You’re thinking about that job offer in another city. Better pay. Better opportunities. But it means leaving everything familiar. Your family. Your friends. Your comfort zone. The fear is paralyzing you.
What if I told you about a man who left behind not just his city, but his entire life’s work? Who walked away from the house he was born in, the business he built, the community he led—knowing he might never return? Who made this choice not for money or career advancement, but because Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) commanded it? And that decision—that terrifying leap into the unknown—became the single most important migration in human history, literally resetting the calendar and changing civilization forever?
That migration is called the Hijrah. And understanding why and how it happened will transform how you see every difficult transition in your own life.
What Hijrah Actually Means
The Arabic word “Hijrah” comes from the root “ha-ja-ra” which means to sever ties, to depart from, to migrate away from something harmful toward something better. It’s not just physical movement—it’s a complete break from a destructive situation toward a constructive one.
In Islamic history, when we say “the Hijrah,” we’re referring to the specific migration of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) and his followers from Makkah to Madinah in the year 622 CE. This wasn’t a vacation. This wasn’t exploration. This was survival, strategy, and divine command all rolled into one journey that would change everything.
But here’s what most people miss: the Hijrah wasn’t the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) running away from problems. It was a strategic repositioning commanded by Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) to establish Islam where it could actually thrive. There’s a massive difference between fleeing in defeat and relocating for victory.
Thirteen Years of Torture Before the Breaking Point
Let’s rewind. The year is 610 CE. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) receives the first revelation in Cave Hira. He begins calling people to Islam in Makkah—the commercial and religious center of Arabia, home of the Kaaba, controlled by the powerful Quraysh tribe who profited enormously from pagan pilgrimage.
For thirteen years—think about that, thirteen full years—the Muslims endured systematic persecution in Makkah. This wasn’t just social ostracism. This was economic boycott so severe that Muslims were eating leaves to survive. This was physical torture of enslaved Muslims like Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) who had boulders placed on his chest in scorching heat. This was the murder of believers like Sumayyah (may Allah be pleased with her), the first martyr in Islam, killed by Abu Jahl’s spear through her body.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) himself was strangled while praying at the Kaaba, nearly choked to death until Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) intervened. He had animal intestines thrown on his back while in prostration. He was insulted, mocked, called a madman and a liar daily. His uncle Abu Lahab actively worked against him. The entire city turned hostile.
But he stayed. For thirteen years, he stayed in Makkah calling to Islam despite the torture, despite the deaths, despite everything—because Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) hadn’t yet commanded him to leave.
That’s the first lesson of Hijrah: you don’t abandon your mission just because it’s hard. You stay until Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) opens a better door.
The City That Said Yes
Meanwhile, about 260 miles north of Makkah, there was a city called Yathrib. It had a mixed population—Arab tribes (the Aws and Khazraj) who were constantly feuding with each other, and several Jewish tribes. The city was in chaos, with no central leadership and perpetual conflict.
During the annual pilgrimage season, some people from Yathrib heard the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) teaching at Aqaba, near Mina. His message resonated. They accepted Islam. They went back to Yathrib and spread the word. The next year, more came. Then more.
These meetings at Aqaba are documented in authentic Islamic historical sources. The First Pledge of Aqaba involved twelve people from Yathrib accepting Islam and pledging to worship Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) alone, not steal, not commit adultery, not kill their children, not slander, and to obey the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) in what is right.
The Second Pledge of Aqaba, the following year, involved seventy-three men and two women. But this pledge was different—this was a political and military pledge. They invited the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) to come to their city. They promised to protect him as they would protect their own families. They offered him refuge, support, and the opportunity to establish Islam openly.
Think about what they were offering. A persecuted religious minority in Makkah was being invited to come establish a completely new society in Yathrib. The people of Yathrib were essentially saying: “Come here. We’ll protect you. We’ll support you. Build your community here.”
This was the door Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) was opening. This was the alternative environment needed for Islam to grow from a persecuted movement into an established state.
The Assassination Plot That Forced the Move
But the Quraysh weren’t going to let the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) just walk away. According to authentic historical accounts preserved by early Islamic scholars, when they realized Muslims were slowly migrating to Yathrib (which would later be called Madinah—the City), they panicked. If Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) established a base elsewhere, their control would crumble.
So they devised a plan documented in historical sources including works by Ibn Ishaq and others: gather young men from different Quraysh clans, surround the Prophet’s ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) house at night, and when he emerges for Fajr prayer, attack him simultaneously from all sides. That way, responsibility is collective—no single clan could be blamed, preventing blood feud with Banu Hashim.
It was a coordinated assassination attempt. And it would have worked—except Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) warned His Messenger ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him).
