Hijiri new year or sometimes call Islamic new year, is the new calendar year that marks the beginning of a new Muslim lunar calendar.
For 2021 the Islamic new year falls in the second week of August 2021.
That said, over 1,440 years ago, it has been used to calculate events in Islam. Ranging from Ramadan, Hajj, and Eid ul-Adha among others.
It contains 354 or 355 days, which is somehow shorter than the solar, Gregorian calendar by 11 days.
The Islamic calendar has 12 months, which each month start with the sighting of the new moon. The first month is Muharram, and the twelfth month is Dhul al-Hijjah.
According to the Astronomy Center’s calculations, the first day of the new year in 2021 will fall on Tuesday, August 10, in most parts of the world.
عاجل: ستتحرى معظم الدول هلال شهر محرم لعام 1443 هجرية يوم الأحد 08 أغسطس، ورؤية الهلال يومها مستحيلة من شرق العالم الإسلامي وغير ممكنة من باقي أجزائه. وعليه من المتوقع أن تكون رأس السنة الهجرية يوم الثلاثاء 10 أغسطس في غالبية الدول. المزيد على هذا الرابط:https://t.co/Nr798Vho2k pic.twitter.com/59dm7Zi0jU
— مركز الفلك الدولي (@AstronomyCenter) August 3, 2021
The start of the Islamic new year happens with the migration ( also known as the Hijrah) of Prophet Muhammad and his companions from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD. When they were repeatedly threatened by the disbelievers.
However, during 639 AD Umar ibn al-Khattab (second caliph) choose to start the calculating of the Islamic calendar.
The Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions is one of the most important even in the history of Islam.
This year 2021 will be the Islamic year 1443 AH.
NOTE: AH – Anno Hegirae in Latin or “in the year of the Hijra”.
No big celebration commence in most Muslim-majority nations. Many declare a public holiday for the Islamic new year. Countries like United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.
To point out, the first 10 days of Muharram is a celebration for Shia Muslims. They mourn the death of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad – Husayn Ibn Ali al-Hussein who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.
