The Hijrah Calendar

Salam , Hello and Greetings to all.

Here is another interesting information that I would like to share. Since we are still in the midst of celebrating the Islamic New Year , I found an interesting info about the origin of the Islamic calender.

Muslims measure the passage of time using the Islamic (Hijrah) calendar. This calendar has twelve lunar months, the beginnings and endings of which are determined by the sighting of the crescent moon.

Years are counted since the Hijrah, which is when the Prophet Muhammad and is fellow Muslims (known as Sahabah, the Companions)migrated from Mecca to Madinah (approximately July 622 CE). The emigration took place after thirteen years of persecutions by the disbelievers of Makkah.  By the command of God, the Prophet left the city with his companion Abu Bakr Siddique (R.A.) and escaped a death threat by the disbelievers. The event marks the beginning of a second phase of the Islamic movement. It is the phase when Madinah became the center of an Islamic state.

The Islamic calendar was first introduced by the close companion of the Prophet, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab. During his leadership of the Muslim community, in approximately 638 CE, he consulted with his advisors in order to come to a decision regarding the various dating systems used at that time. It was agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was the Hijrah, since it was an important turning point for the Muslim community.

The Islamic year has twelve months that are based on a lunar cycle.

Islamic months begin at sunset of the first day, the day when the lunar crescent is visually sighted. The lunar year is approximately 354 days long, so the months rotate backward through the seasons and are not fixed to the Gregorian calendar.

The names of the twelve Islamic months are as follows:

1. Muharram
2. Safar
3. Rabiul-Awwal
4. Rabi-uthani
5. Jumadi-ul-Awwal
6. Jumadi-uthani
7. Rajab
8. Sha'ban
9. Ramadan
10. Shawwal
11. Dhil-Q'ada
12. Dhil-Hijja 

I know my birth date of the Gregorian calendar , but I don't know the date based on Islamic Calendar. I'll find it out  soon and also for my wife and my three children. I did take note of the date my new baby boy was born based on Islamic Calender since it was about 7 weeks ago. 

That's all for now.....thank you for spending your time reading.

Have a pleasant day.