Every year on the 10th of Muharram the Shia Muslims all over the world commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. The commemoration start from the first day and the peak reached on the 10th day. Today is the first day of Muharram.

Food coked and given free. Pic: children offer fruits and food to the Coalition Forces

Imam Hussein is the grand son of Prophet Mohammad from his daughter Fatima and his cousin and son in law Ali Bin Abi Talib. Prophet Mohammad used to call him and his brother Hassan as his beloved sons. He is the one who chose their names after they born. They grow in the environment of Bano Hashem, the tribe of Mohammad and Ali. Unlike Bano Omaiyah, Bano Hashem rejects corruption, oppression and racial discrimination. Bano Omaiyah considers themselves above the others and the Arabs above the non Arabs. This discrimination reached its peak during the reign of Maawiyah Bin Abo Sofiyan and his son Yazid in Damascus in Syria. One of the major causes for Imam Hussein to reject the leadership of Maawiyah and Yazid is because of their corruption, oppression, slavery and injustice.

It is very difficult to elaborate about the history in details but will try to write very briefly about the main points.

After the death of Prophet Mohammad and before his burial a new era of struggle for power started. Al Insars who were the inhabitants of Madinah gathered in a place called Saqefat Bani Saiedah which is their community meeting place and selected among them Saad Bin Uobadah to be the leader. The Mohajreen who migrated with Prophet Mohammad the tribe of Koriesh heard this. They left the body of the Prophet and want to the same place. The two sides clashed and argued about who should be the leader. The scene was chaotic with threats from both sides. Ali and the family of Prophet haven't attended and have been ignored. Ali was adopted by Mohammad when he was a boy to help his uncle Abi Talib during economical crises. He was the son in law of the Prophet, his cousin, and brother by choice and the first one to embrace Islam after the prophet and his deputy at least according to many Muslims at that time. Ali was poor and he was disliked by the rich aristocrats of Qurishis.

The trees here is the site of Alskefa

The meeting resulted in taking allegiance to Abo Baker who was one of the Immigrants to Madenah. Some Muslims rejected and some asked to wait until Ali and the prophet kinsmen finished from his burial but the matter moved forward by some. That was a breakthrough point in the history of division in Islam.
Soon after this many Muslims refused to pay charity to Abo Baker and that was suppressed by force led by Khaled Bin Alwaled who killed the leader of the region Malek Bin Nowerah and married his beautiful wife on the same day!

Ali (the father of Hussein) hasn't submitted his allegiance until the death of Fatima 6 months later. At this time the power established well in the hands of Abo Baker and Omar and have he not doing so he may have been killed. Abo baker and Omar used Ali as a consultant for them. During the reign of Othman who is from Bano Omayiah there were a lot of unrest in Egypt and Iraq and other parts due to the oppressive and unjust behaviours of the local leaders. Othman appointed leaders among his family and some of them are arrogant to the people. The unrest resulted in surrounding Othman house and Ali tried to stop things but was unable so the revolted people killed Othman. This was a major point in the history of Islam. Here the division started to take a different shape.

Now Ali has been selected by the people to lead and he refused initially but the revolted people and others convinced him that they need his leadership now! He accepted but Muawyaih in Damascus who was the cousin of Othman refused that and entered into many wars with Ali. After the death of Ali (killed during prayer in Kuffa mosque), Maawiyah signed agreement with Ali's eldest Son Hassan to stop blood shade and the power will go to Al Hassan after him but Maawiyah killed Al Hassan by putting poison in his honey. He then forced every one to give allegiance to his son Yazid after him. After his death Yazid sent for Madenah to ask the people to recognize him as the leader. He instructed his army if any one refused to give allegiance to be killed and named Al Hussein as one of the most important people to start with.

Yazid was arrogant, oppressive, and unjust man. His messenger to Al Hussein in the governor of Al Madenah HQ asked Al Hussein after summoning him to submit his will to Yazid. Imam Hussein knew if he does so it means the end of the moral aspects in the religion and the acceptance of the slavery dictatorship of Yazid. He refused and asked the messenger to wait for a while. Imam Hussein then decided to leave with his family (wife, children, brothers and some others) to Iraq because he knew Yazid already planned to assassinate him. He took his family because if he leaves them Yazid will take them as captives. The followers of his father and grand father in Iraq have written to him before to go there and provide him with protection. He then made his mind and went from Madenah to Makkah then across the desert towards Kuffa.


