hijra

(noun)

The migration or journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib, later renamed Medina, in 622 CE. In May 622 CE, after being warned of a plot to assassinate him, Muhammad secretly left his home in Mecca to emigrate to Yathrib, 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of Mecca, along with his companion, Abu Bakr.

Related Terms

Examples of hijra in the following topics:

  • The Role of Biology

    • The hijras of the Indian subcontinent are traditionally either eunuchs (castrated biological males) or born with ambiguous genitalia.
    • Although hijras dress as women and exhibit what is normally considered as "feminine" behavior, they believe themselves to belong to a "third gender," identifying neither as male nor female.

  • Flight from Mecca to Medina

    • The Hijra is the migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, 320 kilometers (200 miles) north, in 622 CE.
    • The Hijra is the migration or journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib, which he later renamed Medina, in 622 CE.

  • Dates and Calendars

    • The Islamic calendar determines the first year in 622 CE, during which the emigration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra, occurred.
    • The first year was the Islamic year beginning in AD 622, during which the emigration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra, occurred.
    • Each numbered year is designated either "H" for Hijra or "AH" for the Latin Anno Hegirae ("in the year of the Hijra").

  • Gender Identity in Everyday Life

    • In the Indian subcontinent, a hijra is usually considered to be neither male nor female.
    • The hijra form a third gender, although they do not enjoy the same acceptance and respect as individuals who identify along the gender binary.

  • Gender Differences in Social Interaction

    • The hijras of the Indian subcontinent are a striking example of the way in which the lines between genders can be muddied during the course of social interaction.
    • While often biologically male, hijras tend to identify more closely with women when it comes to their clothing and behavior.

  • Early Life of Muhammad

    • Muhammad's life is traditionally defined into two periods: pre-hijra (emigration) in Mecca (from 570 to 622 CE) and post-hijra in Medina (from 622 until 632 CE).

  • Early Islamic Society

    • The precise dating of the Constitution of Medina remains debated, but generally scholars agree it was written shortly after the hijra (622).

  • The Sultanates of Somalia

    • Islam was introduced to the northern Somali coast from the Arabian Peninsula early on, shortly after the hijra (also hegira), or the journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib, later renamed Medina, in 622 CE.