The Crescent and the Departure: Why the Islamic Year Begins With Hijrah

✨ Episode Summary:

In this episode ofFaith Found: A Journey in Islam, we explore the sacred significance of the Islamic New Year—not as a moment of festivity, but as a timeless reflection on transformation, sacrifice, and divine intention. Why does the Islamic calendar begin not with birth or victory, but with a migration? What does the Hijrah of the Prophet ﷺ teach us about courage, conviction, and starting over?

Dr. Susan Rashid traces the spiritual logic behind the first of Muharram, unveils the meaning of sacred time in Islam, and honors the legacy of Imam Hussain at Karbala. Listeners are invited to see the Islamic New Year not as a change of date, but as a call to inward migration—a movement from stagnation to sincerity, from fear to faith.

This episode is an offering for those seeking a deeper beginning—one that aligns the calendar not with the world’s noise, but with the soul’s need to return.

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Theme Music: Ramadan Islamic Arabic Music, Music by Mikhail Smusev from Pixabay, SigmaMusicArt

Desert sounds, Mohamed_hassan, Music by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay