1. The Hijri calendar was established by Umar after receiving a letter from the governor of Basra expressing confusion about the dating of letters without a standardized calendar system. 2. Umar gathered Islamic scholars and companions to discuss establishing an Islamic calendar, with four different opinions on when the first year should be. It was decided to set the start of the calendar from the Hijra event, so it is called the Hijri calendar. 3. The month of Muharram was chosen as the first month for three reasons - it was already the first month in the pre-Islamic lunar calendar, it comes after the Hajj pilgrimage, and the Hijra intention was set

1. Hijri Calendar
Mohamad Sani
6 Muharram 1435 – Pengajian Glasgow

2. Disclaimer
• I‟m not an Islamic scholar
• intended to be a discussion trigger
• taken from:
– www.konsultasisyariah.com
– http://sunnahonline.com

3. HISTORY OF HIJRI CALENDAR

4. Before Umar
• Arabs has known qamari calendar
– Lunar calendar
– Origin of most of month names
– Known the 4 holy months
• However, they didn‟t count years
– Referring a year by notable event
• Elephant year
• 10 years after Ka‟ab ibn Luay died
• Sanatul idzni (year of clearance)

5. The Trigger
• On the 3rd year of caliphate of Umar
• Basra governor wrote Umar a letter
– “I received letters from you, one of them dated
on Shaban, but I don‟t know whether it is this
year Shaban or last year?”

6. The Discussion
• Umar gathered some companions for
discussion to establish calendar year
– Gregorian calendar had been numerous
– 4 different opinions when the 1st year should
be
• Hijra event was chosen
– Ali‟s idea
– That‟s why the name is hijri calendar
– Then, which month should be the 1st month?
• Uthman propose Muharram for 3 reasons
1. Already the 1st month in qamari calendar
2. After hajj
3. Hijra intention was firstly on Muharram

7. Hijri Calendar
• Hasn‟t exist in the prophecy, so …
– Prophet saw didn‟t teach any new year‟s eve
dua
– He didn‟t teach any special ceremony/ritual
• We better popularize the usage. Benefits:
1. No disagreement for Eid
2. Better remembrance for important dates
• Rajab, „ashura‟ day, etc.
• Fasting in the middle of months
3. Association to Islam

8. What Allah Said About Calendar
“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]”
QS At-Tawba (9): 36

9. VIRTUES OF MUHARRAM

10. 1. One of The Sacred Months
Abu Bakarah r.a. reported that the Prophet
saw said: "The year is twelve months of
which four are sacred, the three consecutive
months of Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah and
Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes
between Jumadah and Sha'ban.”
Reported by al-Bukhari [2958] and Muslim

11. 2. The Best Month After Ramadan
• Abu Hurayrah r.a. said: "The Messenger of Allah
saw said: 'The best of fasting after Ramadhan is
fasting Allah's month (Shahrullah) of Muharram.' “
[Reported by Muslim, 1982]
– Previously, Jahiliyya named this month Safar AlAwwal, then Allah changed it into Muharram when
Islam came. That‟s why Allah refers it to His month
(Shahrullah) [Sharh Suyuthi „Ala shahih
Muslim, 3:252]
• Allah open the year in the month of haram
(Muharram) and make the end of it the month of
haram (Dhul-Hijjah). There is no month in the
year, after the month of Ramadan, which is more
precious in the sight of Allah than Muharram. The
first month is called Syahrullah Al-Asham (Allah‟s
month of quite), because it is very noble of this
month. [Hasan Al-Basri, Lathaiful Ma‟arif, pg. 34)

12. 3. Best Month For Sunnah Fasting
Abu Hurayrah r.a. said: "The Messenger of
Allah saw said: 'The best of fasting after
Ramadhan is fasting Allah's month of
Muharram.' “
Reported by Muslim [1982]

13. ‘ASHURA’ FASTING

14. „Ashura‟ (10 Muharram) Fasting
Ibn 'Abbas r.a. said: "The Prophet saw came
to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the
day of 'Ashura'. He said, 'What is this?' They
said, 'This is a great day, on which Allah
saved Musa and his people, and drowned
Pharaoh and his people.' He said to his
Companions: 'You have more right to Musa
than they do, so fast on that day.' ”
Reported by al-Bukhari [1865] and Muslim

15. Mustahabb to Fast Tasu'a' (9 Muharram)
with 'Ashura‟
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas r.a. said: "When the
Messenger of Allah saw fasted on 'Ashura' and
commanded the Muslims to fast as well, they
said, 'O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that is
venerated by the Jews and Christians.' The
Messenger of Allah saw said, 'If I live to see the
next year, inshaAllah, we will fast on the ninth
day too.' But it so happened that the
Messenger of Allah saw passed away before
the next year came.”
Reported by Muslim [1916]

16. The Virtues of Fasting 'Ashura'
• Ibn 'Abbas r.a. said: "I never saw the Messenger
of Allah saw so keen to fast any day and give it
priority over any other than this day, the day of
'Ashura', and this month, meaning Ramadhan."
[Reported by al-Bukhari, 1867]
• The meaning of his being keen was that he
intended to fast on that day in the hope of
earning the reward for doing so:
– The Prophet saw said: "For fasting the day of
'Ashura', I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation
for the year that went before." [Reported by
Muslim, 1976]

17. Remember
9 Muharram 1435
Wed, 13 Nov 2013
According to
Glasgow Central Mosque: www.centralmosque.co.uk
London Central Mosque: www.iccuk.org

19. Reference
– http://www.konsultasisyariah.com/sejarahpenetapan-kalender-hijriah
– http://www.konsultasisyariah.com/5-artikelpenting-seputar-bulan-muharram
– http://sunnahonline.com/library/hajj-umrahand-the-islamic-calendar/324-virtues-ofmuharram-and-fasting-on-ashura-the
• Image:
–
–
–
–
Wallpapers99.com
MakkahCalendar.org
FreeFever.com
http://profile.typepad.com/mumudesign