Al-Hijra

 Al-Hijra is the first day of the Islamic month of Muharram, the Islamic New Year; it begins at sunset tonight, when the crescent moon is sighted. 

Hijra means migration, and also an escape from a dangerous situation. The original hijra was the journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, after he learned that another Arab tribe was trying to assassinate him.

Islamic years are calculated from that day, called 1 Muharram, 622 CE. They are followed by the suffix AH, which stands for "After Hijra". Tonight begins 1443 AH.

Agenda:
1. Journal queries
2. Read the Creativity Book

3. Prayers

1. Journal queries:
Because hijra means moving from a bad state of affairs to a good one, many Muslims use this time to reflect on their own migrations, actual or of the soul, and think about resolutions for the New Year.

Today I consider:
If I am on the path to a new life-
  What resources do I need for the journey? 
  How can I better enjoy the journey?
  What is my destination, and how will I know when I have arrived?

2. Read the Creativity Book:

A few years ago I started but didn't finish this book by Eric Maisel (one of my favorite writers). The subtitle is "A Year's Worth of Inspiration and Guidance." Who doesn't want that? 

I'm on Week 6: Forgive Others, Too.

Last week Maisel talked about the accumulation of failures we all inevitably have, and suggested that we need to forgive ourselves our failures, learn from them, and move on. We need to take as our model the rare way of being "so empty, so curious, so stubborn, and so passionate" that we can endure a thousand failures, and can sometimes create a masterpiece.

This week he goes on to say that blaming others and holding grudges also stifles our creativity. Basically, if I'm spending my mental and emotional energy on fuming about how I've been wronged, or worrying about other people's unfair advantages, or imagining the ridicule others will heap on me before it happens, then I'm not giving enough attention to my art.

3. Prayers:

Al-Hijra is celebrated quietly, with prayers, readings, and reflection, not the hoopla we associate with the western New Year. Muslims tell the story of Muhammad’s flight through the desert on camel-back with sword-wielding thugs in pursuit, and say prayers. 

Besides the daily prayer services, Muslims also call on God throughout the day with personal prayers, called du'a, made in in their own words, in any language. Or they might chant a phrase as prayer using a strand of subha beads to count the repetitions.

For this first day of Muharrem, I will repeat this short prayer in Arabic, as I consider forgiveness of others:

Allāhumma Antas-Salaam 

(Allah-hoom-ah Antas-Salahm)

O Allah, You are peace 

Wa minkas-salaam.

From You is all peace.