That night, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) made a decision that required absolute trust in Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He). He asked Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)—his young cousin, barely in his twenties—to sleep in his bed wearing his green cloak. The assassins would see the figure in the bed and think it was Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him), giving him time to escape.
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed immediately. Imagine that—sleeping in a bed surrounded by men with swords waiting to kill whoever emerges. That’s sacrifice. That’s faith. That’s the cost of Hijrah that nobody talks about—other people have to risk everything for you to make it.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) walked out of his house right past the assassins. According to the authentic accounts, Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) caused them not to see him as he recited the opening verses of Surah Yasin and threw dust at them. He walked away from thirteen years of his life—his home, his business, his possessions, everything—carrying nothing but the clothes on his back and complete trust in Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He).
Three Days in the Cave
The Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) didn’t head straight north to Madinah—that’s what the Quraysh expected. Instead, he went south with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to Cave Thawr in Mount Thawr, about five miles from Makkah. They would hide there for three days while the search parties combed the area.
This cave scene—we covered it in the article about Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)—is one of the most profound moments in Islamic history. The two of them cramped in a tiny cave. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) checking for snakes and scorpions, getting bitten but not moving so as not to disturb the Prophet’s ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) rest. The Quraysh search party coming so close that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) whispered “They’re going to see us.”
And the Prophet’s ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) response, preserved for all time in the Quran, defines what Hijrah really means:
[Surah At-Tawbah, 9:40]
“If you do not aid him—Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.’ And Allah sent down His tranquility upon him and supported him with soldiers you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah—that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
“Do not grieve. Indeed, Allah is with us.”
That’s tawakkal. That’s what leaving for the sake of Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) looks like—you do your part (hiding in the cave, planning the route, preparing supplies), then you trust completely that Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) will handle what you can’t.
The miracle everyone talks about is the spider web that formed across the cave entrance and the bird’s nest with eggs, making it look like nobody had entered recently. But the real miracle is deeper—it’s that Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) can protect you with the smallest of His creations when you’re in His path.
The Journey to a New Beginning
After three days, they began the actual journey to Madinah. They hired a guide—a non-Muslim named Abdullah ibn Urayqit who knew the desert routes. This teaches another lesson: use the skills and expertise available, regardless of who has them, when pursuing a legitimate goal.
The journey took about eight days through desert terrain. Historical accounts document how word spread ahead of them. The Muslims in Madinah who had been waiting anxiously would go out every day to the outskirts of the city looking for the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him), returning disappointed when the heat became unbearable.
Then, on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal (some scholars say the 8th), they finally arrived. The entire city erupted in celebration. People lined the streets. They were chanting the famous welcome song that Muslims still sing today: “Tala’al Badru ‘Alayna”—The full moon has risen over us. The young girls of Madinah sang it as the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the city.
Everyone wanted him to stay at their house. But the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him), showing perfect wisdom, let his camel decide. He said the camel was under divine command—wherever it stopped and sat down, that’s where he would stay. The camel walked through the city and finally sat in a plot of land belonging to two orphans. The Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) purchased that land and built the first mosque of Islam there—Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet’s Mosque, which still stands in Madinah today, expanded many times but rooted in that original location.
This arrival wasn’t just a refugee finding shelter. This was the establishment of the first Islamic state. The city that had been called Yathrib would now be known as Madinah al-Munawwarah—the Illuminated City—because the light of Islam now shone from there.
What the Prophet Built in Madinah
The moment he arrived, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) didn’t rest. He didn’t celebrate his escape. He immediately began building the infrastructure of Islamic civilization.
First: The Mosque. The center of community life. Not just for prayer—for education, for governance, for social services, for everything. Islam was never meant to be private worship. It was meant to be a complete way of life, and the mosque was the headquarters.
Second: Brotherhood Between Muhajirin and Ansar. The Muhajirin (the migrants from Makkah) had left everything behind. The Ansar (the helpers in Madinah) had wealth and property. The Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) paired each Muhajir with an Ansar brother. Historical accounts document how the Ansar would literally offer to split their wealth and even divorce one of their wives so their Muhajir brother could marry her. That’s the level of sacrifice and brotherhood he established.
Third: The Constitution of Madinah. One of the first written constitutions in human history. It established the rights and responsibilities of Muslims, Jews, and pagans living in the city. It created a pluralistic society with clear laws, mutual defense agreements, and religious freedom within defined parameters. This wasn’t just religious leadership—this was sophisticated political governance.
Fourth: Economic Independence. The Muslims built a marketplace. They established trade routes. They created economic systems that didn’t depend on the Quraysh. Within a few years, Madinah went from a chaotic, feuding city to an organized, prosperous Islamic state.
All of this happened because of Hijrah. Because the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) made that terrifying journey into the unknown, trusting that Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) had a plan.
