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What is the Islamic Calendar ?
Syed Khalid Shaukat
The Islamic calendar is based on lunar months, which begin when a thin
new crescent Moon is actually sighted in the western sky after sunset
within a day or so after the New Moon. Hence, the month is either 29
days or 30 days. There are 12 months in an Islamic year, which is
either 354 days long or 355 days long, compared to (Gregorian) civil
calendar year of 365 or 366 days. Since the Islamic Lunar year has 12
lunar months, it is on an average, 11 days shorter than the
(Gregorian) civil year, the Islamic year shifts earlier in each civil
year by about 11 days. The 12 months of the Islamic calendar are:
Muharram
Safar
Rabi' al-Awwal
Rabi' al-Thaani
Jumada al-Ooola (also known as Jumada al-Awwal)
Jumada al-Ukhra (also known as Jumada al-Thaani)
Rajab
Sha'ban
Ramadan
Shawwal
Dhu al-Qa'dah
Dhu al-Hijjah
The Islamic (Hijri) calendar year is usually abbreviated A.H. in
Western languages from the latinized "Anno Hegirae" or more commonly
known as "After Hijrah."
It was during the Messenger Muhammad's (peace be upon him) last
pilgrimage in the 10th year of Hijrah (10th year of his migration from
Makkah to Medinah), that the decision to introduce a purely lunar
Islamic Calendar was made.
Although, the Islamic calendar was introduced in the Christian Era of
632 AD by the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), the beginning of
the Islamic era for the count of Islamic years was considered and
discussed during 639 AD, the time of the 4th year of the Caliphate of
Umar(R.A.) who declared that the most important event in establishing
the roots of Islam in Madinah is Hijrah (Messenger's migration from
Makkah), therefore let it become the epoch of the era which happened
in 622 AD. The actual starting date for the Islamic Calendar was
chosen (on the basis of purely lunar years, counting backwards) to be
the first day of the first month (1st Muharram) of the year of the
Hijrah. However, the era between 1st year to 10th year of the Hijrah
was not following this Islamic Calendar; instead the prevailing
practices of various kinds of intercalation was followed in Arabia at
that time. Different tribes were following different intercalations,
so there was no uniform calendar. Accordingly, first day of Muharram,
1 A.H. as practiced in Arabia corresponded either April 18 or May 18,
622 C.E. (Julian calendar). However, if one wants a theoretical
starting date for Islamic calendar (on the basis of purely lunar
months without intercalation, counting backwards) then the first day
of the first month i.e. 1st Muharram, 1 A.H. corresponds to July 16,
622 C.E.
The earliest date of Islamic calendar for which a Julian calendar date
is exactly known is 9th Dhu al-Hijjah, 10 AH, which corresponds to
March 6, 632 C.E. (Friday), when the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon
him) performed his last and farewell pilgrimage to Makkah.
Source: By Khalid Shaukat (moonsighting.com)
SEE ALSO:
* The Blessings of the Lunar Calendar
* The Islamic Calendar
* Islamic Calendar Months from 2007 to 2020
* Significant dates of the Islamic calendar
* Origins of New Year's Eve - Sheikh Hakim Quick (VIDEO)
Courtesy: AL-ISLAAH PUBLICATIONS ( www.everymuslim.net )
AL-ISLAAH PUBLICATIONS
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy
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[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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http://www.islamonline.net
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