By Siti Afiqah Amalina
KUALA LUMPUR, 16 October 2015: The Maal Hijrah celebration this year was a record when it successfully gathered some 50,000 people from different agencies and background, including 45 students from International Islamic University Malaysia. The National Mosque was selected as a the venue for this event.
This celebration on the first day of Muharam 1437H (14 October) began with a procession of contingents from five different locations in the city of Kuala Lumpur. The procession began simultaneously at 7.45 a.m from Dataran Merdeka, Padang Merbok, Muzium Kesenian, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, and Masjid Wilayah and ended at the National Mosque.
This is also the first time this ceremony started with a procession. Previous to this, the parade was held during the Maulidul Rasul celebration.
The opening ceremony at the National Mosque was officiated by Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak. Present at the ceremony were the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Sri Rosmah Mansor, Cabinet Ministers, dignitaries and ambassadors from Muslim countries.
The theme chosen for this year’s Maal Hijrah celebration was the same as last year’s which was œPerpaduan Nadi Transfromasi Negara. Former Chief Justice of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad, was awarded the Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1437H (the figure for Maal Hijrah) for his significant contribution in promoting Islam at both national and global levels.
Tun Abdul Hamid in his remarks at the ceremony said: œI call on leaders of Muslim groups, the largest in Malaysia, irrespective of whether they are in government, opposition or NGOs, to follow the example set by the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, 1,437 years ago to do ‘migration’ to reunite the Muslims in this country to avoid any catastrophe that could happen to Islam and Muslims in the country. ***