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 we! re 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)
To Add:
The Arabs in that era named their years after major events, eg. Year of the Elephant, Year of Badr, etc. Problems arose when the muslim population starting growing rapidly. One could promise to pay a debt in (eg) Shabaan, but not specify what year. Could be Shabaan this year, next year, ten years from now! Hence Umar bin Khattaab’s call for a uniform structured calender.
6 Responses to “What is the Islamic Calendar?”
September 1, 2008
FARZANAI HAVE A MET A FRIEND ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO. I FOUND OUT THAT SHE REVERTED TO ISLAM FROM ANCESTRAL BELIEF SYSTEM OF TSWANA AND PEDI.
I REALISED THAT NO ONE IN HER MUSLIM COMMUNITY WANTS TO HELP HER BECAUSE SHE’S A BLACK PERSON.
I REALLY FEEL ITS MY DUTY AS A MUSLIM TO HELP HER AS BEST I CAN BUT HAVEING RECENTLY RELOCATED I TOO HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO GO FOR HELP.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CAN SOMEONE SOMEWHERE PROVIDE ME WITH THE INFORMATION I HAVE TO PASS ON TO A FELLOW SISTER IN ISLAM.
September 2, 2008
AbdoeragmaanSister there are online courses that you could try that could benefit new muslims. Try sunnipath.com, its a website that is managed by top international scholars from Syria & Jordan in the east to England & America in the West. All these scholars have a lot of experience with reverts & some of them are also reverts. May Allah reward you in your efforts & your intention. Where is the sister located maybe other sisters who don’t have racial issues near by could also assist. May Allah wipe the rottenness of racism out of our hearts.
September 2, 2008
naeem.co.zaGood suggestion Aboer
I also emailed Farzana and gave her IPCSA’s details (in durban) – they’r the Ahmed Deedat guys. They have had very good success with reverts so much so that they even have Qurans and documents translated into native african languages.
September 2, 2008
AbdoeragmaanIf she was in Johannesburg I would offer my wife who has a class for reverts on Sunday mornings. but since they in Dbn cant help but add suggestions. It’s a pity that our petty issues as muslims drive so many away from Islam. I also had a friend who was contemplating to revert but was turned off by the cruel thought to be taboo but very real racism within islam. & if that not enough you have groups that don’t revert the guys but also want to take away their customs & culture & turn them into little Indian Zulus. Zulus learn Urdu Nasheeds & learn so much of the Indian culture its weird. Instead of allowing them to form their own Islamic identity that would help for the spread of islam. They should start their own culture which is within the confines of the shari’a but also unique, the way the rest of us & all the muslims in the world have.
September 4, 2008
Mohammedi must agree with abu on that point
July 7, 2009
ImaanAsalaam
I am looking for a revert class for myself and a friend.
We stay in the Sandton, Johannesburg area.
Please can someone assist us
Jazakallah
Imaan