MUSLIMS across the world will welcome the Islamic New Year tomorrow or Sunday, which will mark the beginning of Muharram – the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
Like other Islamic celebrations, the dates differ from year to year in relation to the Gregorian calendar, as they are based on the lunar cycle.
A new month in Islam begins with the sighting of the new moon at sunset. Its arrival this time signals the beginning of a new year with the month of Muharram – one of the four holy months of the Islamic calendar.
Muharram is the second most holy month of the Islamic year, after Ramadan, its name meaning “forbidden” and many followers of the faith choosing to fast on its ninth and tenth days.
The first month of the year also marks the anniversary of the historic Battle of Karbala in 680 AD where the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussein ibn Ali, was killed, an event widely commemorated by Shia Muslims.
The New Year also honours the emigration of Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah, which was known as the Hijrah and gives the first day of the year its name.
In some Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, astronomical calculations are used to determine the dates of the Islamic calendar instead and for this reason, there are sometimes differences of up to two days as to precisely when a new month commences, depending on where you are.
Islamic years are usually followed by the letter “H,” for Hijrah, or “AH,” for the Latin term Anno Hegirae, meaning “in the year of the Hijrah.”
At the moment, the Islamic year is 1440 AH. From tomorrow or Sunday, it will be 1441 AH.
For many Muslims, the New Year represents a period for self-reflection and historical awareness. Prayers and fasting build up towards the tenth day of Muharram, known as Ashura, when the massacre at Karbala is remembered.
Sunni Muslims regard Ashura as a day of respect and gratitude for Prophet Moses but do not participate in the ritual.
Source: www.independent.co.uk (edited)
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