Why This Date Became Year Zero
Fast forward about seventeen years. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is now the second Khalifa. The Islamic state has expanded dramatically. Administrative documents are piling up—treaties, correspondence, legal rulings—all needing dates.
But there’s a problem: everyone dates things differently. Some use the Year of the Elephant (when the Prophet ﷺ was born). Some use major battles. Some use Roman or Persian calendars. It’s chaos.
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the senior companions and said: “We need a unified calendar system.” They debated what event should mark the beginning of the Islamic era. Someone suggested the Prophet’s ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) birth. Others suggested the first revelation. Others suggested the Prophet’s ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) death.
But according to historical accounts documented by scholars including Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, they settled on the Hijrah. Why? Because this was the moment Islam transformed from a persecuted minority to an established state. This was when the Islamic community became a political and social reality. This was the turning point.
So they designated the year of Hijrah as year 1 AH (Anno Hegirae—in the year of Hijrah). They chose the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Muharram, as the starting month, though the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) actually arrived in Madinah in Rabi al-Awwal. The first day of Muharram in the year of Hijrah corresponds to July 16, 622 CE in the Gregorian calendar.
That’s why when you see dates like “1446 AH,” it’s counting from the Hijrah. Every time Muslims write the date, we’re reminded of this journey. Of this sacrifice. Of this transformation.
The Hijrah You Need to Make
Here’s where this gets personal. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) said in an authentic hadith recorded by Imam al-Bukhari in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6484, and by Imam Muslim in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 109: “The real Muhajir (migrant) is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.”
Read that carefully. The real Hijrah isn’t just physical migration. It’s leaving behind everything Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) has prohibited. Every sin. Every haram relationship. Every toxic environment. Every destructive habit.
You’re lying in bed thinking about that job in another city. Maybe that’s your Hijrah—leaving an environment where maintaining your deen is nearly impossible for one where you can practice freely. Maybe it’s not.
But definitely, you have internal Hijrahs you’re avoiding. That relationship you know is haram but you’re comfortable in. That job that requires you to compromise your values but pays well. That friend group that constantly pulls you toward sin but makes you feel accepted. That addiction you’ve justified for years but know is destroying you.
Hijrah means leaving. Severing ties with what’s harmful. Moving toward what’s better even when it’s terrifying. Even when you don’t know exactly how it will work out. Even when everyone thinks you’re crazy.
The Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) left Makkah—the city he loved, where he was born, where his grandfather restored the Kaaba, where his entire life had been—walking away from it all for Allah’s ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) sake.
What are you holding onto that Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) is telling you to leave?
The Trust Required for the Journey
The most remarkable thing about the Hijrah is how little the Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) planned the destination details. He knew he was going to Madinah. He knew Muslims there had pledged support. But he didn’t have a house waiting. He didn’t have a job lined up. He didn’t have a detailed five-year plan.
He just trusted that Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) who commanded the migration would handle the details. And He did—more magnificently than anyone could have imagined. Within a decade, the Muslims went from refugees in Madinah to controlling most of Arabia.
That’s what prevents most people from making their necessary Hijrah—they want guaranteed outcomes before they move. They want to know exactly how everything will work out. They want security and certainty.
But Hijrah requires walking into uncertainty while trusting the One who is certain. You tie your camel (prepare what you can), then you trust Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) with the rest.
Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) says in the Quran:
[Surah An-Nahl, 16:41]
“As for those who emigrated for the cause of Allah after having been wronged, We will surely settle them in a good place in this world. But the reward of the Hereafter is far greater, if only they knew.”
Settlement in a good place in this world, and reward in the akhirah. Both promised. But you have to make the move first.
You’ve read about the journey that changed history. The migration that transformed a persecuted prophet into the founder of a civilization. The leap of faith that became year zero for 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.
What’s your Hijrah? What environment is suffocating your faith that you need to leave? What sin has become so comfortable you’re afraid to abandon it? What comfort zone is actually a cage that Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) is calling you to escape?
Make your Hijrah. Not tomorrow. Not next year. Now. Before you’re too comfortable in the wrong place to ever leave. Before the departure becomes impossible. Before you die wishing you had the courage to follow Allah’s ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) call.
The Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) walked away from everything he knew at age 52—not young, not at the peak of physical strength, but trusting completely in Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He). If he could do that, you can leave behind whatever is keeping you from Him.
Pack light. Trust deeply. Move quickly. And watch what Allah ﷻ (Glorified and Exalted be He) builds in the new place you couldn’t see from where you were stuck.
That’s what Hijrah means. That’s why it matters. That’s how you make it. Now go.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes. Readers should consult qualified Islamic scholars for specific religious rulings and personal guidance. Verification of hadith authenticity is encouraged through recognized Islamic authorities and institutions.