History and Important Events in Islam During the Month of Jumadil Ula

There are also those who call it Jumadal Awwal, but the word awwal, which means ‘first,’ according to Arabic grammar (nahwu), can’t be used to describe the word jumada. This is because jumada is categorized as feminine (muannats) and is characterized by the alif ta’nits. Al-Farra also said that all Arabic month names are masculine (mudzakkar), except Jumadal Ula and Jumadal Akhirah. Therefore, the appropriate description for jumada should be al-ula, which is in the feminine form (see Muhammad ibn al-Mustanir ibn Ahmad, al-Azminah wa Talbiyatul Jahiliyyah, p. 45).

Talking about the names of months, it is also said that Jumadal Ula was chosen based on the season at that time, winter or syita. Jumada itself comes from the word jamada, which means ‘frozen,’ perfectly matching the frozen water in the winter season (see Ibn Manzur, Lisanul ‘Arab, vol. 3, p. 130; and al-Harawi, Tahdzib al-Lughah, vol. 10, p. 358). The history and important events in Islam during this month give a special dimension to the meaning of Jumadil Awal. Understanding this historical context can broaden our insight into the long journey of Islam and how its influence is still felt today.

Besides that, in the era of Jahiliyyah, Jumadil Ula also had other nicknames such as al-Hanin, Rubba, Syaiban, and Kanun al-Awwal. Then, the next month, Jumadal Akhirah, had nicknames like Milhan and Kanun al-Akhir. It is said that the words syaiban and milhan can be linked to the words syaib, meaning ‘gray hair,’ and milh, meaning ‘salt.’ Both describe the condition of snow in the winter, which is white like gray hair or salt, and this occurs in Jumadal Ula and Jumadal Akhirah (Abu al-Hasan, al-Mukhashish, vol. 2, p. 387).

Generally, winter lasts for two months, so the names Jumadal Ula and Jumadal Akhirah emerged. We know that Arab society has six seasons: ar-rabi al-awwal (first spring), shaif (summer), qaizh (peak of summer), al-rabi‘ al-tsani (second spring), kharif (autumn), and syitha (winter) (Ibn Manzur, Lisanul ‘Arab, vol. 8, p. 102). In the context of Islam, the month of Jumadil Awal also witnesses significant historical events. Understanding the cultural depth and the Arab society’s understanding of the seasons opens a window into the wisdom of Islam at that time, reflecting the harmony between nature and religion.

So, there are many important events that occurred in the month of Jumadal Ula, especially during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. For example, he fought against Banu Sulaym at Buhran, sent an expeditionary force led by Zaid ibn Harithah to the region of al-Ish in the sixth year of Hijrah, fought against the Jews of Khaybar in the seventh year of Hijrah, sent an envoy to Mu’tah in the eighth year of Hijrah, and sent Khalid ibn Walid to invite the Banu al-Harith in Najran to embrace Islam, and many more events. According to Muhammad ibn Ishaq, the battle of Dhat al-Riqa‘ also took place in this month. Wallahu a’lam. (Maghazi al-Waqidi, p. 3, 5, 553). Alma Ata University could be a relevant place to further investigate these events, delving into the historical, social, and cultural context of the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Wallahu a’lam.