geographical spread of Islam to some of the countries featured in the film. 570 C.E. Muhammad is born in Mecca. He comes from a noble family and is well-known for his honesty and upright character. 610 C.E. According to Muslim belief, at the age of 40, Muhammad is visited by the angel Gabriel while on retreat in a cave near Mecca. The angel recites to him the first revelations of the Quran and informs him that he is God's prophet. Later, Muhammad is told to call his people to the worship of the one God, but they react with hostility and begin to persecute him and his followers. 622 C.E. After enduring persecution in Mecca, Muhammad and his followers migrate to the nearby town of Yathrib (later to be known as Medina), where the people there accepted Islam.

This marks the "hijrah" or "emigration," and the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad establishes an Islamic state based on the laws revealed in the Quran and the inspired guidance coming to him from God. Eventually he begins to invite other tribes and nations to Islam. 630 C.E. Muhammad returns to Mecca with a large number of his followers. He enters the city peacefully, and eventually all its citizens accept Islam. The prophet clears the idols and images out of the Kaaba and rededicates it to the worship of God alone. 633 C.E. Muhammad dies after a prolonged illness. The Muslim community elects his father-in-law and close associate, Abu Bakr, as caliph, or successor. 638 C.E. Muslims enter the area north of Arabia, known as "Sham," including Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. 641 C.E. Muslims enter Egypt and rout the Byzantine army. Muslims consider their conquest as the liberation of subjugated people, since in most instances they were under oppressive rule. 655 C.E. Islam begins to spread throughout North Africa. 661 C.E.

Imam Ali is killed, bringing to an end the rule of the four "righteous caliphs": Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. This also marks the beginning of the Umayyad rule. 711 C.E. Muslims enter Spain in the west and India in the east. Eventually almost the entire Iberian Peninsula is under Islamic control. 732 C.E. Muslims are defeated at Potiers in France by Charles Martel. 750 C.E. The Abbasids take over rule from the Umayyads, shifting the seat of power to Baghdad. 1000 C.E. Islam continues to spread through the continent of Africa, including Nigeria, which served as a trading liaison between the northern and central regions of Africa. 1099 C.E. European Crusaders take Jerusalem from the Muslims. Eventually Muslims defeat the Crusaders and regain control of the holy land. 1120 C.E. Islam continues to spread throughout Asia. Malaysian traders interact with Muslims who teach them about Islam. 1299 C.E. The earliest Ottoman state is formed in Anatolia, Turkey. 1453 C.E.

Ottomans conquer the Byzantine seat of Constantinople and change its name to Istanbul. Circa 1800 C.E. Approximately 30 percent of Africans forced into slavery in the United States are Muslim. 1870-1924 C.E. Muslim immigrants from the Arab world voluntarily come to the United States until the Asian Exclusion Act is passed in 1924. World War I ends with the defeat and dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, which was the last of the Islamic empires. Many regions populated by Muslims in Africa and Asia are colonized by Europeans. Traditional religious ways of life are threatened and, in some cases, destroyed. 1930 C.E. The Nation of Islam is created in the U.S. by W. D. Fard. It is based on some Islamic ideas, but contains innovations, such as the appointment or declaration of Elijah Muhammad as a prophet. 1948 C.E. The state of Israel is created. Some Palestinian and Lebanese refugees flee to the United States, among them, Muslims and Christians. 1952 C.E. The McCarren-Walter Act relaxes the U.S. ban on Asian immigration.

Muslim students come to the U.S. from many nations. 1965 C.E. Revisions of immigration law further open the doors for Muslim immigration. 1975 C.E. Wallace D. Muhammad, the son of Elijah Muhammad, takes over leadership of the Nation of Islam after his father's death and brings most of his followers into mainstream Islam. He later creates the Muslim American Society, which attracts many members, most of whom are African-American. 1979 C.E. The Iranian Revolution results in the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the first attempt at an Islamic state in the modern era. Essaouira - Hijri Essaouira Hijri The Hijri year (AH anno hegirae) is the year-numbering system used in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the Hijra ( emigration of Prophet Muhammad and his followers to the city of Medina in 622 CE). The year 2017 corresponds to the Islamic years 1438–1439 AH. The first day of Muharram is on Thursday 21 September 2017 CE and the new year is 1439 AH.

