For the records
NEWS COMMENTARY
DATE OF B/CAST: 26- 06 -2025
TIME OF B/CAST: 0645 &1761 HRS
TOPIC: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIJRAH CALENDAR FOURTEEN FORTY-SEVEN
WRITER: HABIBATULLAH ONAKPA ABDALLAH.
INTRODUCTION
As Muslims all over the world begin a new Hijrah fourteen forty seventoday, Habibatullah Onakpa Abdallah of our News and Current Affairs Department writes on the significance of Hijrah Calendar.
According to the glorious Quran, chapter nine verse thirty six, Allah says surely the number of months in the sight of Allah when he created the heaven and Earth are twelve.
The twelve months are Muharam, Safar, Rabiu Awal, Rabiu Thani, Jumada Ullah, Jumada Thanni, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Shawal, Zul-Qadah and Zul-Hajj.
Out of the twelve months, four are sacred; these are Muharam, Rajab, Zul-Qadah and Zul Hajj.
Some of these months have thirty days while others have twenty nine.
Hijrah Calendar took its name from the migration of prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) from Mekkah to Medinah in six hundred and twenty two C.E.
The The use of Hijrah calendar began in six hundred and thirty eight C.E when Umar Ibn Katab the second Caliph suggested that Islam should have its own distinctive calendar.
He noted that the prophet’s immigration was so much a significant landmark in Islam and that it could not be over looked.
The idea was then overwhelmingly adopted by the companions.
The Islamic calendar is lunar and uses the moon rather than the sun as in the Gregorian calendar, to count the days, weeks months and years.
Hence, the migration of Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him and his companions from Makkah to Medina which was a divine directive turned out to be a great significant milestone in Islam as it ended years of persecution, hostilities and harassments by the then infidels of Makkah.
The arrival of the prophet at Medina brought about radical social order in the life of the Muslims.
It also eventually led to the foundation of Muslim city which became a turning point, not only to Islamic history but to the world history.
For Muslims, the Islamic calendar does not only holds holy significance but also spiritual and historical significance especially as it helps in marking some religious events like Ashura and Tashu’a in the month of muharam, Ramadan fast and Hajj.
In Islam, history serves as a reminder of sacrifices made in the way of Islam especially during the time of the prophet, peace be upon him, for instance his expeditions.
These events are somewhat lost in the Gregorian calculation hence, the use of Hijrah Calendar among Muslims cannot be over emphasized.
It is note worthy to stress that the beginning of an Islamic year is not a celebration nor a festival unlike the two Eids of fitri and Adha, but a significant and momentous occasion, reflection and remembrance.
Here in Nigeria, many Muslim majority states like Kano, Sokoto, kwara, Osun Zanfara and a few others have consistently declared a holiday to mark the historical occasion as being done all over the Muslim world.
It is therefore apt and deserving to appeal to Kogi State Government to declare Muharam first of every year as public holiday to be at per with January first.
At this juncture, the effort of Islamic organizations in Kogi state must be commended for organizing annual event to mark hijrah.
Such organizations like; Kogi State Muslim organizations otherwise known as ‘KOSMO under the auspices of the Jamaatu Nasiru Islam, the council of Ulamau, the National Council of Muslim Youth Organizations, NACOMYO, among others must be commended for a good job.
It is noteworthy that their consistent efforts have gone a long way in promoting the ideals of Islam and should be sustained.
For the fourteen forty-seven hijrah commemoration in Kogi State, the Kogi State Muslim organization (kosmo) has concluded arrangements to mark the event with funfare.
As Muslims Mark the Hijrah Calendar, it is expedient to point out that the significance of the event lies in the opportunities it offers Muslims to migrate from whatever that is wrong and sinful and embrace piety as enshrined in the Holy Quran as well as draw closer to Allah through devotion.
Surely, without migrating from disobedience to obedience, sinfulness to righteousness, indiscipline to discipline, then the essence of Hijrah is compromised and defeated.
Therefore, as the New Year begins, Muslims are enjoined to use the privilege of witnessing another year to renew their faith and commitment to righteousness.
They are to come closer to Allah and rededicate their lives to his divine service and humanity.
Muslims are expected to intensify prayers for good, responsible and responsive leadership at all levels especially as the country battles insecurity, hyper inflation across the states.
They should intensify their supplications that Allah keep Nigeria as one and restore peace and tranquility to the country.
In Kogi state, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has created a serene environment for intra and inter-religious coexistence.
The Governor therefore deserves commendation for his support to religious groups aimed at ensuring religious harmony.
It is the hope of all critical stakeholders of Islam that the new Islamic year which begins today will usher in more peace, progress and unprecedented development in Kogi state and Nigeria.
THAT COMMENTARY ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIJRA CALENDAR FOURTEEN FORTY SEVEN WAS WRITTEN BY HABIBATULLAH ONΑΚΡΑ ABDALLAH OF OUR NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND READ FROM OUR STUDIO.
