Taking Time to Plan When Problems Arise
Challenges and problems will arise from time to time in life. It doesn’t matter if you’re a child or an adult.
Obviously, the story of Hijrah arose from persecution, and this was a major challenge for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims of that time.
The Prophet had planned the escape from Makkah and Madinah for all Muslims.
He did this in phases: praying to Allah for guidance, making alliances with outsiders of Makkah, having people return to sign a pledge, and moving out Muslims by the handful.
Muslims, regardless of time and locality, will face their own challenges, and it is for each Muslim to plan his or her way out of hardship.
This is the same for children. If there is something bothering them at school, for example, if they are being bullied or vilified for any reason, they must learn to ask for help from their parents.
It may not always be easy for children to do this, and that is why they need a strong support system to surround them—one that is conscious of Allah and knows that Allah is capable of everything.
Therefore, the story of Hijrah is also one of brotherhood, of taking care of one another, and of having complete trust in the One Creator and the Best of Planners.
Taking Care of Others Before One’s Self
A huge lesson from the Hijrah is the importance of caring for others.
Although the Quraysh were planning to hunt down Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the last Messenger ensured that the Muslims in Makkah were looked after before he left.
He planned, at best, to get many of them to move out by night for their safety.
Some strong companions, like Umar bin Khattab, were less likely to be attacked, so Umar left during the day with a handful of the followers, unharmed.
Prophet Muhammad also followed Allah’s Directives to the tee, telling Ali bin Abi Talib to sleep in his bed the night he fled.
Furthermore, before Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) embarked on his journey, he settled all his business transactions and returned all assets and belongings that fell under his care, so that he would not have cheated or shortchanged anyone at all in lieu of any business transactions.
Even when the Quraysh were persecuting him, they still believed that he was the Al-Amin (the Trustworthy), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) lived up to his name until the very end.
Choosing Good Comrades
Lastly, an important lesson of Hijrah is choosing good friends. Prophet Muhammad chose his closest friend, Abu Bakr Siddique, to be his companion on his treacherous journey to Madinah.
Abu Bakr was one of the best Muslims of the time and was always calm and collected when it came to facing problems.
Prophet Muhammad knew he could trust Abu Bakr to carry out their plan to leave Makkah together, and they did it without fear of being caught.
Had Abu Bakr doubted the plan or anything that was encompassed within it, then Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) wouldn’t have been able to reach Madinah without getting hurt or even killed.
There are many Hadith that require Muslims to find good companions at all times, as this will enable us to become closer to Allah.
The more like-minded friends we have, the better our chances are to keep our faith intact and continuously engage in good deeds rather than bad deeds.
Having good friends also keeps us happy and positive at all times and focused on being good Muslims.
At times of difficulty, true friends will also be there to stick by us and help us without passing judgment on our hardships, even if it puts them in danger.
They will always help keep the faith, even through phases of difficulty.
The Story of Hijrah
Lastly, everyone has their own story to tell, their own journey, and their own path to walk down—to discover Allah, to learn the Quran, and to be a good Muslim.
Keeping good intentions and purifying one’s heart at all times to please Allah is the best way to go, and adults and children need to be reminded about that.
We live in such a busy world that we forget we are nothing but travelers moving from one point to the next, making our own Hijrah.
Remind children that the only point of permanence is the Hereafter, and insha Allah, for good Muslims, this resting place is Jannah.
From the archives.
Read more:
- What Prophet Said When He Arrived in Madinah
- Hijrah: Powerful Woman Who Helped the Prophet (PBUH)
- Hijrah – More Than a Physical Journey