We are getting closer to the Hijri month of Jumādā al-Awwal insha’Allah! What do you know about this month of the Islamic calendar? Read on to learn about its meaning, chronological order, and significance in Islamic history, and find a few tips for self-reflection and spiritual development!

Meaning of Jumādā Al-ʾAwwal

In Arabic, Jumādā al-ʾAwwal is written as جُمَادَىٰ ٱلْأَوَّل and Jumādā al-ʾŪlā is written as جُمَادَىٰ ٱلْأُولَىٰ‎.

In Arabic, جماد‎ means dry, arid, and parched land devoid of rain and ٱلْأَوَّل means ‘the first’.

Chronological order in the Hijri calendar

Among the 12 months of the Islamic Hijri calendar, Jumādā al-ʾAwwal (also known as Jumādā al-ʾŪlā) holds its place as the 5th month of the year. This month comes in between Rabīʿ al-Ākhir and Jumādā al-Ākhir. Jumādā al-ʾAwwal is also written as Jumādā I.

When will Jumādā Al-ʾAwwal Take Place This Year?

This year (2020) Jumādā al-ʾAwwal is estimated to start on December 16th, 2020 insha’Allah.

Significance in Islamic History

The Battle of Mu’tah took place this month in the 8th year after the Hijrah (i.e. migration of the Prophet ﷺ from Makkah to Madinah) near the village of Mu’tah (currently located near the city of Karak in Jordan). This was one of the fiercest battles in the history of Islam and was the only battle fought in the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with the Romans. Zayd Ibn Haritha رضي الله عنه was appointed as the commander of the army by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. For the first time, 3 leaders were appointed for a battle by the Prophet ﷺ; namely, Zayd Ibn Haritha رضي الله عنه, Jafar Ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه and Abdullah bin Rawaha رضي الله عنه in case one was martyred and the other had to take his place. All of the appointed commanders were martyred one after the other. Khalid Ibn Walid رضي الله عنه was then chosen as the new leader of the Muslim army who devised an outstanding strategy and the Muslims claimed victory in the end.

Abdullah bin `Umar رضي الله عنه said:

“Allah’s Messenger ﷺ appointed Zayd bin Haritha as the commander of the army during the Ghazwa of Mu’tah and said, “If Zayd is martyred, Ja`far should take over his position, and if Ja`far is martyred, `Abdullah bin Rawaha should take over his position.’ ” `Abdullah bin `Umar further said, “I was present amongst them in that battle and we searched for Ja`far bin Abi Talib and found his body amongst the bodies of the martyred ones, and found over ninety wounds over his body, caused by stabs or shots (of arrows).” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4261)

In another narration, Anas رضي الله عنه narrated:

“The Prophet ﷺ had informed the people of the martyrdom of Zayd, Ja`far, and Ibn Rawaha before the news of their death reached. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Zayd took the flag (as the commander of the army) and was martyred, then Ja`far took it and was martyred, and then Ibn Rawaha took it and was martyred.” At that time the Prophet’s eyes were shedding tears. He added, “Then the flag was taken by a Sword amongst the Swords of Allah (i.e. Khalid) and Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) victorious.”” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4262)

Some Self-Reflections For This Month

As this Islamic month approaches, December marks the last month of the solar calendar. It is vital that we reflect and keep a regular self-check. Here are a few reflections we can do:

– How are my prayers and my connection to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى?

– Do I take time in my day to make dhikr (saying SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illAllah) and dua (supplication)? You can find our Dua Companion here, and the kids’ version here!

– With limited socialization due to the pandemic, do I call and connect with my family and friends to the best of my ability?

– How frequently do I give charity or volunteer my time on others for the sake of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى?

– How often do I sit down, open the Quran (in Arabic or a translation) and recite or read in a way to understand its meaning and reflect upon it?

– How can I improve myself and grow closer to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى?

Did you miss our previous posts on the Hijri Calendar? Catch up here and stay tuned for more insha’Allah!

Rabīʿ al-Awwal

Rabīʿ al-Ākhir