The Prophet’s Hijra and Modern Migration: Are they any different?

The Prophet’s Hijra and Modern Migration: Are they any different?

With the Islamic New Years 1429 tipping the conventional New Years 2008 by few days, is it any wonder that many are tipping over when greeting Happy New Years. At least Chinese New Years is a huge family affair, big box stocking season and school curriculum item without a wink or cringe. The normalizing of this discourse is what’s sought. That new years may not be the Oscars for the dull-minded religionist but it was a celebration for the Final Messenger of Islam, blushing at the singing Medinan girls, welcoming him and Abu Bakr into his new homeland. Greeting and sharing food marked in His inaugural arrival speech. By virtue of life-altering-experience, Umar, the Second Caliph, decided to initiate the Islamic Calendar from 622 AD i.e. the year of the Hijra.

Hospitality

The Hijra of the Prophet some 1400 years ago, from Mecca to Medina, was definitely a scene of fear and escape but was it without great stories of warm hospitality? The Medinese withstood the Arabian midday heat for days anxiously awaiting their guests. Adopting anew home land cuts across all cultures like a fabric continuously woven over centuries by every earth-lived traveler, making a globally patterned shawl that’s the Holy Grail of Migration.

Maybe at the end of both journeys is the hope that good must emerge and life will not always be an unending spiral of want and fear. That somehow Providence will smile at the rainbow of ‘one’s migration plans’ and the ‘residence’ oasis will be bigger than the Sahara and brighter than the Promised land.

Fear

The Hijra was undertaken by Prophet Muhammad voluntarily, as the people of Medina actually visited him earlier and invited him to stay permanently in Medina. Unlike economic immigrants, who sought their personal safety and the betterment of themselves their loves ones, here the Prophet is undertaking a journey that would not only change the landscape of his entire nation but the horizon of his entire future adherents. Migrating to Medina would pave the way for a future safe-city for his Faith and the refugees living in Abyssinia will find a permanent home in the company of their Beloved Prophet. Migrating under the severest threat of life- the Quraish had already assigned the assassins to promptly arrive midnight with drawn swords- the Hijra was in a sense changing the worse into better. It’s like adding sugar when given lemons. Had he continued under such stressful conditions in the valley of death- 100 camels were already on the flyer for his head and the nomadic tribesmen didn’t need any more an adrenaline rush to saddle up- not only his family but the key to salvation would have been compromised forever.

Social capital

Countries that open their hearts for immigrants role play Negus-the-kindhearted-Christian-leader of Africa who hosted the first Muslim immigrants from Mecca. Such nations also deputize the charming Ansars of Medina. Despite their weaker economic circumstances, having been the underdog tribes working at the date farms of Yathrib, these brothers and sisters in Faith announced innocently to the “newcomer’ strangers that whoever wants to share half of the Ansar’s property, home, family and wealth are welcome. Now that’s social capital! A man was prepared to divorce one of his wives so his new buddy may marry her; how thoughtful for one who lived in a hot country?! Getting a pin number for social brotherhood, the Prophet paired an immigrant from Mecca with a host from Medina. Saad joined Abdurrahman in a kind of sorority that lodged them into a ‘business mentorship program’. Soon Abdurrahman was excelling in profits at no envy of his “host professor:”

Community

Sometimes the impersonal access to financial credits steal the “accustomed” humanity during immigrants’ maiden years and while more love is in eating together, paying one’s bills is the safest and fairest way to build a civilization. The Prophet ensured all his debts were paid before leaving Mecca, he insisted on paying Abu Bakr for the arranged camel-ride and upon arriving in Medina he immediately paid the orphans whose land he purchased for the central mosque. Getting immediate credit is a challenge for most who migrate but when someone has personal credibility waking up anywhere is a piece of cake.

This newly built mosque, through volunteerism and donation, became the headquarters of the minority Muslim community, with its adjoining quarters being the Prophet’s living quarters. When it was safe he later sent for his families who remained in Mecca. In a way the subtle human tendency to ‘locate a home’ in their ‘national’ neighborhood and more likely where the mosque sits isn’t a unique modern settlement pattern. It seems the community builds the mosque and the mosque attracts the wider community.

Faith

On the precipice of fear, lying low in the cave of Thaur, Abu Bakr and the Prophet are edged by the marauding voices of a blood thirsty Quraish gang, let loose on the desert tracts of Arabia. They want the camels and they want it at any cost. Never mind Muhammad is from the prestigious Hashemite clan or he is still the Al-Amin or trustworthy friend of all. As the patrolling voices became louder and even their sandals suddenly stared the two lone servants of God, below Abu Bakr momentarily buckled to human conditions. The usual butterfly stomach at most airport counters! So he shared this with His Beloved Friend- Yaa Rasullullah if they should only peep we are finished! But the Prophet was far from hanging on the precipice of fear, he was lodged on the foundation of Faith. He retorted: “What’s your thought Abu Bakr about two, the third is Allah?”!

Destination

Sometimes the journey is more important that the destination: the thrills, the learning, the scenes and the networks are just as amazing as hitting the finish line.
The Prophet’s Hijra was eventful, e.g. he met an old woman whose lean goat he miraculously milked. Almost caught, the pursuing Bedouin was swallowed by quick-sand. A poem is heard in Mecca about both travelers’ safety. And so much more history authentically chronicles. Is yours documented? For each one has a unique odyssey covered not only one person biding good bye or one nation allowing you in, but enriched with tomes of tears and laughter.

At the end every journey must come to an end and even life’s journey is no exception. The Prophet may have epitomized this when he said that Hijra is no longer a Fard or religious mandate. However, continuously wishing for betterment of Faith and struggling to ensure Faith is safe will always be an obligation. So when people say the answer is Hijra ask them to where? And when people cry how much they wish they can live in Hajj forever or stay in Jamaat or conferences eternally, ask them would they do it if they have to work there and do their religious duties too?

“The true immigrant is one who eschews what is forbidden for Hijra literally means to leave behind.”

It seems as if the Hijra and modern migration are timelines apart, and for sure not uncommon in principles yet individually inspiring.