Muslim holidays
Encyclopedia
There are two main holidays in Islam, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. The way that holidays are recognized can vary across cultures, as well as across sects of Islam, Sunni and Shia. Muslim holidays generally follow the lunar calendar
, and thus move each year relative to the solar calendar
. The Islamic calendar
has 12 months and 354 or 355 days. Sunni and Shia lunar calendars do not always coincide: sometimes a Shia holiday and the same Sunni holiday occur on two different days, typically two successive ones. Islamic dates are based on a lunar calendar, and may vary by 1–2 days from what is predicted below.
on the ninth and tenth days of Muharram
on the Islamic Calendar. Ashura is an Arabic word meaning "ten", and according to Sunni schools of thought it is a day of optional fasting. Jews in the city of Madina fasted only one day, on Yom Kippur
, the 10th of Tishrei
because they believe that Prophet Moses fasted on this day; so the Prophet Muhammad would fast too, to express the continuity of Islam and brotherhood with the earlier Prophet. According to Islamic tradition, Prophet Muhammad fasted along with the neighboring Jewish communities on this occasion, and according to narrations, Prophet Muhammad fasted on the 10th of Muharram and said that if he lived to the next year he would also fast the 9th Muharram (Hazrat Ibn Abbas (Radiyallahu 'anh) relates that when the Holy Nabi (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) said: "If I survive till next year, I will definitely observe fast on the 9th of Muharram (as well)." [Sahih Muslim] .
By Islamic tradition, this day commemorates God saving Moses
and the Israelites from Pharaoh in Egypt
as they crossed the Red Sea
(the Exodus
day). According to Judaism
, the Israelites left Egypt on the first day of Passover
, and they crossed the Red Sea seven days later on the 21st of Nisan
, both of which are celebrated as holidays with meals.
According to Shi'a tradition, 10 Muharram is also the day on which Muhammad's grandson, Husayn ibn Ali
, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala
.
is Arabic for the “Night of the Journey and Ascension”. It is on 27th of Rajab
. It is the night when Muhammad was, according to Hadiths, taken to “the furthest mosque” (generally understood to be Jerusalem) on a Buraq
(a beast resembling horse with wings; some people consider it a cherub
) and ascended to the highest level of the heavens. It is said that he requested God to reduce the number of prayers, which started at fifty a day, but on his way down he met Moses, who asked him to ask for a reduction in the number because the requirement was difficult for Muhammad's people. Muhammad returned to God and several times asked for, and was granted a reduction of five prayers, until the number was reduced to five in total, with the blessing that if they were properly performed, the performers would be credited with fifty prayers instead of five. The event of this Night has also been described in Quran in Part 15 the beginning of Surah Isra.
usually on an odd numbered day. It is considered the holiest night of the year, since it is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed. It is also considered better than a thousand months [Qur'an 97
:1–3]. It is said that if a person performs voluntary worship on this night, that worship is equal to a thousand months or approximately 80 years.
is the month in which Muslims must fast from dawn to sunset. This is meant to feel how the poor people are without food or water. In addition, Muslims close their bodies off from earthly demands by denying themselves food and drink. This in turn allows for the nourishment of the soul.
Fasting is more than just the mere denial of food and drink. While they are fasting Muslims must also abstain from smoking and sexual contact. In addition, there are culture-specific beliefs regarding the watching of television, listening to music, and the perusal of any secular vice that does not in some way enhance spirituality.
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
, and thus move each year relative to the solar calendar
Solar calendar
A solar calendar is a calendar whose dates indicate the position of the earth on its revolution around the sun .-Tropical solar calendars:...
. The Islamic calendar
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
has 12 months and 354 or 355 days. Sunni and Shia lunar calendars do not always coincide: sometimes a Shia holiday and the same Sunni holiday occur on two different days, typically two successive ones. Islamic dates are based on a lunar calendar, and may vary by 1–2 days from what is predicted below.
Ashura Day
Ashura is commemorated by Shi'a MuslimsShi'a Islam
Shia Islam is the second largest denomination of Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'ites or Shias. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatu ʻAlī , meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali".Like other schools of thought in Islam, Shia Islam is...
on the ninth and tenth days of Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
on the Islamic Calendar. Ashura is an Arabic word meaning "ten", and according to Sunni schools of thought it is a day of optional fasting. Jews in the city of Madina fasted only one day, on Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
, the 10th of Tishrei
Tishrei
Tishrei or Tishri , Tiberian: ; from Akkadian "Beginning", from "To begin") is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian. It is an autumn month of 30 days...
because they believe that Prophet Moses fasted on this day; so the Prophet Muhammad would fast too, to express the continuity of Islam and brotherhood with the earlier Prophet. According to Islamic tradition, Prophet Muhammad fasted along with the neighboring Jewish communities on this occasion, and according to narrations, Prophet Muhammad fasted on the 10th of Muharram and said that if he lived to the next year he would also fast the 9th Muharram (Hazrat Ibn Abbas (Radiyallahu 'anh) relates that when the Holy Nabi (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) said: "If I survive till next year, I will definitely observe fast on the 9th of Muharram (as well)." [Sahih Muslim] .
