The Impact of Prophetic Hijrah on the Societies of Makkah and Madinah

The aim of Hijrah is philosophically viewed as a way to spread Islam wisely. This was by Allah’s guidance and directive amidst the very bitter atmosphere in Makkah at that time against the early followers of the Islamic religion brought by the Rasulullah (pbuh). The prophetic Hijrah observed from the way it impacted Makkah and Madinah’s societies can be construed as a very important event that provided us with a variety of messages. It also acts as a reflection of our contributions to da’wah and the roles we can assume as good Muslims, by looking at what the Rasulullah (pbuh) and his companions had themselves sacrificed in the Hijrah. In short, Al-Hijra is the time when the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers moved from Makkah to Madinah, where they set up the first Islamic state. Islam needed to expand and spread in the world, so the migration resulted in the expansion and preservation of Islam and Muslims. The Rasulullah (pbuh) migrated to Madinah when his enemies in Makkah mistreated him and his followers. It is a fact that the early Muslims in Makkah were greatly troubled by the unbelievers of Quraisy, the tribe of the Prophet (pbuh). The Rasulullah’s (pbuh) popularity in his da'wah efforts to invite his people to Islam was seen as threatening by the people in power in Makkah. The context of Hijrah was seen as urgent and timely as the unbelievers in Makkah had escalated the persecution against Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers. This persecution and a directive from Allah were the main reasons for the migration.

The Dilemma of National Consciousness and the Making of National Culture an Analysis of the Literary Works by Pakistani Writers 1964-2011

This qualitative interpretive research seeks to explore the dilemma of Pakistani English literature in terms of inculcating a national consciousness and national culture. The selection of literary works is made from a range of fictional and non-fictional texts written by different Pakistani writers in a time spanning from 1964-2011. The works selected for analysis encompass the wide and complex aspects of Pakistan’s national culture and history in the backdrop of the subjective perspectives and experiences of the writers. By employing an intertextual and comparative method of reading as my principal methodological strategy, my study has attempted to read across texts in order to identify thematic links and parallels which demonstrate the dilemma of Pakistani English writers in constructing a composite national culture. Besides questioning the validity of Pakistani English writers in representing the question of nation, the present research has also questioned the fallibility of metropolitan critics in offering a viable and more grounded interpretation of Pakistani English writings. It has also highlighted the need to come up with a more culture-specific and context-bound intellectual and critical perspective that can become a building block for a genuine national culture with the promise of transformation for individuals and communities.