The anniversary of the Hijrah of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) to Medinah

1433 lunar years ago, on this day, a few days after his Hijra or migration from Mecca, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), held the first-ever public Friday Prayer. This landmark congregation was held on the outskirts of Medina at Qoba, where on the instructions of the Prophet the construction for the first-ever mosque had started on Rabi al-Awwal 12. He had halted at Qoba to await his dear cousin, Imam Ali (AS), who on his instructions had agreed to sleep on his bed the night of Hijra so that the latter could migrate undetected from the assassins hovering around the abode of divine revelation. The Prophet had also instructed the Imam to return to the people of Mecca the things they used to keep as safe-custody with him as al-Amin (Trustworthy). After three days the Imam for whose selfless risking of life on the night of Hijra, God Almighty revealed to the Prophet ayah 207 of Surah Baqarah, left Mecca and a few days later joined the Prophet in Qoba, along with the ladies of the Bani Hashem clan, including his mother, Fatema bint Asad, and his future wife, i.e. the Prophet’s Immaculate daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (peace upon her). The Prophet’s holding of the first-ever Friday Prayer is indicative of the religious, social, cultural, and political importance of this act of worship, which Muslims have been highly recommended to perform every week in congregation.