1

Time is not a reality [hupostasis], but a

concept [noêma] or a measure [metron]…Antiphon the Sophist (480BC-411BC)

2

Islamic (Hijra)

Calendar

3

Calendarscalendars are a system of measuring time

based either on

lunar cycles

http://timbeauchamp.tripod.com/moon/mooninfo.htm

OR

the Earth's orbit

around the Sun

       

       

       

       

        

       

       

       

http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/uwsp_lectures/lecture_earth_sun_relations.html

4

The Islamic calendar

is a religious calendar

calculated using the

cycle of the phases of the Moon

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/upload/img/phases.gif

5

An Islamic monththe length of each month lasts

from the sighting of one crescent moon to the sighting

of the next crescent moon

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/projects/3308686.html

6

An Islamic monthSaturday Sunday Monday Tuseday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1 2 3 4 5 6 720 21 22 23 24 25 26

8 9 10 11 12 13 1427 28 29 30 31 1 2

15 16 17 18 19 20 213 4 5 6 7 8 9

22 23 24 25 26 27 2810 11 12 13 14 15 16

2917

New Moon 19 Jan 04:01 UT, First Quarter 25 Jan 23:02 UT, Full Moon 2 Feb 05:45 UT, Last Quarter 10 Feb 09:51 UT,

(1) Muhharam - 1428 HJan / Feb - 2007

http://www.hijracalendar.com/HijraCalendar1428.xls

7

The Islamic MonthsMuharram م%ح#ر!م

The Sacred Month

Safar ص#ف#رThe Void Month

األو!ل /يع ب Rabi al-Awwal ر#The First Month of Spring

!اني الث /يع ب Rabi ath-Thani ر#The Second Month of Spring

األو!ل Jumad al-Ula ج#م#ادThe First Dry Month

!اني الث Jumad ath-Thani ج#م#ادThe Second Dry Month

ج#ب Rajab ر#The Honoured Month

#ان ع=ب Sha'ban ش#The Month of Separation

م#ض#ان Ramadan ر#The Month of Intense Heat

و!ال Shawwal ش#The Hunting Month

=ق/ع=د#ة ال Dhul Qa'dah ذ%وThe Resting Month

=ح/ج!ة ال Dhul Hijjah ذ%وThe Month of Pilgrimage

http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/kids/islam/months.html

8

an Islamic day begins at sunset and ends the following sunset

http://www.zain.madressa.net/Wallpaper%20Sunset%20Screen%20size%201024x768.JPG

9

Islamic Days of the Week

Al-Ahad - Day One (Sunday) األح#د

=ن #ي =ن Al-‘Ithnayn - Day Two (Monday) اإلث

#اء Uالث Ath-Thulatha - Day Three (Tuesday) الث

/ع#اء ب Al-'Arba'aa - Day Four (Wednesday) األر=

=خ#م/يس Al-Khamees - Day Five (Thursday) ال

=ج%م=ع#ة Al-Jum'ah - Day of Gathering (Friday) ال

ب=ت As-Sabt – Day of Rest (Saturday) الس!

http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/kids/islam/days.html

10

The use of an “H” following an Islamic year number signifies that the dating system begins from the Hijra i.e. the migration of the Prophet Muhammad

from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE.

According to the Islamic calendar this year (2007) is 1428 H.

What year is it now?

11

Some important dates in the Islamic calendar

• 1 Muharram (Islamic New Year)

• 1 Ramadan (first day of fasting)

• Last third of Ramadan which includes Laylat al-Qadr

• 1 Shawwal (Eid-Ul-Fitr)

• 8-10 Dhul Hijjah (the Hajj to Mecca)

• 10 Dhul Hijjah (Eid-Ul-Adha)

12

And their corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar (this year)…

Islamic Calendar Gregorian Calendar

1428 H 2007-2008

1 Muharram- 30 Dhul Hijjah 20 January 2007- 9 January 2008

1 Muharram (Islamic New Year)

20 January 2007

1 Ramadan (first day of fasting)

14 September 2007

1 Shawwal (Eid-Ul-Fitr) 13 October 2007

8-10 Dhul Hijjah (the Hajj to Mecca)

18- 20 December 2007

10 Dhul Hijjah (Eid-Ul-Adha) 20 December 2007

13

Some interesting trivia…

every 32.5 years, the Islamic year retrogresses through the entire seasonal

year

therefore in 1495 H (2072- 2073 CE) these dates should fall on approximately the

same dates as they have this year

14

Some more interesting trivia…

An Islamic year will be entirely within a Gregorian year of the same number in

the year

20874 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_calendar

15

Some more interesting trivia…

once every 33 or 34 Islamic years (32 or 33 Gregorian years) the Islamic calendar year occurs entirely within the Gregorian

calendar year

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_calendar

Islamic year within Gregorian year

Islamic Gregorian Difference

1228 1813 585

1261 1845 584

1295 1878 583

1329 1911 582

1362 1943 581

1396 1976 580

1429 2008 579

1463 2041 578

1496 2073 577

1530 2106 576

1564 2139 575

16

In summary…A quick comparison!

Islamic Calendar Gregorian Calendar

lunar seasonal

12 months per year 12 months per year

29-30 days per month 28-31 days per month

354-355 days per year

365-366 days per year

7 days per week 7 days per week