The Month of Dhul Hijjah
Salamu Alaikum,
The Month we are speaking about today is the month of Dhul Hijjah that just passed, a very special month in which many special things take place. The greatest event that takes place in Dhul Hijjah is Hajj, one of the greatest acts of worship a Muslim can do. It is one of the acts which if done properly, forgives all sins and a person will leave in a state as if they had just been born, i.e free from sin.
Dhul Hijjah is the 12th month of the Islamic calendar and is the final month of the Islamic Lunar year. What an amazing month to write about, in some ways, it signifies the end of the Da’wah of the Messenger of Allah, as in the same month over fourteen hundred years ago, the Messenger of Allah made his farewell pilgrimage and spoke to almost one hundred thousand companions, all of whom attesting that he - peace and blessings be upon him - had delivered the message he was sent to do by Allah. All of this happening on the 12th month of the year, back where the Da’wah had begun, where the messenger of Allah was attacked, belittled, fought against and abused, yet he was triumphant and patient.
On this final pilgrimage the companions learned the rites of Hajj, the Prophet reiterated that the practices of the days of Jahiliyah are now outlawed, that no man is better than the other on the account of their race or their tribe, and enjoined the men to be just with their womenfolk and not to abuse the position Allah has given them. This was the same location where twenty three years earlier, the muslims would pray and give Da’wah in fear. We learn from this the importance of patience, the importance of forbearance, and the importance of tawakkul in seeking the victory of Allah.
It may be time for us to ponder over many of these things as we enter into a new Islamic year. We may face a new challenge, but we must continue to be patient until we meet Allah as the seerah teaches us.
Written by Sheikh Khalid Hassan
