Mosque Foundation

Brothers and Sisters,

 

We are truly blessed with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (S). In his fragrant Seerah we find great lessons and wisdom. As the lunar year passes us by, we remember the great day in which the Prophet (S) and his companions migrated to Madinah, which marked the beginning of a new era for the Muslim Ummah.

 

The Hijrah of the Prophet (S) and his companions (R) from the best land, Makkah, to Madinah in compliance with an order from Allah (SWT) to do so, caused a cultural and social revolution. It sparked an age of enlightenment that reached the ends of the earth east, west, north, and south. This era propagated progress, development, knowledge, and high manners to the world.

 

From the Hijrah we learn the meaning of remaining steadfast to the only Deen, religion, which Allah accepts from his slaves. We absorb what it means to completely migrate from the worldly affairs of this donya, this worldly life, and embrace the akhira, the next life, as our final abode and destination. To pass the trials and tribulations of this donya successfully we must have the mindset the Companions (R) had when they performed Hijrah for the sake of Allah.

 

We recall the words of Prophet’s (S) uncle when he came to him to dissuade him from calling to Islam by offering him the donya, “If you want money, we will give you until you become the richest among us. If you want position and fame we will make you our dignitary so that we will not do anything without consulting you. And if you are seeking to be a king we will make you our king.” The Prophet (S) responded to his uncle: “O uncle, I swear by Allah, if they were to put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand in order to have me leave this call I will not stop preaching and spreading Islam until Allah reveals it or I die for it.”

 

Peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (S), the greatest caller of truth. He taught us to remain persistent in standing for truth, no matter the cost. Today, those who call to the truth are rare and even those who do have little of the patience required to follow through. However, his companions (R) followed in his example when they migrated to Madinah, leaving behind their families, wealth, lands, and homes only seeking the freedom and the pleasure of their Creator (SWT).

 

They were brave in supporting the truth and confronting falsehood. Allah (SWT) says of them, “Those who the people said to them: ‘A great army is gathering against you so fear them,’ But it (only) increased their Faith: They said: ‘For us Allah suffices, and He is the best disposer of affairs.’” (3:173) They rejected what society dictated to them as a standard. Their only prerogative was to please Allah, not to please people. We should reflect over our own daily affairs and be able to distinguish, as the Companions (R) did, what it means to please others versus pleasing Allah (SWT) alone.

 

We learn from the Hijrah how sincere the Sahabah (R) were in their companionship of the Messenger (S). During the Hijrah, Abu Bakr (R) would walk once in front of the Prophet, once, behind him, once to his right, and once to his left. The Messenger of Allah (S) then would ask him why he did that. Abu Bakr (R), the most loyal of companions, explained, “O Messenger of Allah, when I walk in front of you, I am worried that the enemy might come from behind you and if I walk to your right, I am worried that the enemy might come from your left side.” The devotion of the companions to the Messenger (S) is truly humbling. From it we should learn to take great care in learning his Sunnah (S) and incorporating it into our own lives.

 

In the Hijrah we also find a great lesson from the brotherhood between the Ansar of Madinah and the Muhajjireen of Makkah. The Messenger of Allah (S) united them with a bond stronger than blood: the bond of Islam. He (S) taught us the rights we have upon each other as brothers and sisters in Islam and to value the strength which is rooted in our unity. Those who love each other for the sake of Allah will be on illuminated platforms and in the shade of Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment, when there will be no shade but the shade of the Allah (SWT).

 

Prophet Muhammad (S) built the glory of this nation on the solid foundations of Tawheed. The Companions (R) were united as if they were one man with one heart. From the Hijrah and Seerah we learn that the route to our victory and success in our life is by obeying Allah (SWT) through migrating from the love of this donya to the love of the akhira and preserving our rights upon one another.

 

Allah says, “Indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah; with it, Allah guides him who will seek His acceptance into the ways of peace and safety and brings them out of utter darkness into light by His will and guides them to the right path.” (5:16)