Why Is Muharram the Islamic New Year? Its History and Significance
Muslims have their own calendar, with the Islamic New Year falling on the 1st of Muharram. This designation is tied to the establishment of the Hijri calendar by Caliph Umar bin Khattab in the year 17 AH (638 CE). The name Hijri comes from the event of the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) migration from Mecca to Medina.
The idea for creating a calendar arose because letters and documents sent to various regions lacked clear dates and years. Umar then consulted with his companions to determine the starting point of the calendar. They agreed that the Prophet's migration would mark the beginning of the Islamic year, since the hijrah was a crucial milestone in civilization, separating truth from falsehood.
Even though the migration happened in the month of Rabiul Awal, the decision to migrate and its preparations began in Muharram. Uthman bin Affan suggested Muharram as the start of the year because it is a sacred month, comes right after the Hajj season, and was the first month in Arab tradition.
Muharram has virtues as a month that is honored (Surah At-Tawbah, verse 36), the month of Allah, and it holds significant recommended fasts like the Fast of Ashura, which can expiate the sins of the previous year.
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