Muslims of the whole world celebrate the Night of Hegira today

Muslims of the whole world celebrate one of the greatest Islamic holidays today – the Night of Hegira. This event initiated the beginning of Islamic calendar. That night the Allah’s Messenger has reached Medina together with Aby Bakr, leaving Mecca. After that Islamic religion has become known, spreading in many countries, and though adherents of the Prophet were still persecuted and derided in Mecca, his words were heard by many people in other cities.

The elders of Yasrib offered Muhammad to move to their town and to become their ruler. Jews and Arabs, living side by side in Yasrib, were constantly confronting each other, but nonetheless both communities trusted Muhammad and hoped that his governing would stop permanent feuding and bring long-expected peace and calmness.

Soon after the arrival of the Prophet and adherents to Yasrib the city was renamed into Madinat an-nabi (“The city of Prophet” in translation from Arab). Later it was shortly called Medina. The year of Muslim resettlement to Medina (the year 622nd A.C.) is considered the beginning of Muslim era.