Every year, Muslims around the world celebrate the beginning of the New Islamic Year, which commemorates the occasion of Hijrah, or the Prophet Mohammad and his followers’ migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD. The Islamic calendar differs from the widely used Gregorian calendar as Muslims follow the lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days, meaning that Muslims every year mark major calendar dates like Ramadan and Eid earlier each year.
It was during the era of Muslim leader Omar ibn al-Khattab that the Hijri calendar was established. It was narrated that al-Khattab had consulted the companions of the prophet on choosing from three events to mark the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
The options were the day and year of Prophet Mohammad’s birth, death or Hijra (migration) to Medina. The companions agreed on using the date of the Prophet’s Hijra. The agreement on this matter was reached in the year 17 of the Hijra, the fourth year of the Omar ibn al-Khattab’s caliphate which corresponds to year 622 on the Julian calendar.
The Hijra to Medina was a turning point in Islamic history, marking the beginning of the Muslim state, and where the Prophet established the first civil Muslim society.
At first, there were discussions on whether the first month of the year should be Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, or Muharram. Muharram was then announced as the first month of the Islamic Hijri calendar given that it comes after Muslims conclude the annual pilgrimage season to Mecca for Hajj during the month of Dhul Hijjah.The exact date when the new Islamic Hijri New Year begins is calculated by different techniques, including via astronomical calculations, or via an official moon-sighting exercise similarly used during the sighting of the Ramadan crescent and Eid moons to determine those Islamic months. Source: english.alarabiya.net
Muharram: Everything You Need to Know about The Sacred Month and its Benefits
By: Muslim Hands
When is Muharram?
Muharram, also known as Muharram-ul-Haram, is the first month of the Hijri calendar and thus marks the beginning of the Islamic year. It is the only month which Allah’s name has been attached – the Prophet Muhammad (saw) referred to it as ‘the Sacred Month of Allah’ – and is thus a highly blessed month.
It is one of the four sacred months, and its special importance is indicated by its name. The word ‘Muharram’ literally means ‘forbidden’ – i.e. it is so sacred that certain actions become forbidden during it, as they would violate its sanctity. Both the month of the Muharram and Allah’s House (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) derive their names from the same Arabic root word; both are sacred spaces in which every deed, good or bad, weighs heavier on the scales.
Why is Muharram so special?
’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…’ (Qur’an, 9:36)
Regarding this verse, Ibn Katheer (rh) explains, ’Allah has chosen elites from His creation: from among the angels He chose Messengers, from among mankind He chose Messengers, from among speech He chose remembrance of Him (dhikr), from among spaces on earth He chose the mosques, from among the months He chose Ramadan and the sacred months…So, venerate that which has been chosen by Allah, for people of understanding and wisdom respect that which has been chosen by Him’. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer)
Therefore, Muharram is special simply because Allah has chosen it to be so. He commands us not to ‘wrong ourselves’ during this sacred month, which essentially means to ensure we have pure intentions and righteous behaviour and don’t fall into sin.
What are the four sacred months?
Allah has also chosen Rajab, Dhul-Qa’dah and Dhul-Hijjah as sacred months. Historically, one of the practical consequences of Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram being sacred was that pilgrims would be allowed to perform Hajj safely without worrying about banditry or war. Fighting was forbidden during Dhul-Qa’dah, when they would be travelling to make the Hajj; Dhul-Hijjah, when they would be performing Hajj in Makkah and its surroundings; and Muharram, when they would be returning home from Hajj. This standard was upheld by the Arabs in pre-Islamic times, and Allah confirms it in the Qur’an.
Rajab, meanwhile, is the seventh month of the Hijri calendar and stands alone as a sacred month. Historically, this was to allow people to perform ’Umrah in Rajab if they wanted to.
What are the benefits of Muharram?
Although many of us understand the importance of the month of Ramadan, we can often neglect the sacred months. However, they offer us a wealth of opportunities to seek the mercy and favour of Allah, the likes of which cannot be found at any other time of the year. They have been specifically selected by Allah Himself as the best times to draw closer to Him.
As mentioned before, our deeds carry more weight during Muharram, just as they carry more weight in the Ka’bah and its surroundings. Thus, there is an opportunity to gain more reward every day; but also the danger of gaining more sins with our bad deeds. This means we should be extra-vigilant when it comes to how we act, whether in our relationships, at work, in our worship, in our time management, or even how we take care of our health. With the right intention, every single action can become an opportunity for reward! We’ve put together a quick list of easy ways to take advantage of the benefits of Muharram:
Say salaam more! This is the greeting of the Prophet (saw) and the people of Paradise, and such a simple action can reap countless rewards and forgiveness.
Smile at everyone (even on Monday mornings). This simple action will weigh heavy on the scales during Muharram.
Give regular Sadaqah. Muharram is the beginning of the Islamic New Year, so it’s the perfect time to make resolutions and establish good habits that you can reap the rewards of all-year round.
Improve your health by eating better, exercising more and having a good sleeping routine. Yes, taking care of your health is a rewardable action too – your body is an amanah (trust) from Allah! Making a few lifestyle changes can earn you countless rewards.
Seek forgiveness. Since sins are heavier in Muharram, you should ask for forgiveness as often as possible during this month, or even erase all your sins by lighting the Dome of the Rock, which is equivalent to praying in the blessed Masjid al-Aqsa!
Source: english.alarabiya.net
