Hijra a call to change way of life

Muslims worldwide will celebrate today the Islamic New Year or Hijra marking the Prophet Mohammed's (PBUH) migration from Makkah to Madinah.

Muslims consider this blessed event the best time of the year to start improving their lives.

Dr Omar Mohammed Al Khateeb, Director of Public and Media Relations at Dubai Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Department, spoke to Gulf News on the significance of Hijra.

"It is a heartfelt and genuine memory for all Muslims. It is considered a turning point in Islam and for Muslims due to the major changes that took place for mankind after Prophet Moham-med (PBUH) migrated from Makkah to Madinah," he said.

"After the Hijra, the material, social and religious fundamentals of life changed. Islam and the Da'awa (call to Islam) gained some political, economical, social and religious bases. Muslims then started to call it the Islamic State and they started benefiting from the new systems that originated then, upon which the Islamic State was later based."

He added: "Muslims consider the Da'awa the greatest bid among mankind for people to change their lives. That's why Muslims celebrate Hijra as a religious call to change their way of life, attitude and character for the better. People observe Hijra as a call to purify their souls and avoid repeating their mistakes."

Dr Al Khateeb told Gulf News that the Dubai Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Department honours Hijra and Islamic New Year by holding special events and celebrations annually. "We usually issue the Islamic calendar in a new form to capture the interest of all Muslims. We also organise an annual ceremony at Al Rashidya Grand Mosque after the Maghrib prayer. Muslim preachers and scholars deliver speeches on the significance of Hijra and many Sharia lessons are delivered as well," he said.

Dr Al Khateeb called on all Muslims to benefit from the occasion to improve their own lives, and Islamic society as a whole.

The department celebrated the Hijra yesterday in a ceremony held at Al Rashidya Grand Mosque after the Maghrib prayer.

The celebration began with a recitation of Quranic verses, then Dr Al Khateeb delivered the department's speech in observance of Hijra.

The event continued with a lecture titled Hijra, Triumph and Pride for Muslims, which was delivered by Abdul Aleem Abu Leila, a Muslim scholar, followed by a recitation of Islamic poetry in commemoration of Hijra.

Ahmed Ismael Ali and Abdul Rahman Khalaf, Muslim scholars, delivered two lectures on morals and the impact of Hijra on Muslims.

Meanwhile, the Women's Propagation Section at the Department organised a lecture titled Lessons and Sermons from the Prophet Mohammed's (PBUH) Hijra at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday.

Dr Mohammed Ajaj Al Khateeb delivered the lecture that was followed by a small ceremony for female secondary and elementary school students.

The Indian Muslim Association (IMAN) in Dubai held a formal celebration at Lootah mosque (Kuwait mosque) in Deira.

Moulavi Haja Jamali, the mosque's imam, and Professor Sayabu Maraikayar, General Secretary of Islamic Tamil Literature Society in Chennai, delivered speeches.

Major Mohammed Rashed bin Seray, the head of tourism security department at Dubai Police, distributed gifts to children of Al Ahliya Charity School in Dubai on this occasion.

"We at the police take advantage of such occasions to breakdown the barrier between the police and the public. We are continuing an age-old tradition of distributing gifts during such happy occasions," he added.