AlHussein leaving the city of his grand father to Iraq


To Kuffa

Yazid arranged a huge army of 33,000 men very well equipped and appointed Oubiad Alla Bi Ziad as the governor of Kuffa. Bin Ziad was a known person for his arrogance, un-mercifulness, oppression, and every thing inhuman. He was governor on Basrah. Since his arrival to Kuffa worked in two ways, threat and killing and buying the people with money. He captured the messenger of Imam Hussein and his cousin Muslim Bin Akeel; beating him and throws him from the roof of the palace then crucified him with Hani Bin Urowa his hostess.

Yazid sent his strongest army while Bin Ziad sent an army to surround Imam Hussein and his family and prevent them from changing their direction until Yazid army arrives. Imam Hussein have just over 100 with him most of them among his family.They forced Imam Hussein and his family (the family of Prophet Mohammad) to retreat to Kerbala. Kerbala is two phrases word; ker means anguish and bala means vexation.

Imam Hussein debated with them that they are themselves send for him to come and tried to convince them that they are in actual fact surrounding the women and children of their Prophet but they refused to let him to go. They said that he has to submit completely his will to Bin Ziad and then Yazid or he will face his fate. He showed them more than 500 letters that they sent but they denied it!
After a long journey through the desert his children were thirsty as well as the women and the men. They prevent him from the Euphrates water. He got a 6 months old baby who was crying aggressively for water and he took him to the army asking for water just for this baby, instead they throw the baby with a dart which strike him on his neck and killed him instantly. Imam Hussein then took the blood of his baby in his hand and throw it to heaven asking God to witness what these people done to a baby belong to the family of their prophet.

On the 10th of Muharram around midday Yazid army attacked Imam Hussein camp. Imam Hussein first advised them saying that we are until now one nation but if the sword happened between us then we became two nations; you are one and we are different. From that time the practical division between Shias and Sunni manifest itself very clearly and widely. Shia means the supporters or followers of, and here it means the supporters of Ali and Ahil Al Biat which means the family of the Prophet Mohammad.

The night before the war Imam Hussein gathered his family and followers and told them that the army want him himself and so he told them you are free to go while it is dark but all of them refused. One of those who fought with him was a Christian young man called John.

Last moments before battle

In few hours they killed every one and when Imam Hussein remained alone he asked loudly if there is any one protects the family of the messenger of God! They attacked him and then racked him with the feet of their horses when he tumbled. They then cut his head and the heads of his brothers and followers and raise them on spears.
After this they attacked the women and put the tents in fire. The children escaped in all directions and the women tried to protect them. They beaten the children and women by the whips and ripped off their belonging. Then they took them as captives!!! Children and women!! Among them was Zainab the sister of Imam Hussein who witnessed the massacre of her sons, brothers, nephews and other relatives in the bloodiest way of barbaric killing.

Back without Hussein! Zainab asked; Oh horse, where is Hussein my beloved brother?


They cut the heads and left the bodies unburried!


Yazid army set fire in the camp and terrified women and children.

This is the present site where Imam Hussein killed and slaughtered

Bin Ziad looked to the head of Imam Hussein and start to strike his mouth with a cane, feeling the joy and happiness filling his sadistic inhuman personality. He then turned to humiliate the women of the family of Prophet Mohammad. Zainab then delivered a strong speech describing the magnitude of their crime. Bin Ziad ordered his guards to kill Ali the son of Hussein who was a young boy and haven't joined the battle because he was ill. Zainab throw her self over the boy and said if you want to kill him you have to kill me first before him. Bin Ziad withdraws his devilish wish after Zainab insistence.


The Tomb of the body of Al Hussein. The head buried in Cario!

The tomb of the martyrs who died with Hussein

The army then took the women and children on a camel caravan to Damascus. They passed many cities and villages. They told the people that those women and children are among foreigners who were out law and refused to submit to the Caliph Yazid. Fear and Terror producing strategy exactly like Saddam. They haven't told the truth that they are the prophet's family to prevent revolt.

Captives with chains to Bin Ziad.

