The Spiritual Significance of Rabi Al-Awwal

The month of Rabi Al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar, is an occasion of great significance and inspiration to Muslims around the world. It is a month that not only harbors some of the greatest events in the annals of history, but it also offers humanity a wonderful reason to rejoice and be grateful for, till the end of time. Rabi Al-Awwal puts a spotlight on the plight of orphans across the world, as the Prophet (ﷺ) himself was left without his mother at just six years old. This Rabi Al-Awwal, we can use our privilege, with the power of Qur’anic teachingto give hope to orphanespecially those in crises zones like Gaza. 

The word “Rabi” means “spring” and “Al-Awwal” implies being “the first” in the Arabic language, therefore the month is called “The First Spring,” earning its name due to the celebratory events that occurred in this blessed month. It is important to note that the religion of Islam follows the lunar calendar, and with the month naturally rotating over solar years, Rabi al-Awwal can fall in either spring or any other season. 

Rabi al-Awwal is a month when ignorance was extinguished by the illumination of knowledge and wisdom through the birth of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Just as the month of Ramadan is known to be the month of mercy, Rabi Al-Awwal is a timwhen the mercy of Allah (SWT) manifested itself in a human form through the existence of our noble Prophet (ﷺ). 

The birthday of the Prophet (ﷺ) is celebrated by Muslims on the 12th or 17th of Rabi Al-Awwal, as per different opinions. It is an occasion in whicour hearts are filled with joy and gratitude for being born as the Ummah of Rahmatul lil-A'alameen (Mercy to All Creations) (ﷺ). Despite being faced by the challenges of becoming an orphan at the age of six, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) became a pillar of compassion, generosity, and wisdom, encouraging us, as followers, to be the best versions of ourselves. May we use these valuable teachings to follow in His (ﷺ) footsteps and care for vulnerable orphans, as He would have – Ameen! 

The month of Rabi Al-Awwal also signifies the event of ‘Hijra’ in which the blessed Prophet (ﷺ), along with some of His faithful companions, undertook a journey from the city of Mecca to Medina. The Hijrah marked the beginning of a new chapter for Muslims during which, the Prophet (ﷺ) united the tribes of Yathrib, guiding them with wisdom, justice, and mercy. The event of Hijrah also marked the inception of the Islamic lunar calendar, with the first year of Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) stay in Medina becoming the first Islamic year. This is the reason Islamic year is denoted by ‘AH’ which stands for ‘After Hijrah’ and today, we are in the year 1446 AH, Alhamdulillah!  

During the time of the Hijrah, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions crossed the desert to reach a town near Yathrib known as Quba. During their three day stay, the Prophet (ﷺ) built the first Masjid and addressed the inhabitants with the following words,  

“O people, give one another greetings of peace, feed the hungry, honour the ties of kinship, and pray in the hours when men sleep. Then you shall enter Paradise in peace.” (Ahmad) 

In both Quba and Medina, the Prophet (ﷺ) emphasised spreading peace, feeding the hungry, maintaining family ties, and engaging in praying Tahajjud or the ‘Night Prayers’ to gain closeness to Allah (SWT). 

The month also marks the bodily departure of the Prophet (ﷺ) towards a celestial placin the eleventh year of the Hijrah. It was an event that shocked the community around him, many of whom found themselves in utter disbelief and were left feeling orphaned. 

As Allah (SWT) beautifully mentioned in the Qur’an, “Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses, and purifying them, and instructing them (in) the Book (Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah, (the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw ), while before that they had been in manifest error’. [The Noble Qur’an, 3:164] 

Indeed, if it were not for the Hadiths provided by the Prophet (ﷺ), and the revelation of the Qur’an reaching us, we would have felt equally aimless about our life’s purposes and goals for the hereafter. 

There are many beautiful aspects of the Sunnah of our noble Prophet (ﷺ) that we can emulate and even benefit from throughout the year. The month of Rabi Al-Awwal gives us an opportunity to recognise and honour the experiences of Prophet (ﷺ) as an orphan, as well as being grateful fothe blessings he presented us with. Through reflecting on His wisdom and encouraging one another to perform charitable acts, like sponsoring a Hifz orphan, we can ensure that the blessings of the Qur’an and the Messenger of Allah (SWT) continue indefinitely. We can also givthe world’s most vulnerable children all the tools they need to break free from cycles of oppression, poverty, and neglect – Insha'Allah! 

Click to learn about how you can save a child’s life and receive a lifetime of blessings by sponsoring an orphan for £15 a month or why not invest in the purest form of Sadaqah by sponsoring Hifz orphan for just £21 a month.