Rabiul Awwal and the Messenger of Allah (saw)

The month of Rabi ul-Awwal is a month of great significance for the Ummah of Sayyidina Muhammad (saw). Not only did Rabi ul-Awwal witness the gift of the birth of Muhammad (saw), it witnessed his appointing as the Final Prophet, the Mercy to all Humankind. Abu al-Hasan Ali bin Hussein bin Ali Masudi (d.: 346AH) narrated in his book, التنبيه والإشراف “Warning and Nobility” as follows, ... فلما بلغ أربعين سنة بعثه الله عز وجل الى الناس كافة يوم الاثنين لعشر خلون من شهر ربيع الأول... وله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم يومئذ أربعون سنة وتنوزع في أول من آمن به من الذكور، بعد إجماعهم على أن أول من آمن به من الإناث خديجة And when he reached forty years of age, Allah (swt) appointed him as Prophet to all the people on Monday in the first ten days of Rabi’ ul-Awwal ... On that day RasulAllah (saw) was forty years of age and he was the first of the men to believe, and by consensus (of the Companions) Khadija (ra) was the first of the women to believe.”

Before the Message of the Prophet (saw), the Arabs were disunited, living in a state of ignorance. Women were oppressed, daughters were buried alive, and society was entangled in the chains of slavery and subjugation. Tribal leaders, driven by personal interests, held absolute control, acting as rulers, lawgivers, and decision-makers for their communities. The welfare of society was tied to the interests of these leaders, leaving the masses oppressed and misled.

The Message of the Prophet (saw) liberated the Arabs from the oppressive shackles of tribalism and ignorance. Islam became the unifying force that connected them, replacing their blind loyalty to tribes with allegiance to Allah (swt) and His Deen. Under the guidance of the Prophet (saw), a disgraced and divided people were transformed into a unified and honorable Ummah. The Muslims of the Arabian Peninsula became the carries of Islam, spreading the message of mercy and justice across the world.

Through Dawah and Jihad, Islam not only transformed the lives of the Arabs, but also unified people from different regions, ethnicities, and languages into a single Ummah. Arabs, Persians, Turks, Central Asians, and South Asians all came together, bonded under one Khilafah, as a practical unification of the Islamic World. The Message of the Prophet (saw) liberated people from the oppression of man-made laws and false religions, guiding them to submit to the just and divine authority of Allah ﷻ. For centuries, the Muslims from the East to the West were unified in their mission to spread mercy and justice to all of humanity.

Reflecting on the life and sacrifices of the Holy Prophet (saw) for the Deen of Allah (swt), it is crucial for us to examine our current state as Muslims. What is the status of our Deen of the Prophet (saw) in our lives? Is our ruling, foreign policy, education and economy aligned with his Message? Unfortunately, the reality is that Islam, as a comprehensive way of life, is largely absent from our collective affairs. Instead of following the Message of the Prophet (saw), the current rulers implement secular, corrupt systems. The rulers restrict the Message of the Prophet (saw) to personal matters, whilst collective and state affairs are governed by the laws of the colonialists. Today, we are divided by nationalist states, rather than being unified as one Khilafah state. Instead of fighting Jihad in the Path of Allah (swt) the rulers of Muslims fight for nationalism and other worldly interests. Consequently, we find ourselves subjugated and oppressed, in Palestine and beyond.

In conclusion, Rabi’ ul Awwal is an opportunity for deep reflection about our Deen. We must commit to our Deen fully and act according it. We must strive to implement Islam in every aspect of our existence, including our collective affairs. Everything in our lives must be governed by the Message of the Prophet (saw). It is only by returning to Islam and restoring its state, the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate), that we can restore the dignity and unity that once defined the Ummah.