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Muharram, which means ‘forbidden’, is the Arabic month with which the Islamic New Year, which is otherwise called ‘Hijri New Year’, begins.
Accordingly, the Muslim world has just entered the Islamic New Year of 1447AH.
Muharram is one of the four sacred months in Islam. Allah says, “Verily, the number of months in the sight of Allah is 12 (in a year) so ordained by Him the day He created the Heavens and the Earth; of them four are sacred: Zul Qad, Zul Hajj, Muharram and Rajb. That is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein.” (9:36)
The above verse reveals the concept of Islam which is peace in the world, and for this Islam favours self-restraint through activities such as prayer, fasting and the Haj.
Now is the right time to look at the historical background of Muharram as the Islamic New Year. While Umer was ruling as the second Caliph of the Islamic Kingdom, he used to receive letters from his governors as well as his replies to them without mentioning any date, month or year.
After a while, Umer realised that the correspondences between different parties without any date or month or year were deficient. He discussed with his advisers the matter regarding the beginning of an Islamic calendar year. Different names of months relating to the life of the Prophet (S) were mentioned by his advisers.
However, the majority agreed to the suggestion of Muharram as the first month of the year because it was the month in which the Prophet (S) thought of his resettlement, on the Order of Allah, with his followers to Medina in order to defeat the devilish plot of the pagans of Mecca.
The Holy Quran refers to this incident: “Remember how the unbelievers plotted against you. They sought to take you captive or kill your or banish you. They devised plans, but Allah too made a plan and Allah is the best planner.” (8.30).
Thus in the month of Rabiul Awwal, the Prophet (S) along with his closest companion Aboobacker set out his house to Medina, after having kept Ali in his bed. It was on the same night that the disbelievers surrounded the house of the Prophet (S) with their evil plot to kill him (S). But their malicious and roguish plot met a tragic end.
The cynics in a state of disappointment announced a prize of 100 camels to anyone who could catch and bring back Muhammad (S) dead or alive. The greed for such an ample reward incited a number of people to search the area but their attempt ended in utter disappointment.
Muharram also witnessed a series of events, the most important of which was the liberation of Prophet Musa (A) and his people of Israel from the cruel hands of the Pharaoh and his aides on the 10th of Muharram.
Prophet Musa (A) observed fasting on the 10th of Muharram as a sign of gratitude to Allah the Almighty. The Prophet (S) also observed fasting on 10th of Muharram about which he (S) said: “It reimburses the sins of the preceding year” (Muslim).
The Prophet (S) said: “As the following year comes, Allah willing, we shall fast on the ninth of Muharram in order to determine that Islam does not want to follow Jews in any other religious activities.”
In a nutshell, the Hijra of the Prophet (S) and his companions leaves an eternal lesson for all Muslims. It is the spiritual journey from vices to virtues what is otherwise called reflective migration without leaving their countries. It is achieved only by relinquishing all sorts of hateful thoughts, deeds, riots and the like when only the Muslims can show true justice to the meaning of Muharram ‘forbidden of all unlawful deeds’.
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