Book Review: Hijra – Story and Significance, by Zakaria Bashier

This is the second in a series of four books written by Zakaria Bashier on the life of the Prophet (ﷺ)  and the second in the series that I've read (the one I read before this one was Sunshine at Madinah). The first part of the book covers the story of the Hijra (i.e. the people and events involved in the Muslim exodus from Makkah to Yathrib). The story is told pretty well but there's nothing really new or fresh here for someone who's already vaguely familiar with the events of the Hijra. The second part of the book covers the events in Yathrib following the Hijra. There is considerable overlap here with the third book in the series but useful I guess for anyone who doesn't own the third book. The third and final part of the book sets out to cover the meaning, significance and implications of the Hijra. I was looking forward to this part the most and hoping that it would provide some fresh insights and lessons into the Hijra. But in the end it was a bit underwhelming and not much more than a textbook jurisprudential discussion on Dar al-Islam vs Dar al-Harb.

There weren't many passages in the book worthy of pulling out and pasting here but here's a few:

"... Yathrib was uniquely fitted to become the base of the first Muslim community-state... the Yathribites themselves were a great asset. The Aws and Khazraj were pure Arab tribes that had migrated from Yemen. Warlike and powerful in spirit, they responded with vigorous, active enthusiasm to the moral idealism of an Islamic community. Possessing the traditional Arab virtues of warmth and hospitality, they were wholly equal to the enormous difficulties of playing host to the impoverished and homeless Muhajirs (emigrants) from Makkah. Tenderness of heart and friendly warmth were prominent traits of Yemeni Arabs – the Prophet, upon him be peace, on more than one occasion, commended the Yemenis for those traits..."

"... they (the Muslims of Makkah) received the order (to leave Makkah) with mixed feelings of great relief and apprehension: the Hijra held out to them the promise of, at last, living freely and unmolested in accordance with the precepts of God and of the Qur'an, but to give up home where they had lived for was generations was no easy sacrifice to make..."

"... In moving verse he (the poet Abu Ahmad) called for the Hijra, honouring those who forsook the warmth and familiar comforts of home and friends, seeking instead a place where they might live according to their convictions, in peace and dignity..."

"... if they (the clan of Ghanm ibn Dudan of Banu Asad ibn Khuzaymah) decided to migrate it was not on account of rootlessness or any lack in lineage or social prestige. Rather, it was because they wished to fulfil religious aspirations and gain favour in the eyes of God and of his messenger, Muhammad, upon him be peace..."

"... Far from being either a flight or retreat, the Hijra, and the Pledge that made it possible, firmly ushered in the beginning of a positive and effective stage in the process of inviting the people to Islam and establishing the first Muslim civilisation..."