Migration (HIJRAH

Migration (Hijrah) is understood as synonymous with leaving one’s homeland. Certainly, the word migration is used in a specific sense for precisely this event. But no event can be understood by separating it from its background. The reality is that this leaving of the homeland that Hijrah essentially means leaving others and cutting off ties with them, as God says: Wallazeena haajaroo wa jaahadoo (2:218), meaning those who migrated, and have striven for God’s cause. And Lil fuqara’ al-muhajireena alladhina ukhrijoo min diyarihim wa amwalihim (59:8), meaning, it is for the poor refugees who were driven from their homes and possessions. And Wa man yakhruj min baytihi muhajiran ila Allahi wa rasoolihi (4:100), meaning: Those who leave home for the cause of God and His Messenger. And Fala tattakhidhu minhum awliyaa hatta yuhaajiroo fee sabeelillah (4:89), meaning: Do not take them as your allies until they emigrate in the way of God. In these verses, the meaning is clearly leaving the land of disbelief and moving to the land of Islam, as people migrated from Makkah to Madinah. Scholars have also said that hijrah includes abandoning the desires of the self and avoiding bad character and wrongdoing.