Before they arrive to Damascus there was a Priest in his remote chapel he spotted the caravan from a distance and saw a light shining from the head of Hussein up to the sky. The Priest stopped them and asked them who is that head for? They refused to tell him. After he gave them money they told him that the head belongs to Al Hussein the son of Fatima the daughter of Prophet Mohammad. He got some money with him and asked them to take it and let the head with him for a while. They took the money and gave him the head. The Priest washed it and heard recitation of the holly Quran coming from the head!

In Damascus Yazid put them chained in a ruin before depart them to Madenah. Many of the children died from starvation, diseases and beating during this long journey. The little daughter of Imam Hussein while in the abandond ruin in Damascus start to cry and insisted to see her father. Zainab tried to please her but she never stopped crying. Then they brought the head and told her this is your father. She hugged the head and took a deep sigh and passed.

In the palace of the tyrant!

Imam Hussein remembered as a symbol of freedom and dignity against tyrant and slavery. Hussein never bowed to tyrant and oppressive regime of Yazid. This is why the similar tyrant like Saddam prevents the commemoration because of its symbolic state which rejects not only Yazid but every tyrant in history like Saddam. Ghandi the strongman of India said (I learnt from Hussein how I be tyrannized and achieve victory!). A woman who was mourning in Muharram has been asked about it. She said to mourn for a beloved one is a personal thing which will fade with time but to mourn for Imam Hussein is to mourn for the mankind which will never fade as far as there is tyranny and oppression and slavery.
Imam Hussein said; dignified death is better than humiliating life.

Many intellectuals wrote about Imam Hussein. Gerhard Konsilman a German journalist said that Yazid used to despise the people, salving and oppressing them and irresponsible sinful person. Imam Hussein by his realistic personality and death defeated the tyrant. His revolt was the ignition for the end of Umayyad density. Konsilman added that the dead Hussein was more dangerous on Yazid than the live Hussein. The martyrdom of Hussein in Kerbala remained the symbol for freedom, dignity and rejection of the tyrants.

There are some similarities between Jesus Christ and Hussein in that both of them rejected tyrant and wrongful and gave themselves in the way of freedom, salvation, dignity and righteous aspect of life. Their path is one and their salvation is by following their path of peace and justice. Before them Moses and Aaron defied the tyranny of Pharaoh and Aaron was deemed weak by his own people when Moses left to receive the Ten Commandments.

Al Hussein will remain as a revolution against all tyrants and oppressors. He will continue as a symbol for dignity and freedom for all the mankind and not only the Shias Muslims.



Friday Khutbah (27/2/2004) delivered by Shaykh Muhammad Taher

DISCLAIMER: This reminder was originally delivered in Arabic. Any meanings lost in translation are not to be attributed to the speaker as reminders are translated by volunteers. The mosque has no official translater and volunteers often have no formal qualifications to translate on the day. Please forgive any errors as they are from our human weakness and any right guidance is from Allah.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the Worlds, Master of the righteous, Whose enmity is only against the oppressors. And may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Imam of the pious, and those who follow him….

Oh Muslims,

The Islamic Ummah has bid farewell to another year and welcomed a new one, and likewise the days pass and have passed. The haste of this life continues but has it occurred to you, oh Muslims, to say: “Where is this haste of life leading me? What will there be after the last round, at the end the road? What should I gather from this life, which we live and reside in, in which we strive and work, slave and toil, seeking livelihood and provision, recreation and pleasure, through the blessings of Allah?

Have you ever said to yourself on any day, did not Allah not say to us in his book?

“Blessed is He in Whose hands is the Dominion, and He has power over all things. He Who created Death and Life, so that He may try which of you is best in deed?” (al-Mulk 67:1-2)

And did He not say:

“To any that desires the harvest of the Hereafter, We give increase in his harvest; and to any that desires the harvest of this world, We grant it to him, but he has no share in the Hereafter.” (as-Shura 42:20)

Therefore, may my soul awaken from its slumber! This life is nothing other than a place of preparing for the Hereafter. This life is nothing other than a passageway to the Hereafter. This life is nothing other than a place of action and work for the reward of the Hereafter. This life is a place of longing and aspiration for meeting the promise, and witnessing what is promised, in the Hereafter.

So oh you who seeks the harvest of this life, and oh you who seeks the harvest of the Hereafter!

