Bismallah, WalhamduLillah Wasalamu Ala Rasool Allah **Today is the 1st of Muharram 1435, the 1st day of the new Islamic year** Facts about our Hijri calender: 1. Umar (radia Allahu Anh) initiated the Hijri calender over others used during his time to be independent. Teaching your children the Hijri calender helps preserve their Islamic identity. 2. Umar (radia Allahu Anh) introduced the Hijri calendar and its not known that they ever greeted for the start of the Hijri year. Not initiating or (general) duaa as a reminder is appropriate. 3. Umar (radia Allahu Anh) introduced the calendar when the Muslim lands expanded and Umar (radia Allahu Anh) began to issue written orders to his governors. a. Abu Musa al-Ashary (radia Allahu Anh) complained that Umars (radia Allahu Anh) letters needed to be dated. b. A second reason for initiating the Hijri date was when a complaint over a debt reached Umar (radia Allahu Anh). They knew the month but were confused over the year, so Umar (radia Allahu Anh) decided to introduce the calender. 4. During Umars Khilfah, 17 years after the Hirah of the Prophet (Sallah Allahu alieh wasalam) he consulted with his advisers in order to come to a decision regarding the various dating systems used at that time. 5. It was agreed upon by the Sahabah that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was the Hijrah (migration) of the Prophet (Sallah Allahu Alieh Wasalam). 6. The reason Hijrah was chosen over other significant Islamic events was because it was considered the most essential event that established the Islamic nation and separated between truth and evil. 7. Ibn al-Jozy said: They did not start it with his message-hood (Sallah Allahu Alieh Wasalam) because the date was disputed, nor with his death because it was a very sad memory. 8. Some scholars indicated that the verse that mentioned first day in mentioning Hijrah shows that its a clear indication that our first days should start with Hijrah: (Never stand you therein. Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the {first day} on piety is more worthy that you stand therein to pray). 9:108 9. The Prophet (Sallah Allahu Alieh Wasalam) arrived at Madina on the 12th day of Rabi al Awal (the 3rd Islamic Hijri month). 10. Umar (radia Allahu anh) decided to go back and start the year with Muharam as month #1 instead of Rabi-al-Awal, month #3 the actual month of the Prophets arrival for two reasons: a. The commitment and oath of al-Aqabah was given in Dul-Hijjah #12 which was the spark that paved the path to the Prophets (Sallah Allahu Alieh Wasalam) migration to Medina. Therefore they started with the first new moon following that significant event. Ibn Hajar said: Thats the strongest opinion on why they chose Muharram to be the first month. b. Muharram falls after the Hajj season when people return to a fresh start. 11. The Hijri calender is the calender of the Ummah by proof of Ijmaa. Ijmaa is one of our sources of proof. The Sahabah made ijmaa (consensus) on this and on the fact that they disliked to use any other calender. 12. This calender was put by and approved the man who the Messenger (Sallah Allahu Alieh Wasalam) said: (follow my sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs). [Ahmad, al-Tirmithy] 13. The Hijri calender was the official calender used by this Ummah throughout history, generation after generation until the downfall of the Khilafah in 1340H. 14. One of the first changes they did upon defeating the Uthmani Khilfah in Turkey was to change the Hijri to the Gregorian calendar. 15. They show pride in linking their calender to the birth of Isa (alyhi alsalam), and we must show our pride by the history of our beloved (Sallah Allahu Alieh Wasalam). 16. (Some) Ulama considered using other calenders while neglecting the Hijri calender a deficiency in wala and bara. They also document how the Gregorian months were named after lords Romans used to worship. 17. If one must use a calender other than the Hijri then the least of it is to keep the Hijri date fresh and live on the minds, walls, computers, and tongues of family members and Muslim communities. ~Shaykh Ahmad Musa Jibril #saif
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 09:49:41 +0000
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