Islamic calendar

King Khaled airport exit stamp

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استهلال ماه رمضان در شهر قم، عکاس مصطفی معراجی، بلندی های بوستان علوی قم 12

Inscription of years by A.H.&A.D. eras

Islamic Calendar

The Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar, is a lunar calendar used by Muslims worldwide to determine the dates of religious events and observances. It consists of 12 months, but unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is solar and has 365 or 366 days in a year, the Islamic calendar has only 354 or 355 days. This discrepancy is due to the Islamic calendar being based on the lunar cycle, where each month begins with the sighting of the new moon.

History

The Islamic calendar was established during the time of Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century CE. The starting point of the calendar is the Hijra, which is the migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. This event is of great significance in Islam, marking the beginning of the Islamic community, or Ummah.

Months

The Islamic calendar comprises the following 12 months:

1. Muharram
2. Safar
3. Rabi' al-awwal (Rabi' I)
4. Rabi' al-thani (Rabi' II)
5. Jumada al-awwal (Jumada I)
6. Jumada al-thani (Jumada II)
7. Rajab
8. Sha'ban
9. Ramadan
10. Shawwal
11. Dhu al-Qi'dah
12. Dhu al-Hijjah

Each month can have 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon, which leads to the variability in the total number of days in a year.

Significant Dates

Several important Islamic events are determined by the Islamic calendar, including:

• Ramadan: The 9th month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
• Eid al-Fitr: A significant Islamic festival celebrated at the end of Ramadan, marking the end of fasting.
• Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca, which is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their lifetime. Hajj occurs from the 8th to the 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
• Eid al-Adha: The "Festival of Sacrifice", celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, coinciding with the final rites of Hajj.

Leap Years

The Islamic calendar employs a leap year system to bring its lunar months into alignment with the solar year. In a 30-year cycle, 11 years are leap years with an extra day added to the last month (Dhu al-Hijjah). This adjustment, however, does not fully synchronize the Islamic calendar with the solar year, leading to a gradual shift of Islamic months within the seasons of the Gregorian calendar.

Usage

While the Islamic calendar is primarily used for religious purposes and festivals, some Muslim countries and communities also use it for civil purposes, alongside the Gregorian calendar. Saudi Arabia, for example, uses the Islamic calendar for determining the dates of religious holidays and events, as well as for administrative purposes.

Comparison with Other Calendars

The Islamic calendar is one of several lunar calendars still in use today. It is similar to the Hebrew calendar in its reliance on lunar months but differs in its method of leap year calculation and the absence of intercalation to align with the solar year, as is done in the Hebrew calendar.

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