Ma'al Hijrah - An unending migration

Unlike the wider celebration of the Gregorian calendar's new year, the Muslim's Awal Muharram had generally been confined and shared among the believers of the faith.

In Malaysia, it had been the same - while the New Year is celebrated by all and sundry, Awal Muharram is considered an all Muslim affair.

However, the past decade or so, much as the Awal Muharram is very much a Muslim new year, the Ma'al Hijrah, a parallel celebration, has been shared with fellow Malaysians of other faiths.

Although not as widespread as the sharing of the Gregorian's new year celebration among all Malaysians, the Ma'al Hijrah celebrations have taken visible steps to share its significance with those from the other faiths.

Prominent non-Muslims have been named and awarded the Tokoh Ma'al Hijrah (Ma'al Hijrah Personality), a recognition for their contribution to the Malaysian society.

Indeed, non-Muslim Tokoh Ma'al Hijrah do not a Malaysia make - to paraphrase Lovelace - but such religious acknowledgment is a departure from the conventions that recognition is only reserved to those who share a similar faith.

And acknowledging that a good deed knows no creed, the Ma'al Hijrah, a Muslim migration for betterment, has neither boundaries nor end.

Muslims in Malaysia has no choice but make the migration a collective quest for a better nation. And it is a quest that has to be shared with their brethrens from the other faiths.

There is no other option.

The Mole wishes all Malaysians Selamat Menyambut Awal Muharram and Salam Ma'al Hijrah.  

Source: MOLE