According to the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islam, today, Friday 21st of August, 2020 is the first of Muharram, 1442AH. Below we provide the history of how Islamic Calendar came into existence.

First established in the year 622 AD, the Islamic calendar consists of 12 lunar months, totaling 354 or 355 days per year.

In most countries, the calendar’s main use is now in determining the dates of religious events, such as Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and the holy month of Ramadan. However, several countries, such as Saudi Arabia, use it as an official calendar.

[img]https://akewusolaf.files./2020/08/img_20200820_065411.jpg?w=369[/img]
The Hijra

The first year of the Islamic calendar marks the “Hijra” (migration) of Islam’s prophet Muhammad in 622 AD from his birthtown, Mecca, to Yathrib, currently called Medina.

The event holds special significance for Muslims, as it was after Hijra that Islam gained many followers.

According to Muslim tradition, Prophet Muhammad fled Mecca after God warned him of an assassination plot against him. The prophet only told his closest companions, Abu Bakr and Ali, of his plan to escape.

After a miraculous nocturnal escape from the tribe of Quraysh, Prophet Muhammad and his companion Abu Bakr hid in a cave outside Mecca. With a bounty on his head, the prophet stayed in the cave for three days before resuming his journey to Yathrib.

After the Hijra, Prophet Muhammad gained more supporters and Islam began to expand on a large scale in the Arabian Peninsula, as well as in Persia and Africa.

Pre-Islamic calendar
Muslims began using the Islamic calendar in the 17th year after the Hijra, approximately seven years after Prophet Muhammad died.

Prior to the establishment of the Islamic calendar, Muslims used a lunar calendar, with similar month appellations as the Islamic one. However, they did not numerically track years and only referenced them based on the occurrence of major events.


The most famous example of the years’ names is “A’am al-Fil” (The year of the elephant), which coincided with 571 AD and is commonly known as Prophet Muhammad’s birth year.

The year’s name derives from the story, mentioned in the Quran, of Abraha, a Christian ruler of Yemen. He marched upon Mecca with a large army, including war elephants, intending to demolish the Kaabah—Islam’s most sacred site.

However, according to the story, the elephants refused to destroy the holy site and a flock of birds dropped clay stones on the army to protect Mecca.

Establishment of the Islamic calendar

Muslims established the Islamic calendar under the reign of the second Muslim Caliph, Umar Ibn al-Khattab. The main reason behind the establishment of the calendar was the unprecedented expansion of the Islamic Caliphate, pushing Muslims to adopt a unified calendar for counting years.

Caliph Umar Ibn al-Khattab suggested the adoption of the Hijra as the start of the Islamic calendar, which all the prophet’s companions approved.

Another suggestion for the beginning of the Islamic calendar was the year Prophet Muhammad received his first revelations, in approximately 610 AD. However, the companions preferred the first option because the Hijra represented the actual birth of an Islamic nation.

When establishing the Islamic calendar, the companions had different opinions about what the first month should be. Many suggested the month of Safar, as it was the month when Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Yathrib.

In the end, they agreed on the month of Muharram because it comes right after the Hajj season—one of the most important annual rituals for Muslims.

Difference with the Gregorian calendar

Hijri years are 354 days, eight hours, and 48 minutes long—the duration it takes the moon to circle the Earth 12 times. This makes the Islamic calendar 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar Gregorian calendar.

The difference in duration makes the Islamic and Gregorian calendars unsynchronized. The two calendars mark a new year on approximately the same day only once every 33 years.

The difference also gradually pushes the Islamic calendar closer to the Gregorian calendar year-wise. While 622 years separated the two calendars at the establishment of the Islamic calendar, today, only 578 years separate them.

