The Hijrah - Birth of the First Muslim State
The migration to Madinah that started the Islamic calendar: brotherhood between migrants and hosts, and a charter binding tribes into one ummah.
Also searched as: hijrah madinah • migration to madinah • charter of madinah • hijrat ka waqia
Emblematic words
الهجرة
Story
The full story
After thirteen years of Makkan persecution, the pledge of Aqabah brought Madinan tribes into Islam. The Prophet ﷺ ordered the migration; Muslims slipped away household by household while he and Abu Bakr left last, hiding three nights in the cave of Thawr.
In Quba he built the first mosque, then entered Madinah to camel-kneel providence and the girls singing Tala al-Badru. His first acts were institutional: the mosque, brotherhood (muakhah) pairing each migrant with a host, and the market.
The Charter of Madinah bound Muslims, Jews and allied tribes into one political community with mutual defence and freedom of religion - the first written constitution of a plural city-state.
The Hijrah was so decisive that Umar later dated the entire calendar from it: Islam measures time from community-building, not conquest.
Narrated from widely transmitted histories without invented details.
Timeline
The event in order
- 1Aqabah: Madinan tribes pledge protection - migration ordered.
- 2Thawr: three nights hidden; Suraqah turns back (8:30).
- 3Quba: the first mosque founded on piety (9:108).
- 4Muakhah: migrants paired with hosts - sharing homes and wealth.
- 5Charter: one ummah of many tribes; calendar dated from it.
Reflect
Lessons
- ✦Measure time from building, not winning: the calendar starts at migration.
- ✦Pair strangers as brothers: institutions beat sentiments.
- ✦Write the charter: plural cities run on covenants, not slogans.
References: Quran 9:40, 9:108; Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (Hijrah); Ibn Hisham’s Seerah
For the prophetic life, read the 16-chapter Seerat →
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What happened at Hijrah?
The migration to Madinah that started the Islamic calendar: brotherhood between migrants and hosts, and a charter binding tribes into one ummah.
When did it happen?
1 AH / 622 CE. See the timeline on this page for the event in order.
What are the lessons?
1. Measure time from building, not winning: the calendar starts at migration. 2. Pair strangers as brothers: institutions beat sentiments. 3. Write the charter: plural cities run on covenants, not slogans.
Where is this sourced from?
References: Quran 9:40, 9:108; Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (Hijrah); Ibn Hisham’s Seerah. Consult scholars for deeper study.
History