The new Hijrah year, the 1448th after Hijrah (AH) or migration of the Prophet Muhammad, Salla-llahu Alayhi Wa Salam (SAW), from Makkah to Madinah began on Tuesday June 16, 2026. Today is, therefore, the 6th day of the month of Muharram in the Islamic lunar calendar, the first month in the new Hijrah year. In gratitude to Allah, we say Alhamdu lillahi, Alhamdu lillahi, Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ’Aalameen.
To say that Nigerians are not happy today with the terrible state of insecurity in which they find themselves is an understatement. No day in which the sun rises and sets that communities or families are not greeted before they retire to bed at night or wake up at dawn with some sad stories of their kindreds falling victims to the hands of some crazy kidnappers or blood-thirsty bandits. The last ten days of the just-ended Hijrah year, 1447AH, cast a thick blanket of grief, fear, trauma, and sadness over several communities in the north and southwest Nigeria.
Many well-meaning Nigerians are still finding it hard to believe the death of General Rabe Abubakar (Retd) in captivity. May Allah grant him eternal mercy, and rest, Amin. The toll of insecurity on the country’s innocent population is almost competing with the toll experienced in some war-ravaged countries. This is even as poverty, unemployment, destitution, theft and perpetual rise in vices have continued to dominate news and stories about the socio-economic life of the majority of the country’s 200 million population.
This situation is in spite of the prayers we have continued to offer, collectively and individually. This may suggest, as I previously mentioned on this page, that something is wrong either with our selves or with the prayers we offer. The first supposition which seeks to search our conscience sounds more plausible. Injustice and bad governance have both become hallmarks of political leadership in Nigeria. In spite of the abundant natural wealth which Allah has blessed Nigeria with, it’s regrettable that majority of citizens still languish in abject poverty. Allah affirms in Qur’an 13:11 that, “Verily, never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls) …” Our challenges have continued to remain with us because we have refused to change for the better.
Besides the country’s abysmal tales in the economic sector, the narratives in nearly all other spheres of life are no less distressing. Primary healthcare facilities are in shamble; schools have lost all the traits that define them as storehouses of quality knowledge and dexterous skills; road infrastructure has collapsed; the power sector is somewhere ‘between life and death’; family and societal values have so much eroded that the moral boundaries that demarcate between decency and decadence or between good and evil have disappeared. Worst is how killings through banditry, violent crimes and communal crises have made human life in Nigeria worthless.
The commencement of a new Hijrah year is equally the beginning of a new fiscal year in Islam. Recent figures released by the Society for the Propagation of Islam (in Nigeria), indicate that the minimum taxable amount of money (Nisab) upon which two and a half (2.5) percent is payable as Zakkat in the year 1448AH is put at N14,711,905.8 which is the current cost of 20 pieces of dinar (gold) weighing 2,7328 Ounces. The value of one quarter of a dinar (rub’u dinar) which is the minimum amount of money payable as minimum dowry (Sadaq) to contract a marriage which is also the least value of a stolen property that can attract Hadd (amputation of hand) is put at N184,114.161. The sum of N735,586,978.00 (which is the value of 1,000 dinar) is the blood-money (diyyah) payable for manslaughter. The value of Nisab, Sadaq and Diyyah mentioned above in naira are all relative to the prevailing price of dinar as well as the exchange rate of local currency, the naira, at the time of paying the Zakat.
Zakat is one of the five fundamental principles of Islam and therefore obligatory on Muslims (male or female) whose wealth of crops, livestock or cash has reached Nisab. In Islamic Jurisprudence, Nisab is the minimum amount which wealth (in cash or crops or livestock) is required to attain before it attracts Zakkat. Being a cardinal principle of Islam and owing to its socio-economic benefits that seek to ensure even distribution of wealth among members of the society, we encourage those who qualify to give Zakat to do so with the fear of Allah.
O Allah, deliver Nigeria from the shackles of insecurity in this Hijrah year, 1448AH. Guide our leaders aright and forgive our shortcomings.
Happy New Hijrah Year to all!
Fasting on Tasu’ah and Ashura days:
The Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) exhorts the observance of voluntary fast on the 9th (Tasu’ah) and 10th (Ashura) of the first month, Muharram, of the Hijrah year. The six authentic compilers of hadith relate on the authority of Ibn Abbas (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) fasted on Ashura day (10th of Muharram) and he instructed that believers observe (voluntary) fast on that day. Further on Ashurah (10th of Muharram), Abi Qatadah (RA) reports that the Prophet (SAW) said, “It vitiates for (the sins of) the previous year”. About observing voluntary fast on Tasu’ah (9th of Muharram), Imam Muslim (RA) relates on the authority of Ibn Abbas (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said, “If I am alive till next year, I will surely observe (voluntary) fast on Tasu’ah (day)”. Based on the official statement from the Sultanate Moon-Sighting Committee, which declared Friday August 20 as the first day of Muharram, 1442AH; next week Wednesday June 24, 2026 and Thursday June 25, 2026 will, insha Allah, be Tasu’ah and Ashurah. May Allah (SWT) accept the voluntary fast and other acts of devotions of those who are able to fast on either or both days, Amin. Once again, Happy New Hijrah Year!