Your provision in this life is plentiful, and guaranteed, and Allah is the One who guarantees that. For Allah has said, before that last verse: “ Allah is gracious to His servants. He provides for whom He wills, and He is the Strong, the Mighty.” (42:19) Allah is kind to these people, and those people, and for each on of them is a share in this life. And no one will obtain more than what has been decreed for him in this life. Then there remains the harvest of the Hereafter, pure and true for whomsoever desires it and does righteous deeds for its sake.

Therefore, for the rich man and the poor, in the harvest of this life each one has his share. But in the harvest of the Hereafter it is not the same. In the Hereafter, those who have done righteous deeds come forward, and the people of sound and pure hearts. “On that day when money and children will benefit no-one, except whoever comes to Allah with a sound heart”. The righteous believers will rejoice in the Hereafter, after the hardship of this life, and the struggle against the self, the passions and desires, and against Shaitan, in order for there not to be disobedience to Allah, in committing vile deeds, consuming interest, and the consuming of people’s wealth in vain. On the other hand there are many people who become weary in the Hereafter. Many become weary, seeking pleasure and comfort for themselves, and leaving the commands of Allah. You will see them finding the prayer burdensome, seeing it as hard, exhausting work. Many wear out their bodies in order to obtain the benefits of this life, and regarding the afterlife they are heedless.

So come, let us hear what the Quran has to say about these wasteful people. And come, let us hear what the Quran has to say about those who are blessed in the Gardens of their Lord. After that, ask yourself. Are these people equal to these people? Is the one who seek the harvest of this life equal to the one who seeks the harvest of the next?

Allah says, after mentioning a group of prophets and righteous people and their offspring who followed them in excellence:

“But after them there followed a posterity who missed prayers and followed their lusts. Soon then, will they face destruction. Except those who repent and believe, and work Righteousness: for these Will enter the garden and will not be wronged in the least. Gardens of Eternity, those which Allah Most Gracious has promised to His servants in the Unseen: for His promise must come to pass. They will not hear any vain discourse, but only salutations of peace. Any they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening. Such is the Garden which we give as an inheritance to those of our servants who guard against evil.” (19:59-63)

This is the price of Paradise, oh you who seek the Hereafter! This is the price of Paradise oh you who follow the Muhammad, peace be upon him. Allah gives paradise to those who have taqwa of Allah in this life.

As long as you are able to perform action do so, before you are unable to. Seize the opportunity of this life, before death approaches you.

“When their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor an hour can they advance in its anticipation.” (7:34)

A year has passed, and a year has come, so let each one of us ask himself today: What have I prepared for tomorrow? What did I do yesterday? Am I prepared for what is coming? Oh servants of Allah, have taqwa in your lives, in the times you spend, and in your actions.

“And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah, then every soul shall be paid what it earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly. (2:281)

Also, take a warning, a lesson, from the earthquakes that are happening here and there, in places like Iran, Algeria, Morocco, and know that they are nothing other than reminders and awakeners for the believers to prepare themselves for the earthquake that cannot be measured by the Richter scale. The day when the earthquake will last for hours, not seconds or minutes, when the earth is pounded to powder, when the earth is shaken to the utmost convulsion. When the great event occurs, and you will see the earth bringing low many, and exalting many, and when every nursing mother shall abandon her suckling baby. These earthquakes that you see today are nothing other than awakenings for the heedless, the sinners and the disobedient, to return and repent to the Lord of the Worlds. And we ask Allah to forgive those who have died in these events.

Second Khutbah:

Oh Muslims,

In the month of Muharram, a caller to Allah was for to flee from his da’wa, a brother of Muhammad, salla Allahu alahi wa salam. Both of them were on the same path. They had the same journey. They called to the same thing. Indeed, this brother is Musa, peace be upon him.

A prophet is not sent, except that an oppressor is placed in order to oppose him. A leader of da’wa does not carry his conviction, except that there is a tyrant that prepares to fight him. This is the sunnah of Allah, and you will not find in the sunnah of Allah any change. And if Allah did not defend some people from others, this earth would be thoroughly corrupted. In this month Musa was expelled from Egypt, expelled by the evil Pharaoh. Likewise, our own beloved Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was expelled from Mecca by the Quraysh, in this month. As Allah says in Surah al-Furqan: “ Thus have we made for every prophet an enemy from amongst the sinners; but enough is thy Lord to guide and to help.” (25:31)

Musa and the Children of Israel clashed with the sea. The army was behind them; death and the sea were in front of them. Where to, oh Lord? To Allah. Musa turned and called to Allah, and Allah is close.

