The Hijri year 1442 comes to us at an incredibly interesting time – a time when humanity must consider its core values, principles and ethics and determine how these will help shape a future that will be ultimately beneficial for all.
One of the lessons from Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) Hijrah was that we must give up something we love in order to advance.
He had to give up his beloved place of birth, the blessed City of Makkah, with all of its social and spiritual heritage, and settle elsewhere to build the foundations for a better future.
As we contemplate the challenges of this past year – the vacuum of moral leadership, the imminent environmental catastrophe, the social upheavals and a “new normal” created by an uncontrollable pandemic – we know that we must give up something for a better future.
We must give up our apathy towards the moral and spiritual degradation around us; our indifference to the systemic racism and bigotry that is so rife in our communities at all levels; our comfort with the things that we know are causing damage to the environment and our negligence in our obligations towards God and humanity at large.
As we embark on a new year, let us make a sincere resolution that we will make a different type of Hijrah – a movement away from all that is detrimental to ourselves and our fellow humans to all that is good and beneficial. Let us pledge to be committed to this task of transformation despite its hardship and challenges.
Only then can we remain true to the spirit of Hijrah and the wonderful example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)