AWAL MUHHARAM

          
     Awal Muharram, the start of the Muslim year, is based on the date of the Hijrah (or Hijra) meaning "migration", of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahhu alaihi wassalam) from Makkah to Medinah, in year 622 on the command and guidance of God, through His Angel Gabriel.
During the 13 years from the first revelation of Islam and its subsequent propagation, the Muslim community in Makkah had been subjected to severe tortures, enslavement, humiliations and persecution by the mostly anti-Muslims Quraish groups.
The Hijrah was in fact a great strategical move to a place where the populace wholeheartedly accepted Muhammad’s (s.a.w) prophet-hood and embraced Islam, and they were bent to defend and fight for the religion.
In fact, after several years, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and his followers were able to return to Makkah where they forgave their enemies, and within a century of his death, Islam had spread to all parts of the world.

MAAL HIJRAH AND USHERING IN OF AWAL MUHARRAM (THE NEW YEAR) 

              In Islam, a new day starts in the evening upon sunset and not after midnight.
So, just before sunset on the last day of Zulhijjah, Muslims will read a special prayer after the evening Asar rites or prayers, to seek God’s forgiveness for sins committed during the year, and repentance for misdeeds.
And then after sunset , Muslims will say another prayer  immediately after Maghrib  rites or prayers, seeking God’s guidance and help towards a better spiritual and physical life in the new year.
Maal Hijrah is also a time to reflect and review the past year and make new resolutions for the year. It is a time to check personal progress and to find ways to make oneself a better person.
This is because the concept of Maal Hijrah in Islam, besides the physical migration, also means a migration or paradigm shift of the mind and attitude, a concept somewhat rejuvenated and made popular by Stephen Covey.
Islam had initiated a paradigm shift in the minds of the uncivilised and pagan-worshipping Arabs to the simplicity and logic of the Islamic faith. And when they understood Islam, they embraced the religion in droves.
History too has shown that the early Muslims rekindled a sense of positive culture and values in humankind which later led to the Renaissance of Europe and eventually led to the enhancement of man’s knowledge in all fields in the modern world.
In essence, Maal Hijrah demands a migration of the mind, body, soul and attitude from bad to good and from good to excellent, always improving and bettering oneself and society.