(Knowledge) THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR

(Knowledge) THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR

            The Islamic calendar is also known as Hijri Calendar it’s an inner calendar that consists of 12 inner months in a years of 354 or 355 days for the fact that it is purely an inner calendar. It is therefore not

synchronized with the seasons.

            It is used to date events in many Muslim Countries mostly in accordance with the Gregorian Calendar and used by Muslims – everywhere to determine the proper days on which to celebrate Islamic holidays and festivals, to observe the annual fasting (Ramadan) and the pilgrimage to Mecca.

            The Hijri months are named as follows Arabic.

·         MUHARRAM: Forbidden” – so called because it was unlawful (haram) to fight during this month. This month Muharram is second most sacred Muslim month and includes the Day of Ashura.

·         SAFAR – “Void” – supposedly named because pagen Arabs looted during this month and left the house empty.

·         BABI: “the first spring” (Rabi O – Awwal).

·         RABI: “The Second Spring” (Rabi ath – Thoni)

·         JUMADA: the first month of parched land often considered the pre – Islamic “summer” (Jumada al – ula)

·         JUMADA II (Jumada ath – Thaniya) this is the second (ks) month of parched land”.

·         RAJAB – “Respect” or “Honor” this is another sacred month in which fighting was traditionally forbidden.

·         SHABAN – “Scattered” marking the time of year when Arab tribes dispersed to find water.

·         RAMADAN: “Scorched” Ramadan is the most venerated month of the Hijri Calendar during which Muslims fast between down and sunset.

·         SHAWAL – “Raised” as she camels begin to raise their tails during this time of the year, after giving birth.

·         DHU – al – Qa‘da: “the one of true” DHU al Qa’da was another month during which war was banned.

·         DHU al – Ijja “referring to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca i.e. the Hajj.

Yaum al – Jumu ‘ah (gathering day) is a day Muslims gather for worship at a mosque at noon. These days correspond with Friday. Hence “gathering day” is regarded as the working rest day. In  many Muslim Countries like Egypt adopt Friday and Saturday as official weekend days and like Saudi Arabia adopt Thursday and Friday, Iran adopt Friday only as a weekend day while other Muslim countries like. Morocco still adopts the normal Western Saturday and Sunday as weekend days.

In conclusions, the Islamic calendar is based on inner months which begin when a thin new crescent moon is sighted in the western sky after sunset within a day or so after the new moon. Hence the months in an Islamic calendar which is either 354 days long or 355 days long compared to Gregorian calendar year of 365 or 366 days. Since the Islamic calendar has R inner months, it is an average 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year and the Islamic year shifts earlier in each Gregorian year by about 11 days.

Written by  Agan Justice

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