The Hijrah: A Strategy for Establishing Authority

Praises to Allah (swt) and Salutations upon the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

And say, “My Sustainer! Grant me access [in allthatIdo]toallthatistrueandsincereand disengage me [in all that I do] in a manner of truth and sincerity and render to me from Your presence a reassuring worldly power. [Al Isra, 17:80]

As we witness, powerless, the unrelenting spread of genocide and its extension into the West Bank — where Jewish settlers brutalize Palestinians — the Muslim conscience is paralyzed. The West's failed attempt to subjugate Iran, along with the attacks in Lebanon and the West Bank, should prompt us to better understand the implications of the Hijrah: a revolutionary movement, an emancipation not only of the individual, but of the conscience itself.

The month of Muharram, which also marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar, should invite us to reflect on the political dimensions of the Hijrah. The Prophet's strategic objective in emigrating to Madinah — as argued by former Al Jazeera journalist Wadah Khanfar in his book The First Spring — is clearly explained in the Qur'anic verse quoted above.

The purpose of emigrating to the territory of truth and honor, he explains, was to find an authority capable of supporting the message. Authority here encompasses a social and political framework that would allow the new power to develop and establish itself durably.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was aware that he carried a universal message that would endure until the end of time. If Makkah refused to serve as the authority that would enable the fulfillment of the mission, he had to emigrate elsewhere. Understood in this context, the Hijrah was not merely the exodus of a group of people, nor simply a means for the persecuted to seek safety — it was the starting point of a project aimed at creating an authority capable of realizing the universal and everlasting dimensions of the mission. It offered the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) a base from which to manifest truth and eliminate falsehood. Such a project required a solid foundation, an integrated society, and respected leadership.

The Hijrah represents a defining stage in the mission of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and in the history of Islam. It marks the separation between two eras: the Makkan period, during which Muslims were persecuted and tortured by the Quraysh; and the Madinan period, during which Muslims were recognized as a distinct entity, capable of founding a State based on the legislation of Allah.

The Hijrah Marked The Abandonment Of Kufr

For scholars and activists, the emigration marked the definitive abandonment of polytheism in favor of Tawheed (the Oneness of God), the abandonment of kufr for Islam, of immorality for morality, of disobedience for obedience and submission to the will of Allah, and of ignorance for knowledge.

And say, “Truth and justice have come and lies and injustice have been eliminated: by its nature lies and injustice are bound to be eliminated.” [Al Isra, 17:81]

The Hijrah also marked the boundary between persecution and freedom and authority; between an underground movement afraid to even pray openly, and an invincible Islamic State.

Above all, it marked the recognition by Arabs and neighboring peoples of Islam as an ideology to be reckoned with.

The emigration to Madinah (then known as Yathrib) occurred in a context in which the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Muslims could no longer endure persecution. Makkah had become a threatening environment, hostile to the Prophet's da'wah — particularly following a series of pivotal events in his life: the boycott, the deaths of Abu Talib and Khadijah (ra), the hostile reception at Ta'if, and finally the assassination attempt against the Prophet (ﷺ).

Muhammad (ﷺ) — A Master Strategist

The Hijrah allowed Muslims to establish themselves as a political power, with the implementation of Islamic legislation, and enabled Islam to be accepted as a complete way of life prescribed by the Creator. The Hijrah was thus a political emancipation — Islam could henceforth be lived as an ideology, one in which sovereignty belongs exclusively to the Creator and in which the Muslim fulfills his role as vicegerent.

The Hijrah also witnessed a complete transformation of the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) role. From teacher and preacher, he became, after the emigration, the head of state, the commander of armies, and the founder of the most powerful empire, one that threatened the very existence of the great powers of the time.

Behold, as for those who have committed themselves [to Allah], and who have forsak- en the domain of civic evil [in Makkah] and are striving hard, with their possessions and their lives, in Allah’s cause, as well as those who shelter and support [them in Madinah] — these are [truly] the superordinate and allies of one another. […] [Al Anfal, 8:72]

Allah (swt) urges us to understand the sacrifice borne by those who emigrated. It was not merely a physical relocation from one place to another. For those who emigrated, it meant the abandonment of family ties, the stability of their trade, the stability of their careers, and their worldly aspirations. They emigrated toward a new hope — the hope of a society different from what they had experienced in Makkah, a society where they had faced constant domination and injustice.

The Hijrah was also an opportunity to build a more equitable, more just society — one freed from the aristocrats of Makkah and their dominance, where the weak would not be exploited. They were no longer compelled to accept their former masters. The Makkan aristocracy no longer held control over their destiny. This revolutionary moment thus witnessed the emancipation of the individual.

Emancipation of the Conscience

Beyond the emancipation of the individual, it was also a matter of the emancipation of the conscience. The Muslim chose to submit to Allah (swt) exclusively, experiencing an emancipation from within — from the soul of each individual.

Furthermore, on the societal level, the Islamic State was founded on the concept of brotherhood, binding the Ansar to the Muhajirun by an unbreakable bond. The stability and tranquility restored enabled Muslims to spread Islam and its system of justice and governance beyond Arabia.

Nevertheless, the central message of the Hijrah remains the fact that the Muslim is one who distinguishes himself from all forms of kufr and shirk in favor of Tawheed — of perfect Islam, piety, and sincerity.

On an individual level, the Hijrah teaches us that the Muslim has a duty to invite fellow believers to the perfect practice of the deen, and non-Muslims to Islam. He cannot be content to live Islam as a private religion. It is his duty to engage in making Islam prevail as a reference in all aspects of his life.

He it is who has sent forth His Apostle [Mu hammad] with the [task of spreading] guidance and the deen of truth, to the end that He may cause it to prevail over all [false] deen — how- ever hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to anyone/anything beside Allah. [At Tawbah, 9:33]

For this to be realized, following the example of the Muhajirun, we need a decolonization of the conscience — a transformation of our colonized mindset — rejecting the Islam imposed upon us by Zionists, whether Jewish or Arab, through their Abraham Accords. We must remain vigilant against colonialist tendencies and their threats. It means understanding that Islam is a liberating message calling for resistance, for taking a stand against Islamophobia, genocide, and the colonization of minds.

May Allah (swt) guide us and help us