HAPPY NEW HIJRI YEAR 1438 ( 1 October 2016) The Hijri New Year, also known as Islamic new year (Arabic: Ras as-Sanah al-Hijriyah) is the day that marks the beginning of a new Islamic calendar year, and is the day on which the year count is incremented. The first day of the year is observed on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. The first month, Muharram is one of the four sacred months that Allah has mentioned in the Quran. Cresent Moon visibility 1st Muharram 1438 / 1st October 2016 Islamic New Year | Inside Islam Islamic New Year by Reem This past Saturday, November 26th, was the Islamic New Year 1433 . The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle so it is shorter and moves every year. The hijra, the migration of the small Muslim community from Mecca to Medina in 622 of the western calendar, marked the beginning of this calendar. This migration is one of the most significant events in the history of Islam.

Prior to the hijra, Muslims in Mecca constituted a small group of followers of the Prophet Muhammad. They practiced Islam privately out of fear of persecution, which many of the early followers endured. With the hijra, the situation of this small group of believers changed, as well as the course of the Muslim community as a whole. In 622, the Prophet Muhammad began sending his small group of followers to the oasis town of Yathrib, now known as Medina. The Prophet had been looking for a place to take his followers after persecution of the Muslims intensified. Initially, the Muslims who did not have the protection of a clan or tribe were the main targets of the persecution. After the death of Abu Talib, the Prophet’s uncle and protector, in 619, the Prophet’s clan withdrew their protection of him. Around that time, warring factions in Yathrib heard of the Prophet Muhammad and asked him to go to the oasis town with his followers and act as an arbitrator. There he established an agreement with the Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other groups living in Medina called the Consttiution of Medina or the Charter of Medina , which became the foundation for the new Islamic state.

In Medina, there was a transition from individuals practicing privately to a Islamic nation-state. During the period in Medina, the concept of the ummah, Muslim community, came to fruition. The ummah changed the nature of the relationship between Muslims. Rather than focusing on kinship as the tie between people, this new community emphasized common belief in Islam as the foundation for the bond. In Medina, the focus was not only on the development of personal belief, but on the development of Islam as a complete way of life. This is emphasized by the differences between verses of the Qur’an revealed in Mecca and those revealed in Medina. The verses revealed in Mecca are often shorter, employ more vivid imagery, and focus on themes like the oneness of God, the Day of Judgment, accountability, and the overall purpose of life, while verses revealed in Medina are longer and establish many laws having to do with community life. Also, several important institutions were established in Medina. For example, the first mosque was built in Medina. It is in Medina that Muslims establish themselves as a community and are then able to expand Islam across the Arabian Peninsula. Thus, the Islamic New Year marks that fateful migration and the establishment of a community that would give rise to a civilization.

Why do you think that the Islamic New Year is significant? What other faith traditions have another calendar? What is the significance behind those calendars? Please share your comments below. The Life of Muhammad and the Birth of Islam The Life of Muhammad and the Birth of Islam Early Years Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, commonly known as Muhammad, was born in the city of Mecca in 570 CE. At the time, Mecca was a busy marketplace crowded with residents and nomads buying and selling goods. Not a great deal is known of Muhammad's early life. Both his mother and father were dead by the time he turned six. He was first cared for by his grandfather, but when he passed away, Muhammad's uncle, Abu Talib, adopted him. Abu Talib was the head of the Hashim clan, one of many clans making up separate Arabic tribes. It is believed that as a young adult Muhammad worked as a camel driver. He traveled the Arabian Peninsula with his uncle, making contact with various cultures and religions, including Judaism and Christianity. Because idol worship had come to dominate Mecca, this contact was important. The Ka'bah itself housed many idols, including those representing the three main goddesses.

At the age of twenty-five, Muhammad was working for a widow named Khadijah who was a wealthy merchant. Though he was much younger, she admired his intelligence and maturity so much that she proposed to him. They married, and in the fifteen years which followed, Muhammad lived in affluence. He continued traveling, encountering different faiths and customs. But riches did not satisfy Muhammad. In Mecca, powerful merchants controlled both the flow of goods and the religious life. As the gap between the rich and the poor widened, Muhammad began to question his life and the world around him. Muhammad's Revelation By the time he was forty, Muhammad had begun to spend time in solitude, preoccupied with the questions that troubled him. He spent some nights alone in a small cave near Mecca. During one such night, Muslims believe that the angel Gabriel appeared before him. Gabriel grabbed hold of Muhammad and ordered him to recite some words. He did so, and as he fled the cave in fear, he heard the angel say, "Oh, Muhammad, you are the messenger of God, and I am Gabriel. Muhammad openly declared that there was only one God. He called on Meccans to reject their idols.

