From the Desk of Dr. F. Shuayb, Jum’a Message 8/21/2020 - “Ushering the Islamic New Year 1442 AH” 1. Origin of the Islamic wars, or with the birth or death of “Indeed, transposing (an-Nasi’) or the beginning (of a sacred month) is an addition ,(ﷺ) Calendar the Prophet Islamic reckoning of time is of (Qur’anic) Revelation itself. It to Unbelief. The Unbelievers are based on lunar cycles. Allah starts with Ḥijrah or the sacrifice led to wrong thereby, for they says, “They ask you about the for the cause of Truth and for the make it lawful one year and new moons. Say: ‘They are signs preservation of the (Qur’anic) forbidden another year, to adjust to mark fixed periods of time and revelation. It was divinely inspired the number of months forbidden the Pilgrimage (Hajj)” (Q.2:189). selection. Allah wanted to teach by Allah and make such The Islamic calendar proper did humanity that struggle between forbidden ones lawful. The evil of not originate in the Prophet’s time Truth and Evil is eternal. The their course seems pleasing to but during the caliphate of his Islamic year reminds Muslims them. But Allah guides not those Companion ‘Umar bn al-Khaṭṭāb every year not of the pomp and who reject Faith” (Q.9:37). in 638 CE. Twelve years after the glory of Islam but of its sacrifice The 12 months of the Islamic Prophet’s transition, ‘Umar, the and prepares them to do the year are as follows: second Caliph, instituted the same.” 1. Muḥarram anno hegira or ḥijri calendar to 2. Characteristics of the 2. Ṣafar reconcile conflicts in the Islamic Ḥijrah Year (AH) 3. Rabi‘ul Awwal reckoning of time in the rapidly The Islamic year has 12 months 4. Rabi‘uth Thāni/Rabi‘ul expanding Islamic State. ‘Umar that follow the lunar cycles, which Ᾱkhir consulted with other Companions is divinely ordained in the Qur’an: 5. Jamādā-l Awwal /backdating “The number of months (in a 6. Jamādā-th Thāni ,(ﷺ) of the Prophet the Prophet’s historic emigration year) with Allah is twelve in His Jamādā-l Ᾱkhir (Ḥijrah) from Makkah to Medina, Book, since the day He created 7. Rajab to the first month of the Islamic the heavens and the Earth. Four 8. Sha‘bān year, making Muḥarram 1, 1 AH, of them are sacred, which is the 9. Ramaḍān the official start of the Islamic straight religion, so do not wrong 10. Shawwāl lunar year. Thus, the official yourselves in those months” 11. Dhu-l Qa‘dah commencement of the Hegira era (Q.9:36). These sacred months 12. Dhu-l Ḥijjah or AH calendar is not identical mentioned in the Qur’an are Dhu- Because the Islamic year is lunar, with the actual date of the l Qa‘dah, Dhu-l Ḥijjah, it is shorter than the Gregorian Prophet’s Hijra from Makka to Muḥarram, and Rajab because western year by about 11 days. Madīna, which occurred on during the time of Islam fighting in For this reason, Ramadan occurs Rabīul-Awwal 12, corresponding Arabia was prohibited among 11 days earlier than Ramadan of to the Gregorian date July 16 or Arab tribes. The Prophet’s last year. It is the same with Hajj. July 22, 622 CE. introduction of the Islamic The discrepancy found in Islamic The Hijra was an epoch-making method of calculating time calendars in print or online is due event, altering the course of effectively abolished the pagan to lack of a global unified world history. The Islamic practice of inter-calculation (an- approach to determining the new calendar did not, according to the Nasi’), which is mentioned in the moon of every Islamic month: Muslim scholar Nadvi (d.1999), Qur’an: astronomical or physical sighting. “start with the victories of Islamic 3. Virtues of Muḥarram: From the Desk of Dr. F. Shuayb, Jum’a Message 8/21/2020 - “Ushering the Islamic New Year 1442 AH” fasted it as well, as (ﷺ) a) Excellence of Fasting in became a Sunnah fast. It Muḥarram. The Prophet is also narrated that did Muslims in Makkah was asked which Prophet Noah’s Ark before the fast of (ﷺ) descended on Mt. Judi in Ramadan become (ﷺ) month is the best? He Turkey on Ᾱshūrā day compulsory, after which said, “The month of (Reported by Ahmad). said, “the (ﷺ) the Prophet Allah—Muḥarram” c) Which day of day of Ᾱshūrā is amongst (Reported by Abu Muḥarram is Ᾱshūrā? Dawud). the days of Allah, so Most Muslim scholars whoever wishes, let him b) Virtues of the Ᾱshūrā hold that Ᾱshūrā is 10th of fast it” (Reported by al- Fast. Abu Musa narrated Muḥarram. Others say that Jews in Arabia used Bukhari & Muslim). Thus, that it is the 9th of to sanctify and celebrate Ᾱshūrā fast is Sunnah Muḥarram. Al-Qurtubi, a Ᾱshūrā; thereafter, when and not obligatory like great scholar of Muslim Ramadan fast. came to (ﷺ) the Prophet Spain, wrote “Ᾱshūrā e) Was Ᾱshūrā Fast Medina, he ordered them means ten based on Islamized? It is narrated to “observe it as a fast” Arabic linguistics. Its that the Prophet ( ) said, ﷺ Reported by al-Bukhari & origin is the description of) Muslim). Ibn ‘Abbas the 10th night but later “Fast the day of Ᾱshūrā narrated that the Prophet came to represent 10th but contradict the Jews— that is, fast a day before or ”.when he arrived in day of Muḥarram proper ,(ﷺ) after it” (Reported by Medina, noticed the Jews Al-Hakam bn al-Araj Ahmad). It is, however, a fasting on Ᾱshūrā day. He narrated that he asked Ibn ‘weak’ and not authentic ( ) asked them, “What is ‘Abbas, “Inform me about hadith. Scholars ﷺ this occasion?” They the day of Ᾱshūrā.” He said, “When you see the recommend that Ᾱshūrā replied, “This is the sacred be observed among the day in which Allah saved crescent of the new moon of Muḥarram, calculate it, following options: Moses and Children of (i) Fast Ᾱshūrā alone on fasting on the 9th day.” Al- Israel from their enemies, th Araj asked him, “Is this 10 of Muḥarram; or so Moses fasted on this th th how the Prophet ( ) (ii) Fast 9 and 10 Muḥarram; or ﷺ said, “We (ﷺ) day.” He observed the fast?” He are more worthy of Moses (iii) Fast 9th, 10th, and 11th replied, “Yes” (Reported than you,” ordering Muḥarram. Allah knows by Muslim). The majority Muslims to fast on best! view that Ᾱshūrā is 10th (ﷺ) Ᾱshūrā. The Prophet Muḥarram is stronger. himself used to fast on Allah knows best. Ᾱshūrā in Makkah as a d) Legal Ruling on compulsory fast and Ᾱshūrā Fast. Ibn ‘Umar ordered Muslims to fast it narrated that the people before Ramadan fast of Pre-Islamic Ignorance became compulsory; after used to fast Ᾱshūrā and which, Ᾱshūrā fast the Messenger of Allah .