Hijrah: The Islamic New Year (II)

IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The Holy Qur’an 70:4-6 says: “The Angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years. Therefore, do thou hold patience, a patience of beautiful (contentment). They see the (day) indeed as a far-off (event). But We see it (quite) near.”

The Muslim calendar is lunar and its months are determined by the various positions of the moon. The Holy Qur’an 2:189 says: “They ask thee concerning the new moons. Say, they are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men and for pilgrimage. It is no virtue if ye enter your houses from the back. It is virtue if ye fear God. Enter houses through the proper doors and fear God that ye may prosper.”

In every year, there are 12 months and each month is either 29 or 30 days, depending on the position of the moon. This differs from the man-made calendar, which has thirty or thirty-one days per month and 365 days in a year.

That is why there is a remarkable difference of 578 years between the two calendars so far since the formal adoption of Hijra calendar in 622 A.D. We cannot get the required number of years if we subtract the Hijra calendar year from the Gregorian calendar year because of the 11 days difference every year.

Thus, the solar astronomical year differ from the lunar ecclesiastical year. The months in the latter travels all-round the season and the solar year a calendar whose dates indicate the season or almost equivalently the apparent position of the sun relative to the stars. The Gregorian calendar, widely accepted as a standard in the world, is an example of a solar calendar. The main other type of calendar is a lunar calendar, whose months correspond to cycles of moon phases. The months of the Gregorian calendar do not correspond to cycles of the moon phase. The lunar year remains the ecclesiastical year. Apart from the lunar and solar calendars, we also have lunisolar or solli-lunar calendar which is also based on the lunar month. It takes 12 months as a year (354.3667 days, almost 355 days) and lunisolar calendar system not only takes lunar part but also to places importance on solar one. Lunisolar calendar put a complete month every three years, makes the length as long as a tropical year. The Chinese use this calendar system for some time.

As named by Allah (SWT), the 12 months of Hijra calendar are Muharram, the first period of material provision and renewal of divine faith; Rabiul-Awwal, the first season of harvesting of fruit of faith and the month of birth of Prophet Muhammad (Maolud Nabiyyi); Robiul-Thanni, the second season for harvesting of fruit of faith; Jumadal-Awwal, the first season for introspective self-appraisal and hope in Allah; and Jumada-al-Thanni, the second season for introspective self-appraisal and hope in Allah.

The others are Rajab, the unique month for active pursuance of peace and prohibition of all forms of retaliation and one of the sacred months; Sha’ban, the month in which the Night of Record for mankind occurs; Ramadan, which is characterised by spiritual discipline and elevation through compulsory fasting, Lailatul-Qadr-the Night of first revelation of the Holy Qur’an; Shawwal, the tenth month in which Eid-l-Fitr occurs; Dhul-Qa’da, the 11th month that is for the attainment of individual and collective peace; and Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th and one of the sacred months in which Hajj rites are performed.

The first day of Muharram is our New Year. It is a joyous moment to reflect on the past year. It is a time to take stock. It is a period to ponder our relationship with Allah (SWT). It is a time to express determination for more spiritual attainment. It is a day of inspired efforts for more disciplined life in the new year. It is a time for the Muslim ummah to re-examine their propagation strategies.

As a moment of fear, grief, anxiety and courage among the faithful during the Hijra, we are expected to show concern for the Islamic education of the youths and the future of Islam. It is a time to surrender ourselves totally in the service of Allah as done by the Muhajiruns who left all their belongings and even families in Makkah during Hijra. It is a period to ponder and resolve to use our wealth, knowledge and power for the propagation of Islam (jihad). It is a time to be our brother’s keeper, give a helping hand and be nice to strangers as done by the Helpers (Ansar) in Madinah. It is a time for leaders to have determination and resolve to lead by example as done by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) during the tortuous journey from Makkah to Madinah during Hijra.

As the Prophet (SAW) put it in an authentic Hadith, “Muharram is an honoured and distinguished month before Allah. Therefore, pious and fortunate is he who takes cognizance of his thoughts and action before his trivial and insignificant deeds are taken into account (on the Day of Judgment) and unfortunate is he who turned aside from the right path and followed the wrong one (Bukhari and Muslim).

Actually, the rightful path is the divine path where laws are specified by Allah on acts of worship, good deeds and charity to the poor and the needy (Qur’an 9:60). And the divine law of reckoning dates is by the lunar system where dates or days cannot be fixed or determined by human memory or measure of counting. That is why the moon is expected to be sited for the major dates in Islam as against others being fixed on particular dates.

Such important dates in Islam include the Hijra which falls on the eve of the first day of Muharram; the 10th day of Muharram (Ashura); the Prophet’s birthday which falls on the eve of the 12th day of Rabiul-Awwal (Maolud Nabiyyi); the Night of Record for all mankind which falls on the 15th day of Sha’ban (Nisfu-Sha’ban); the fasting month of Ramadan in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed, the special Night of Power of Qadr worth more than a thousand months which may be celebrated with prayers on the odd number days of the last 10 days of Ramadan. Others are Eid-1-Fitr, the feast of breaking the fast of Ramadan which falls on the first day of Shawwal; the Arafat Day of the world convention of Muslims which falls on ninth of Dhul-Hijjah; the Eid-I-Adha, the feast of sacrifice which falls on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah.

This Hijra calendar further demonstrates the disparity between the Islamic religion reckoning of dates and others. As the months are named by God, they represent beauty, good meaning and reasonable concepts, ideas and events.

This is wishing all Muslims a happy and prosperous year.