The Islamic New Year

ANOTHER 12 full calendar months have rolled by for the Muslim faithful in the world. Another 50 weeks have gone by in the Islamic calendar. Another rotation of 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 Muhammad (SW) from Mecca to Medina is here (Q. 8:30; 9:40). Another joyful moment for the Muslim faithful is here for the remembrance of the Prophet’s triumph over persecution, humiliation and attempted murder by the pagans. Another reflection moment over the victorious incident of 622 A.D. is here when the conveyer of the Message escaped death with his followers for delivering the divine Message, another period to ponder over the miraculous victory of Islam over all religions as the divine religion named by Allah for mankind is here when it escaped elimination as its leader survived extinction.

The first lunar month, Muharram, is one of the four sacred months when wars and all forms of hostilities and wrangling are strictly forbidden. It is the blessed month of Istijabah in which we have the blessed night of Ashura (10th day of Muharram).

The use of the Islamic lunar calendar in the reckoning of dates is as old as the creation of the heavens and the earth more than four million years ago (Q 9:36), whereas the non-Islamic or Gregorian calendar of January to December was initiated by the Romans about four hundred years ago. It was Pope Gregory XIII that actually adopted January 1 as the New Year’s Day for the Christians in 1582 A.D. It used to be March 25 for more than 15 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).

But the adoption of the great event of Hijrah, i.e., the emigration of Prophet Muhammad and his companions from Mecca to Medina, as the beginning of the Muslim era took place under the Caliphate of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, the second Caliph after Muhammad.

The Muslim calendar is lunar and its months are determined by the various positions of the moon (Q. 2:189). 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 manmade calendar, which has mostly 31-day months and 365 days in a year. That is why there is a remarkable difference of 43 years between the two calendars so far since the formal adoption of Hijrah calendar in 622 A.D. We cannot get the required number of years if we subtract the Hijrah calendar year from the Gregorian calendar year because of the 11 days difference every year. Thus, the solar astronomical year is not in consonance with the lunar ecclesiastical year as the months in the latter travels all round the seasons and the solar year. The lunar year of Hijrah remains the ecclesiastical year.

As named by Allah (SWT), the 12 months of Hijrah calendar include Muharram, the first month in which we have the Night of Blessing on the 10th – Ashura; Safar, the period of material provision and renewal of divine faith; Rabiul-Awwal, the first season of harvesting of fruit of faith and the month of the 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.

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; Ramadan, the month of discipline and elevation through fasting, and Lailatul-Qadr, the night of first revelation of the Holy Qur’an; Shawwal, the month in which Eid al-Fitr occurs; Dhul-Qa’da, the 11th month; and Dhul Hijah, the month of Hajj.

The sacred months are Muharram, Rajab Dhul- Quada and Dhul Hijah. These are months when all forms of hostilities, fighting and wars are prohibited for the Muslims.

The first day of Muharram is our New Year’s Day. It is a joyous moment to reflect on the past year. It is a time to stock-take. It is a period to ponder our relationship with Allah (SWT). It is a time to express determination for more spiritual uplift. 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 Hijrah, 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 did by the Emigrants (Muhajiruns) who left all their properties, belongings and even families during Hijrah. It is a period to resolve to use our wealth, knowledge and power or authority for the propagation of Islam (Jihad). It is a time to be our brother’s keeper, lend a helping hand and be nice to strangers as done by the helpers (Ansars) in Madinah. It is a time for leaders to have determination and resolve to lead by example as did Prophet Muhammad during the tortuous journey from Madinah during Hijrah.

As the Prophet (SAW) put it in an authentic Hadith, Muharram is a 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 turned aside from the right path and followed the wrong one.”

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. And the divine law of reckoning dates is by the lunar system where dates or days cannot be fixed or determined by human measure of counting. That is why the moon is expected to be sighted for the major dates in Islam as against others being fixed on particular dates.

Such important dates in Islam include the Hijrah which falls on the first day of Muharram, the 10th day of Muharram (Ashura), the Prophet’s birthday which falls on the 12th day of Rabiul-Awwal (Maulud Nabiyyi); the Night of Record for all mankind in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed; the special Night of Power of Qadr which is 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, Arafat Day on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah; Eid-l-Adha, which falls on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah.

This Hijrah calendar further demonstrates the disparity between the Islam’s reckoning of dates and others’. As the months are named by God, they represent beautiful, meaningful and reasonable concepts, ideas, and events. But the popular months of January to December in this part of the world are named after pagan Roman gods and goddesses or after other created objects.

January is got from Janus, the Roman god of doorways; February from Februs, the pagan Roman god of purification; March for Maes, the roman god of war; April from the Latin Aprilis; May from Maia, the pagan Roman goddess of growth and spring season; and June from Juno, the sister, the wife and co-equal of Jupiter, the supreme Roman god. Others are July named after Julius Caesar by the Roman Senate in 44 B.C.; August named by Augustus Ceaser after himself in 12 B.C.; September from Latin word for seventh as in old Roman calendar; October from the Latin word for eighth as in the old Roman calendar; November from the Latin word for ninth as in old Roman calendar; and December from the Latin word for 10th as in old Roman calendar.

Thus, 1 January was not recognised as the New Year’s Day in England until 1752 A.D. when it replaced March 25. It hence marks nothing but the birthday of Janus, the pagan Roman god of doorways and beginnings. Muharram 1, which is named by Allah (SWT) as the New Year, is divine, honourable and rightful.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous Islamic New Year.