The authors of this text were forced to take up the pen by a seemingly idle question: what year is the Muslim calendar?
However, in fact, it turned out to be quite logical. The modern world is dynamic and characterized by the communication of people of different faiths. Today, for the contact of people located in different corners of the Earth, it takes milliseconds.
But if the technical standards are universal for everyone, then, say, the chronology of Christians and Muslims is determined by various spiritual traditions. This article is intended to acquaint users of the Gregorian chronology (GL) with the Muslim chronology (LM).
By the way, based on statistics, today about 33% of the world's population profess Christianity and 19.6% - Islam. Therefore, communicative situations involving knowledge of the Muslim calendar are also relevant for Christians.
On the calendar in Muslim countries
Some residents of young Muslim states, former republics, also, if necessary, specify which year is now according to the Muslim calendar. After all, they live daily (work, study, travel) on the Gregorian calendar, calling it the “new chronology”.
True, their religious holidays are determined in accordance with the LM. This is required by Islam.
Muslim chronology, and only it is a single way of orientation in time in the Arab countries located around the Persian Gulf.
Shortest answer
Those who don’t want to bother with excessive theory can recommend to determine for themselves what year is according to the Muslim calendar, using sites with standard Internet converters.,, To do this, it is enough to indicate in the Internet search engine what we are looking for: a converter from GL to ML. Further actions of those seeking an answer to such a question are predictable: a date in the Gregorian format is entered into the window of the corresponding form, and the "convert" button is clicked.
For example, the date of writing of this article, January 3, 2016, will be converted to a date relating to the 22nd day of the month of Rabbi Aval 1437. The differences in the presentation of the same chronology in different systems are obvious. Nevertheless, if it is required to confine oneself only to a formal monosyllabic answer, then this will be sufficient.
On the Beginning of the Current Muslim Era - Hijri
However, erudite people will not stop at a formal answer. They will try to understand the laws of the reckoning. More and more often daily, believers of various concessions communicate. Educated people tend to possess knowledge of the religious traditions of their neighbors.
We will not be an exception in this regard either. We begin to argue based on elementary logic. Muslim chronology (as well as Christian) should have a clear start date for the New Era. Only not Christian (Christmas), but Muslim, attached to the tradition of Islam.
Indeed, on the basis of this promise, we will competently determine what year the Muslim calendar is now.
However, any Muslim can easily answer this question. This chronology begins on July 16, 0622 (GL), that is, from the date of the Hijra (in Arabic, "relocation"). On this day, the prophet Muhammad, fearing reprisal of the pagans, moved from the dangerous pagan city of Mecca to the city of Medina, favorable for the further development of Islam.
More on the Muslim calendar
By its nature, the Muslim calendar (MK) is lunar. Its 12 months are consistent with the movement of the moon, they count the number of days, determined by the formula: 12 X 29.53 = 354.36 days. Thus, a typical MK year is 354 days, and a leap year 355 days.
MK by nature is much smaller than Gregorian, tropical: for as long as 11 days.
In fact, it turns out that the MK is more compact than the GK, gradually catching up with it. Based on this, in the distant future, the same time will come when the answer of the Muslim, which is the year according to the Muslim calendar, will coincide with the answer of the Christian.
It will only come on the first day of the fifth month of 20874. This will be for the Civil Code on May 01, 29874 and, accordingly, the first day of the Jumad-Aval month of 20874. It is hoped that civilization will continue until this time, and religious concessions, guardians of traditions, will flourish.
About the months of the lunar (Muslim) calendar
Obviously, understanding what year the Muslim calendar is is not enough to navigate in time. Therefore, we give the names of the months of the lunar Arabic calendar.
The name of the first month of Muharram (29 days) is translated as “forbidden”, “sacred”. For him, the ban on faith in blood feud and war is relevant.
The second month is called "yellow", or in Arabic safar (30 days). This is the month of the beginning of autumn.
The third month, Rabbi Aval, (29 days), Muslims call the "great." This is the month of the birth of Muhammad.
The fourth month is the “second great” Rabbi Sani.
The fifth month, Jumada Aval, (29 days) is associated with the verb “freeze” and marks the beginning of winter.
The sixth month, Jumada-sani, (29 days) in its name indicates that the earth is drying out at this time.
The name of the seventh month is rajab (29 days), translated as “non-violence”. Islam requires throughout its abstinence from war.
The eighth month lasts 30 days and is called shaaban (dividing). Arab tribes usually began military campaigns at this time.
Ninth month, ramadan (30 days) - sacred. It is associated with fasting and spiritual self-improvement.
The tenth month, shavval (30 days), is dedicated to nomads. It is marked by the end of the post and the celebration of the conversation of Uraza Bairam.
The eleventh month, zul-kaada, (29 days) is considered the month of parking. Arabs at this time refrain from various travels and movements.
The twelfth month is Zul Hijjah (29 days in a normal year, 30 days in a leap year). This is a revered month prohibiting war, violence, blood feud.