Though monotheism was shared by Jews and Christians, its introduction into Mecca troubled the ruling class. As Muhammad's followers increased, so did the unease among his opposition. Flight to Medina Opposition to Muhammad increased. The ruling families insulted him and threatened violence. Soon Muhammad knew that he and his followers must leave Mecca. In 619 CE, they moved for a short while to Ta'if, a nearby town. But they were not allowed to stay, and so they returned to Mecca. Things got worse for Muhammad when death claimed both his wife, Khadijah, and his uncle, Abu Talib. They had represented support and protection for the young Muslim community. However, it was also during this period, in 619 CE, that Muhammad was believed to have experienced his famous journey to heaven. With Gabriel guiding him, they journeyed first to a rock in Jerusalem, and from there Muhammad rode his faithful horse into heaven. It is claimed that he met other prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Finally, he stood in the presence of Allah. The course of history changed in 620 CE when some pilgrims from the northern town of Medina came through Mecca.

At the time, Medina was being torn apart by the violence of two rival tribes. The pilgrims were moved by Muhammad's teachings and hoped he might settle the raging dispute. For the next two years, groups of people from Medina came to Mecca and converted to Islam. This inspired Muhammad, who instructed all Muslims to settle in Medina. In 622, Muhammad fled Mecca after hearing of a plot to assassinate him. Legend has it that he and a friend, Abu Bakr, hid in a cave. When his enemies rode by, a giant spider's web covered the mouth of the cave, and seeing the web, they assumed no one could have entered. From there Muhammad and Abu Bakr traveled safely to Medina. This journey is known as the Hijrah, and it holds special significance to Muslims. Muhammad's arrival into Medina marked the birth of a united Islamic community. The Hijrah signifies the beginning of the Islamic calendar. Life in Medina and the Growth of Islam Muhammad arrived in Medina as the new leader, bearing tremendous responsibilities. While receiving communication from God and teaching his devotees, he had to protect Islam from opposition and find a peaceful solution to the local feuds.

Though he was able to unite the feuding clans through his teachings (the Jewish and Muslims prayed together, for example), when Muhammad instructed his followers to pray towards Mecca instead of Jerusalem, tensions grew, and the groups separated completely. Violence erupted, ending in the expulsion of some Jewish tribes from Medina. With his community established, Muhammad began raiding caravans bound for Mecca. These kinds of raids were not uncommon at the time, and they provided sustenance for the Muslims. This angered the Meccans, and a series of battles followed. Despite a few setbacks, the Muslims gained power and recognition. After destroying or converting his tribal enemies, Muhammad all but controlled the Arabian Peninsula. Finally, in 629 CE, Mecca submitted to the Muslims. Muhammad entered the city and headed directly to the Ka'bah. After circling it seven times, he smashed the stone idols. He spoke of the oneness of God, or Allah, and proclaimed himself a prophet. From that moment until the present, the Ka'bah became the principal holy place for Muslims. Muhammadï¿½s Last Years By 630 CE, Islam was the dominant religion in Mecca. Muhammad then set out to conquer the Arabian Peninsula.

Some tribes were easily converted while others were met by force. The crusade was successful, and Islam spread to the Arabian Sea to as far north as Syria. In 632 CE, Muhammad made his last pilgrimage to Mecca. First, he ordered that only Muslims could worship at the Ka'bah. Then, he delivered his last sermon, asking for Islamic unity. He ended with his final revelation from God: "The unbelievers have this day abandoned all hope of vanquishing your religion. Have no fear of them: fear Me. This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor to you. I have chosen Islam to be your faith." (Koran 5.3) On his way back from this pilgrimage, Muhammad fell ill. He died in Medina on June 8, 632 CE, at the age of sixty-one (the 12th day of Rabi I in the Islamic calendar). Although he had married two wives since the death of Khadijah, he had yet to father a son, leaving the question of successor in the hands of his followers. The Spread of Islam During Muhammad's Lifetime

Question: The migration of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to the city of Medina in 622, which marked year one of the Islamic calendar, was known as what?
Answer: Hijra