inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar urged Muslims to celebrate the Islamic New Year of 1 Muharram 1448 Hijriah as a momentum for personal and social transformation.

"Hijrah is not just the Prophet Muhammad's physical migration from Mecca to Medina. Hijrah is a transformation of the social system, from a narrow and primordial tribal society to a global, cosmopolitan community bound by love," said Nasaruddin on Tuesday (6/16/2026).

Before Islam, according to him, Arab society was dominated by a tribal system based on blood ties. The arrival of the Prophet Muhammad introduced the concept of the ummah, a community that transcends tribal, racial, and class boundaries.

The ummah is a community united by four elements: compassion, a vision for the future, authoritative leadership, and a polite and obedient society, within a single leadership system called the imamate.

"Only if these four elements exist within a community can it be called an ummah," he said. 

Furthermore, Nasaruddin invited Muslims to reflect on the current state of social life.

"The question now is, can Indonesian Muslim society be called an ummah? Or are we still trapped in the mentality of clans, regionalism, and individual groups?" he pondered.

One characteristic of a society that still adheres to a tribal mentality is the closed access to leadership for those outside a particular group.

Conversely, in a Muslim society, he said, the opportunity to lead is open to anyone who possesses the capacity and earns the trust of the community, regardless of ethnic background or gender.

However, Nasaruddin reminded us that openness alone is not enough. Unity, social solidarity, and concern for others must be continuously strengthened so that society truly grows as a strong community.

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