Through its over 14 centuries of existence, the Islamic calendar has documented wars and truces, births and deaths, and celebrations and mournings across the Muslim world. Today, in a multicultural context, it coexists with the civil calendar and connects Muslims with their eventful history and most sacred rituals.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/08/316090/1442-hijri-new-year-tracing-the-roots-of-the-islamic-calendar/

May we witness more of this on earth with good health, wealth and sound faith (Ameen)

Which new year. New year that 90% of Muslim don't even know. For mr seun, continue ur bias because I know u are afraid of Muslims,that's why u always asked us to say I am a Muslim before we can comment abi. But u leave christian page open like ocean abi.
F
T
C.
Seun don credit my acc. Thank u seun.

Happy Islamic new year, I wish all my Muslim Brothers a long life and prosperity

Happy New year brothers and sisters in Islam

Kindly exclude Christians from your perversions.

Kestolove:
Happy Islamic new year, I wish all my Muslim and Christian Brothers a long life and prosperity

Alhamdullillah

Happy Islamic New Year


Jumah Kareem

Masha Allah Happy New year

Masha Allah Happy New year

Happy hijrah new year

Happy new year fellas. We are a year closer to our reward of dem virgins.

in as much as I hate Muslims, I am always happy to wish them hellfire

Jazakallahu khayra

Masha Allah

Happy New Year To All Muslims Around The Globe

Happy new year to we muslims and to the xtians and atheists that invade this place...please get a life

I need to banged and fuuccked an Alfa inside the mosque in this new Hijri...I.like shouting Oh Mohammed before I cum.....

princeade86:
Which new year. New year that 90% of Muslim don't even know. For mr seun, continue ur bias because I know u are afraid of Muslims,that's why u always asked us to say I am a Muslim before we can comment abi. But u leave christian page open like ocean abi.
F
T
C.
Seun don credit my acc. Thank u seun.

Seriously, did seun really credit your account?

Bukasint:
I need to banged and fuuccked an Alfa inside the mosque in this new Hijri...I.like shouting Oh Mohammed before I cum.....

dat can only be practice in d church

princeade86:
Which new year. New year that 90% of Muslim don't even know. For mr seun, continue ur bias because I know u are afraid of Muslims,that's why u always asked us to say I am a Muslim before we can comment abi. But u leave christian page open like ocean abi.
F
T
C.
Seun don credit my acc. Thank u seun.

Na Una cause am. The oath was placed there to deter you Christians cuz you mostly flock into our thread to cast hate and cause mischief.

Muslim may do so in Christian thread but it is not as aggressive and constant as you do here .

Awon Mr prefect religion .

Kestolove:
dat can only be practice in d church

Good

Bukasint:
I need to banged and fuuccked an Alfa inside the mosque in this new Hijri...I.like shouting Oh Mohammed before I cum.....

If you're 24 years old , it means you must have banged your head pastors in the church for 14 years consecutively( provided you started at age 10) since that is the way you celebrate new year in your religion.



Please note : such practices are frowned upon here and not adorned as you do over there.

Badonasty:
Happy new year to we muslims and to the xtians and atheists that invade this place...please get a life

How did u know that we re here?

leksite120:
Seriously, did seun really credit your account?

lol. Which seun oooooo. Na my friend i dey talk fa. Lol.

princeade86:
lol. Which seun oooooo. Na my friend i dey talk fa. Lol.

We only know one seun on nairaland.

perdollar:
in as much as I hate Muslims, I am always happy to wish them hellfire

it will surely end in tears for you with this your hatred for Muslims.

religion of piss

hakym619:



If you're 24 years old , it means you must have banged your head pastors in the church for 14 years consecutively( provided you started at age 10) since that is the way you celebrate new year in your religion.



Please note : such practices are frowned upon here and not adorned as you do over there.

What do you mean. Do you know the imams I have given bj in mosque. Pls stop saying rubbish. You are not me and you don't live my life. I have been banged inside the mosque on several occasion period...

Kestolove:
dat can only be practice in d church

I am not an unbeliever. I believe Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet. So I choose to get banged in the mosque because I feel relaxed in doing it....

Happy New year to our fellow Muslims across the world