“When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close: I respond to the prayer of every caller when he calls me.” (2:186)

The Children of Israel said:

“Oh Musa, they army will catch us!” And Musa smiled, as Muhammad, peace be upon him, smiled in the cave. He said: “By no means! My Lord is with me! Soon he will guide me! Where will He guide you? Pharaoh is behind you, the sea is in front of you!(26:61-62)

This dilemma had no solution. In the limited perspective of man there was no escape, but Musa said: “My Lord is with me and he will soon guide me.” At that point the command came. “Don’t delay, strike the sea with your staff, in the Name of Allah.” He struck the sea, and it split, it burst, and a path emerged for them. Musa and the Children of Israel walked. The tyrant came, to test them one last time in this life. But damned be the oppressors and tyrants, who always meet destruction. Either hearts curse them, while they are walking on the earth, or the earth swallows them, or Allah sends afflictions upon them, or Allah prepares for them the Fire.

Pharaoh arrived with his army, but Musa was saved. Allah said to the sea: “Come together!” and it did. That was the end of that criminal. When he realized the reality he said: “I believe that there is no god except Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in: and I am one of those who submit. “But it was too late for him. Allah then said:

“Now, but a little while before you were in rebellion, and you did much mischief and violence.” (10:90-91)

At that moment! In a way, Allah is saying: ‘After you have done so many horrible things, so many crimes, claimed to be the Almighty Lord, now you seek forgiveness. The answer is no.” And Musa was saved.

For this Messeneger, peace be upon him, shared with his brother the same joy of success and victory. He shared with his colleague the journey of da’wa and propagation of the Message of the Lord of the Worlds. In this beautiful day, the day of ‘Ashura, Allah saved his believing righteous slave, and the believers who were with him. He saved them from the plans of Pharaoh and his people. The Day of ‘Ashura remains as a day in which we are reminded of the destruction of the most dangerous of tyrants on the earth, and it remains as a day in which we are reminded of the victory of Allah, and his kindness and support for his believing slaves.

Our Prophet, peace be upon him, found the Children of Israel in Medina, fasting the day of ‘Ashura, and he asked: “What is this day?” They said: “It is the day that Allah saved Musa.” He said: “ We are closer to Musa than you.” For Musa is our brother, our beloved, and we carry the way of Musa, not you, and he fasted that day, salla Allah alaihi wa salam, as it is recorded in Sahih Muslim: the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “I hope from Allah (that this day) will be an expiation for (the sins of) the past year.”

It is from the Sunnah to fast a day before it, or a day after it, the ninth and tenth from this month, or the tenth and eleventh, as our Prophet said: “ It is for me to fast the ninth and tenth.” So may Allah be pleased with Musa, his da’wa, his way, his humility, and his sacrifice, and may Allah be pleased with Muhammad, peace be upon him, for his humility, courage, and sacrifice, for the sake of this Ummah. And may Allah be pleased with whoever follows his way, salla Allahu alaihi wa salam, and sacrifices for the sake of his conviction, and is humble for the sake of his da’wa, and takes part in spreading his message.

I ask Allah to gather us with Muhammad, salla Allahu alahi wa salam, and Ibrahim, and Musa, and Isa, with the good and pure, the righteous martyrs, the pious and true, on the seat of truth next to the Lord of the Worlds.

Related Links:
Khutbas

شهر محرم



Summary

1) Reflecting on the great wisdom behind the succession of the days and nights, months and years.

2) Among the reasons behind the creation of the sun and moon is that they are to be used to calculate time.

3) The wisdom of Allaah behind making Islamic calculations based on the sighting of the moon.

4) When and how the Hijri calendar started and the wisdom behind starting it with the month of Al-Muharram.

5) Muslims must base all dealings and records according to the lunar calendar.

6) The Musim nation must be distinguished and not follow other religions in their customs and manners.



All praise is due to Allaah Who created everything that exists and Who masterfully perfected his religion. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah Who has Power over all things. I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, the bearer of glad tidings, and the warner, who invites to Allaah's Grace by His leave and who is as a lamp - spreading the light of guidance. May Allaah have mercy on him, his companions and their true followers.



