Sunday, July 31, 2022
As of Saturday, July 30, we have entered the 1444th year of the Hijri Calendar whose time reckoning begins when our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) migrated from Mecca to Medina. On this occasion, may the Almighty Allah (swt) who is the Lord of time and space let humanity reach tranquillity and well-being and may He let the world reach peace and blessing in the new hijri year.
In these days that we reach a new year, we have the opportunity to rethink the meaning and value of time. In addition to being a great blessing bestowed by the Almighty Allah (swt), time, whose every moment is considered as a sacred trust, is a unique capital that is impossible to renew, accumulate and buy. Within this context, the warning, “By the passage of time! Surely humanity is in grave loss,” (Al-Asr, 103-1-2) and the principle, “So once you have fulfilled your duty, strive in devotion,” (Ash-Sharh, 94/7) of the Almighty Allah (swt) are remarkable in that they set forth the importance and value of time. Therefore, it is a responsibility that those who have a say and hope for the future cannot remain uninterested in perceiving the time correctly, planning effectively and evaluating it in the most beautiful way in order to revive the present and build the future by taking an example from yesterday.
In fact, time itself is precious. However, some events give a distinguished meaning and value to the time in which they occur. The most important event that the Hijri calendar that we comprehend its anniversary today, reminds us is the event of the Hijra, which is accepted as the beginning of this calendar and which is a historical turning point for Muslims in terms of its meaning and for all humanity in terms of its causes and consequences. The Hijra, which took place 1444 years ago, was a blessed walk in which the Messenger of Allah (saw) and his subjects gave up all their properties in Mecca, where time and space were shrinking, and made their way to hope. Muslims have carried their struggle for existence for the sake of maintaining oneness and justice to a new dimension with Hijra. They demonstrated the greatest example of submission to Allah (swt), loyalty to our beloved Prophet (saw) and determination to live as Muslims. They created a distinctive civilization where justice, mercy, honor, fundamental rights, and freedom prevailed by conveying the life-giving principles of Islam to the city of Madina to which they had migrated.
Understanding the Hijra in this manner today will provide us the opportunity to resist the difficulties of the century. Because the hijra means finding a direction with precaution, submission and determination without despair in the face of the troubles brought by life. It means embracing the universal values and good moral principles of Islam and moving forward to the future with a strong faith, a firm will and an unwavering determination. On the other hand, hijra means standing with determination and courage in the face of evil and taking the pulse of time and presenting the message of the Qur'an to the realization of the century in a correct way and being in an endeavour to multiply the good deeds all over the world.
With such emotions and thoughts, I would like to congratulate the hijri new year of our beloved nation and all Islamic World, and may the Almighty Allah (swt) let the consciousness of 'time is mine and space is entrusted to me' always remain alive in our world of mind and heart.
Prof. Dr. Ali ERBAŞ
President of Religious Affairs