By Islamic tradition, this day commemorates God saving Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
and the Israelites from Pharaoh in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
as they crossed the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
(the Exodus
The Exodus
The Exodus is the story of the departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt described in the Hebrew Bible.Narrowly defined, the term refers only to the departure from Egypt described in the Book of Exodus; more widely, it takes in the subsequent law-givings and wanderings in the wilderness...
day). According to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, the Israelites left Egypt on the first day of Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
, and they crossed the Red Sea seven days later on the 21st of Nisan
Nisan
Nisan is the first month of the ecclesiastical year and the seventh month of the civil year, on the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian; in the Torah it is called the month of the Aviv, referring to the month in which barley was ripe. It is a spring month of 30 days...
, both of which are celebrated as holidays with meals.
According to Shi'a tradition, 10 Muharram is also the day on which Muhammad's grandson, Husayn ibn Ali
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
.
Laylat ul Isra and Miraj
Laylat ul Isra and Mi'rajIsra and Mi'raj
The Isra and Mi'raj , are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Islamic prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It has been described as both a physical and spiritual journey...
is Arabic for the “Night of the Journey and Ascension”. It is on 27th of Rajab
Rajab
Rajab is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. The lexical definition of Rajaba is "to respect", of which Rajab is a derivative.This month is regarded as one of the four sacred months in Islam in which battles are prohibited...
. It is the night when Muhammad was, according to Hadiths, taken to “the furthest mosque” (generally understood to be Jerusalem) on a Buraq
Buraq
Al-Burāq is a mythological steed, described as a creature from the heavens which transported the prophets. The most commonly told story is how in the 7th century, Al-Buraq carried the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and back during the Isra and Mi'raj or "Night Journey", which is...
(a beast resembling horse with wings; some people consider it a cherub
Cherub
A cherub is a type of spiritual being mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and cited later on in the Christian biblical canons, usually associated with the presence of God...
) and ascended to the highest level of the heavens. It is said that he requested God to reduce the number of prayers, which started at fifty a day, but on his way down he met Moses, who asked him to ask for a reduction in the number because the requirement was difficult for Muhammad's people. Muhammad returned to God and several times asked for, and was granted a reduction of five prayers, until the number was reduced to five in total, with the blessing that if they were properly performed, the performers would be credited with fifty prayers instead of five. The event of this Night has also been described in Quran in Part 15 the beginning of Surah Isra.
Laylat al-Qadr
Laylat al-Qadr is Arabic for “The Night of Power”. It falls on one of the last ten days of RamadanRamadan (calendar month)
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Quran was revealed.Ramadan is the holiest of months in the Islamic calendar, and fasting in this month is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to...
usually on an odd numbered day. It is considered the holiest night of the year, since it is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed. It is also considered better than a thousand months [Qur'an 97
Al-Qadr
Sūrat al-Qadr is the 97th sura of the Qur'an with 5 ayat. It is a Meccan sura.إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِWe have indeed revealed this in the Night of Power: وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ...
:1–3]. It is said that if a person performs voluntary worship on this night, that worship is equal to a thousand months or approximately 80 years.
Fasting
RamadanRamadan (calendar month)
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Quran was revealed.Ramadan is the holiest of months in the Islamic calendar, and fasting in this month is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to...
is the month in which Muslims must fast from dawn to sunset. This is meant to feel how the poor people are without food or water. In addition, Muslims close their bodies off from earthly demands by denying themselves food and drink. This in turn allows for the nourishment of the soul.
Fasting is more than just the mere denial of food and drink. While they are fasting Muslims must also abstain from smoking and sexual contact. In addition, there are culture-specific beliefs regarding the watching of television, listening to music, and the perusal of any secular vice that does not in some way enhance spirituality.
Calendar
| Festive day | 1431 AH | 1432 AH | 1433 AH | 1434 AH | 1435 AH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamic New Year | 18 December 2009 | 7 December 2010 | 26 November 2011 | 15 November 2012 | 4 November 2013 |
| Ashura Day of Ashura The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10... |
27 December 2009 | 16 December 2010 | 5 December 2011 | 24 November 2012 | 13 November 2013 |
| Mawlid an-Nabi | 26 February 2010 | 15 February 2011 | 4 February 2012 | 24 January 2013 | 13 January 2014 |
| Laylat al-Miraj | 9 July 2010 | 29 June 2011 | 17 June 2012 | 6 June 2013 | 26 May 2014 |
| Laylat al-Baraat Mid-Sha'ban Mid-Sha'ban is thereceding night is known as Laylatul Bara’ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha’ban in the Arab world, and as Shab-e-barat in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Afghanistan... |
27 July 2010 | 16 July 2011 | 5 July 2012 | 24 June 2013 | 13 June 2014 |
| Ramadan Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and... |
11 August 2010 | 1 August 2011 | 20 July 2012 | 9 July 2013 | 28 June 2014 |
| Laylat al-Qadr Laylat al-Qadr Lailatul Qadr , the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures, is the anniversary of two very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan... |
6 September 2010 | 27 August 2011 | 15 August 2012 | 4 August 2013 | 24 July 2014 |
| Eid al-Fitr | 10 September 2010 | 30 August 2011 | 19 August 2012 | 8 August 2013 | 28 July 2014 |
| Eid al-Adha | 16 November 2010 | 6 November 2011 | 26 October 2012 | 15 October 2013 | 4 October 2014 |
External links
- The Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia (with date converter valid from 1937 to 2077)
- The Islamic Calendar/Hijri Calendar for Makkah