Islamic New Year

ANOTHER twelve full calendar months have rolled by for the Muslim faithful around the world. Another fifty weeks have passed in the Islamic calendar. Another rotation of the full moon within its orbit for 354 days is complete in the account of dates among Muslims. Another Divine year is complete. The Hijrah calendar New Year is here.

Another commemoration of the holy flight of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAW) from Mecca to Medina is here (Q. 8:30; 9:40). Another joyful moment for the Muslim faithful is here—when the Prophet triumphed over all persecutions, humiliation, and attempted killing by the pagans. Another reflective moment over the victorious incident of 622 A.D. is here—when the Messenger escaped death with his followers for delivering the Divine Message. Another period to ponder the miraculous victory of Islam over all religions—as the Divine religion named by Allah for mankind—has come again, when it escaped elimination as its leader survived extinction.

Indeed, the end of the twelfth lunar month, Dhul-Hijjah, is here, when Hajj rites are performed. And we are heralding the first lunar month, Muharram, in the New Year, which is one of the four sacred months when wars, battles, and all forms of hostilities and wrangling are strictly forbidden. It is the blessed month of Istijabah, in which we observe the blessed Night of Ashura (10th day of Muharram), when prayers of Prophets, great Sheikhs, and Ulamas were answered and granted Divine powers.

However, the use of the Islamic lunar calendar in the reckoning of dates is as old as the creation of the heavens and the earth—over four million years ago (Q. 9:36). In contrast, the non-Islamic or Gregorian calendar (January to December) was initiated by the Romans about four hundred years ago. It was Pope Gregory XIII who actually adopted January 1st as New Year’s Day for Christians in 1582 A.D. Previously, it used to be March 25 for more than fifteen centuries.

> “The number of months in the sight of God is twelve in a year—so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred. That is the straight usage, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that God is with those who restrain themselves.” (Q. 9:36)

The adoption of the great event of Hijrah—i.e., the emigration of Prophet Muhammed and his companions from Mecca to Medina—as the beginning of the Muslim Era took place during the Caliphate of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, the second Caliph after Muhammed. We are now heralding the year 1430 after Hijrah (1430 A.H.). Significantly, it heralds a new millennium.

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The Muslim calendar is lunar, and its months are determined by the various positions of the moon (Q. 2:189). Every year has twelve months, and each month is either twenty-nine or thirty days depending on the moon’s position. This differs from the man-made calendar, which has thirty-one days per month and 365 days in a year. That is why there is a remarkable difference of forty-three years between the two calendars since the formal adoption of the Hijrah calendar in 622 A.D. We cannot get the correct number of years by simply subtracting the Hijrah year from the Gregorian year because of the eleven-day difference each year. Thus, the solar astronomical year is not in consonance with the lunar ecclesiastical year, as the latter rotates through all seasons. The lunar year of Hijrah remains the ecclesiastical year.

As named by Allah (SWT), the 12 months of the Hijrah calendar include: Muharram: the first month, with the Night of Blessing on the 10th – Ashura; Safar: the period of material provision and renewal of Divine faith; Rabiul-Awwal: the first season for harvesting the fruit of faith and the month of the Prophet’s birth (Maulud Nabiyyi); Rabiul-Thani: the second season for harvesting the fruit of faith; Jumadal-Awwal: the first season for introspective self-appraisal and hope in Allah; Jumadal-Thani: the second season for introspective self-appraisal and hope in Allah; Rajab: the unique month for active pursuit of peace and prohibition of all forms of retaliation (also one of the sacred months); Sha’ban: the month of discipline and elevation through fasting, with Lailatul-Qadr—the Night of First Revelation of the Holy Qur’an; Ramadan: the month of fasting and the revelation of the Qur’an; Shawwal: the month of Eid-ul-Fitr and the first month of Hajj; Dhul-Qa’dah: the eleventh month, specialized for preparing for Hajj rites; Dhul-Hijjah: the twelfth month, when Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha take place.

The sacred months are Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa’dah, and Dhul-Hijjah. These are months during which all forms of hostilities, fighting, and wars are prohibited for Muslims.

Indeed, the first day of Muharram is our New Year. It is a joyous moment to reflect on the past year. It is a time for stock-taking, a period to ponder over our relationship with Allah (SWT). It is a time to express determination for greater spiritual upliftment, a day of inspired efforts for a more disciplined life in the New Year. It is a time for the Muslim Ummah to re-examine its propagation strategies.

As a moment marked by fear, grief, anxiety, and courage during the Hijrah, we are expected to show concern for Islamic education of the youth and the future of Islam. It is a time to surrender ourselves totally to the service of Allah, as did the Emigrants (Muhajirun) who left their properties, belongings, and even families during Hijrah. It is a period to ponder and resolve to use our wealth, knowledge, and authority in the propagation of Islam (Jihad). It is a time to be our brother’s keeper, to lend a helping hand, and to be kind to strangers, as done by the Helpers (Ansar) in Madinah. It is a time for leaders to show determination and resolve to lead by example, as did Prophet Muhammed during the difficult journey to Madinah.

As the Prophet (SAW) puts 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 actions before his trivial and insignificant deeds are taken into account (on the Day of Judgment); and unfortunate is he who turns aside from the right path and follows the wrong one.”

Indeed, 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 needy. The Divine law of date reckoning is based on the lunar system, where days cannot be fixed or determined by human memory or calculations. That is why the moon is expected to be sighted for major dates in Islam, as opposed to the fixed calendar dates in other systems.

Important Islamic dates include: The Hijrah (eve of the 1st day of Muharram); the 10th day of Muharram (Ashura); the Prophet’s birthday (eve of the 12th day of Rabiul-Awwal – Maulud Nabiyyi); the Night of Record and the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) in the last ten days of Ramadan; Eid-ul-Fitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast at the end of Ramadan); Eid-ul-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice, 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah)

This Hijrah calendar further demonstrates the contrast between Islamic religious date reckoning and others. While the months in Islam are named by Allah and represent meaningful, spiritual concepts and events, the Gregorian calendar months are named after pagan Roman gods and objects:

January: from Janus, Roman god of doorways and beginnings; February: from Februus, Roman god of purification; March: from Mars, Roman god of war; April: from Latin Aprilis; May: from Maia, Roman goddess of spring; June: from Juno, wife of Jupiter; July: named after Julius Caesar (44 B.C.); August: named after Augustus Caesar (12 B.C.); September–December: from Latin for 7th to 10th months (in the old Roman calendar).

January 1st was not even recognised as New Year’s Day in England until 1752 A.D., replacing March 25. It marks nothing more than the birthday of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings. In contrast, the 1st of Muharram, named by Allah (SWT) as the Islamic New Year, is Divine, honourable, and rightful.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous Islamic New Year. (Ameen).