Fadlullah Sulaimon
A thousand, four hundred and fouty six years ago, history stood as witness to the emigration of 70 men and women from the city of Makkah to Madinah.
In the morning of 20 September, 622 CE, the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), accompanied by his bosom friend, confidant and follower, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, having slipped away under the cover of the night, having taken untrodden paths and having escaped the inhumanity of the aristocratic powers of Makkah (his homeland) eventually arrived the safe and secure earth-land of Madinah.
This event is usually celebrated all over the Muslim world the same way it was celebrated by the second Caliph in Islamic history, Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).
It was the latter who began to date the date in Muslim reality; it was Umar who first started the usage of the date of emigration of the Muslims from Makkah to Madinah while presiding over the affairs of the Islamic state.
The successful arrival of the Prophet of Islam from Makkah to Madinah after 13 years of persecution in the hands of the Makkan unbelievers known as Hijrah has since then been commemorated on a yearly basis by the Muslim world.
The Islamic New Year begins on the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is solar-based, the Islamic calendar is lunar. This causes the Islamic New Year to shift by about 10 to 12 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar.
The 1st of Muharram is significant as it marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year. It is a time for Muslims to reflect on the Hijrah and its importance in Islamic history. Muharram is one of the four sacred months in Islam, during which warfare is prohibited. This month is not only about the New Year but also about remembering significant historical events.
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and one of the four sacred months. The 10th day of Muharram, known as Ashura, is particularly significant.
For Shia Muslims, it is a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), at the Battle of Karbala. Sunni Muslims also observe fasting on Ashura, commemorating the day Allah saved the Israelites from Pharaoh.
Muslims around the world observe the Islamic New Year with various traditions and practices. While it is not celebrated with festivities like Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha.
It holds deep spiritual significance. Many Muslims use this time for additional prayers, reflection on the lessons of Hijrah, and recounting the historical events that shaped their faith.
As the month begins, Shiite Muslims observe 10 days of mourning, culminating in Ashura on the 10th day to mourn the death of al-Hussein. Some Shiite Muslims participate in mourning marches that day; others also engage in self-flagellation using their hands, chains, or even blades as a way of memorializing al-Hussein’s suffering.
Though some Muslim scholars believe the dramatic practice is permissible, others within Islam object to it and say it damages relations between the two sects.
Meanwhile, some Sunni Muslims observe Ashura with fasting and prayer as well, but they do so in honor of a fast undertaken by Muhammad in Medina after he emigrated there. However, there is disagreement among Sunni scholars as to whether Ashura fasting is permissible or not.
For many, the month of Muharram is also a time for commemorative foods. They include the special saffron rice shared with mourners in Garmsar, Iran, and doodh ka sharbat, a milky drink consumed in Hyderabad, India, in memory of the thirst experienced by al-Hussein and his followers during the fatal battle.
Unlike the secular new year, Muharram isn’t a time for flashy (or firework-filled) revelry. For those who observe it, the Hijrī new year is an annual reminder of the passage of time, the long history of Islam—and the resilience of Muslim people.
It is considered a divine command to use Hijra calendar with 12 (purely) lunar months without intercalation, as evident from the following verses of the Noble Quran (which mean)
“They ask you [O Muhammad] about the new moons. Say, ‘They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj’…” [Quran 2:189].
“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them.
And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him]. Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray.
They make it lawful one year and unlawful another year to correspond to the number made unlawful by Allah and [thus] make lawful what Allah has made unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.” [Quran 9:36-37]
The Islamic Year Consists of 12 (Lunar) Months: Muharram, Safar, Rabi Al-Awwal, Rabi al Akhir, Jumada Al Awwal, Jumada Al Akhirah, Rajab, Sha’ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qa’dah, and Dhul Hijjah.