O people! Revere Allaah and always be conscious of him. Be aware that there is manifest wisdom in the alternation of the days and nights and in the succession of months and years. It is incumbent upon us that we utilise the days and nights by performing righteous deeds within them and differ from those that fill their time with evil deeds until death overtakes them.



Allaah has given us two indicators in the day and night; in the day there is the sun while at night there is the moon. Upon the emergence of each new day, life is renewed and every worshipper summons up his energy to practice more acts of devotion. It is because of this that Allaah has likened sleeping at night to death while likening waking up during the day to resurrection. He has said that which translates as: “It is He who takes your souls by night [i.e. when you sleep] and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein [i.e. by day] that a specified term [i.e. One’s decreed life span] may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do” (Al An'aam: 60).



It is a manifestation of the mercy of Allaah towards His worshippers that He has made the sun and the moon follow exactly computed courses. By observing the sun, people can know the different seasons and by looking at the moon, people will be able to deduce the beginning and end of each month. Allaah has divided the year into twelve months as He said that which translates as: “Indeed, the number of months with Allaah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allaah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion [i.e. way], so do not wrong yourselves during them...” (At-Tawbah: 36).



Of the four sacred months, three are consecutive: Dhu’l-Qi’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Al-Muharram. The fourth is Rajab which lies between the months of Jumada Al-Aakhirah and Sha’baan.



An example of the easiness of Allaah's religion is that the calculation of the beginning and end of each Islamic month is based on the sighting of the moon. Therefore, every person will be easily informed of each new month, regardless of whether they are literate or not. The advent of a new month is known by the appearance of the crescent in the west after sunset; once the crescent is manifest, one month has come to an end and another has begun. Therefore, we also come to know that the day starts at the sunset and not at midnight, because the first day of the month is marked by the sunset of the last day of the previous month.



The Islamic calendar was first introduced during the era of the Amir Al-Mu’mineen, or leader of the believers `Umar ibn Al-Khattaab , may Allaah be pleased with him, during the sixteenth or seventeenth year after the Hijrah, or migration of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, sought the peoples advice on when the Hijri calendar should start. Some held that it should have started from the birth of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, whilst others thought that it should have begun from the very first day that the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam began his mission. Another group believed that the calendar should have started from the emigration and the last group held that the calendar should have begun from the death of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.



‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, agreed with those who wished to start the Islamic Calendar with the Hijrah of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam due to the fact that this marked the point in history when Allaah differentiated between truth and falsehood by giving the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam real power and authority which was manifested in the form of the first Islamic State.



The companions were also consulted on which month should mark the beginning of the year; ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab and ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, may Allah be pleased with them both, chose Al-Muharram due to it being a sacred month and because it follows the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, which is when the Muslims perform Hajj, or the pilgrimage, which was the last pillar of Islam that Allaah enjoined upon the Muslims. Al-Muharram also follows the month in which the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam pledged allegiance to the Ansar (His Madeenan supporters) to emigrate to Madeenah and this pledge of allegiance was one of the introductory acts of emigration. Due to all these reasons, Al-Muharram was deemed the most suitable month to begin the Islamic Calendar.



Servants of Allaah! We must be thankful to Allaah for such an easy method of calculation. The Muslim nation must have a distinct and independent identity which is derived solely from the essence of Islaam. It is incumbent on the Muslim nation that it be distinguished from other nations as far as morals, manners and entire way of life are concerned. This nation cannot be a subservient one that is always tending towards the blind imitation of others; this kind of blind imitation will not entail any goodness or prevent any evil. On the contrary, it will cause the Muslim nation to become weak and depend on others and this will cause it to forget its past glories. This nation will never be reformed except by following the very same methodology that reformed it in the past. We have learned that the day starts at sunset, the month starts once the crescent is sighted and the year starts from the day of the emigration of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. This is the method followed by the Muslims of the past; their jurists recorded dates according to this method in their books when handling issues, such as the time of settling debts and other similar matters.



“And a sign for them is the night, We remove from it the [light of] day, so they are [left] in darkness. And the sun runs [on course] toward its stopping point. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. And the moon - We have determined for it phases, until it returns [appearing] like the old date stalk. It is not allowable [i.e. possible] for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.” (Yaa Seen: 37-40).