August 9, Monday is the first day of the month Muharram and the 1443rd anniversary of hijra from Mecca to Medina of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw).

Hijra, which is a milestone for Muslims, is essentially a historical turning point for all humanity. What makes the hijra so meaningful and important is our beloved Prophet’s (saw) determination toThe element that deems Hijra meaningful and important at this level is the determination of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) to change the inhumane scene which was experienced during the Age of Ignorance, and the steadfast iman of Muslims, who value truth over batil (falsehood) together with him.

After a depressing period when the belief of tawhid weakened, justice, fairness, and mercy disappeared, people were enslaved, and oppression and injustice seized the life, the Messenger of Allah (saw), whom Allah the Almighty (swt) sent us as a blessing, and his followers struggled to practice and sustain the universal values of Islam. By confronting the challenges they faced with faith and patience, they showed the resilience to give up all their worldly possessions and homelands for the sake of iman. Through hijra, they eliminated the danger of extinction that they were exposed to just because they were outnumbered and helpless, and got away from the darkness of ignorance and opened the doors of an illuminated age as well as laying the foundations of the century of bliss. They built a unique civilization of mercy in Medina which they turned into a land of safety, peace and welfare by remolding it with the life-giving principles of Islam.

In this regard, Hijra is not a desperate escape from mundane problems, but on the contrary, it is to follow the hope that tawhid, justice, law, and good morals will dominate the whole world. As a matter of fact, Because hijra is the obvious result of the aim of building a livable world for everyone, where human dignity, fundamental rights, and freedoms are guaranteed. It is the most powerful manifestation of submission to Allah (swt), loyalty to Prophet (saw) and the commitment to live a Muslim life.

Hijra also teaches us that values such as iman, bravery, patience and precaution should be equipped together without falling into despair ever in the face of hardships and troubles. It shows us that we can accomplish great victories only by fighting with precaution, trust, submission and commitment. As a matter of fact, Hijra, which took place at a time when all doors were closed, difficulties became unbearable, and calamities beset Muslims, indicates that Allah the Almighty (swt) will certainly open a way out for those who value the truth and reality. Therefore, what falls upon us today is to strive in order to green the spirit of Hijra in our heart, to embrace the values brought by the hijra, and to devote all our efforts to working towards the prevalence of goodness on earth.

Without a doubt, interpreting the hijra from this aspect will provide us courage, foresight, prudence and resoluteness in the fight against all kinds of evil, disaster and misfortune that seized our World today. It will strengthen our belief, commitment and determination to overcome the hardships that we experience and draw significant horizons regarding the solution to our problems.

With these feelings and thoughts, I would like to congratulate the hijri new year of our beloved nation and all Islamic world and request the Almighty Allah (swt) allow the consciousness of migration from falsehood to truth, from lie to right, from cruelty to justice and from hatred to mercy stay alive in our heart at all times.

Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş

President  Presidency of Religious Affairs