Islamic New Year 2021: All you need to know about the Hijri New Year
Islamic New Year: The Hijri New Year will begin in the second week of August. It will mark the beginning of the Muslim lunar calendar.
Islamic New Year 2021: The Islamic New Year, also called the Hijri New Year, is the day that marks the beginning of the new Muslim lunar calendar. The Islamic calendar consists of 12 months and 354 or 355 days, it is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. It commences with Muharram, the second holiest month after Ramadan, and ends with Dhul al-Hijjah. This year, the new year will begin in the second week of August.
The Islamic calendar is based on a lunar cycle, unlike the Gregorian calendar. A month lasts for 29 or 30 days in this calendar, depending on the moon sighting. A new month begins when the new moon is sighted on the 29th day of the ongoing month. If it is not sighted on 29th, the ongoing month completes 30 days, and a new month starts the next day. All religious commemorations, such as fasting in the month of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Hajj pilgrimage, and the dates of significant events, are calculated according to the Islamic calendar.
Islamic New Year 2021 Date in India
The first day of the new year in 2021 will fall on Tuesday, August 10, in most parts of the world, according to the Astronomy Center's calculations. August 9 will be the 29th of Dhul Qadah, the last month in the Islamic calendar, in India. The Muharram month in India and other parts of the world will begin from August 10, if the full moon is seen on August 9. However, if it is not sighted on August 9, Muharram will begin from August 11.
The significance of the Islamic New Year
The Islamic New Year or the Hijri Year began with the migration of Prophet Muhammad and his companions from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD.
The upcoming new year will be referred to as Hijri 1443 AH (Anno Hegirae in Latin or the year of the Hijra). It means that it has been 1443 years since Prophet Mohammed's migration.
To celebrate the Islamic New Year, no big celebrations are held in most Muslim-majority nations. However, many declare a public holiday to commemorate the occasion, like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, the first 10 days of Muharram are significant for Muslims, especially Shia Muslims, because they mourn the death of Husayn Ibn Ali al-Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. He died on the 10th day of Muharram, known widely as Ashoura. The mourning begins on the first day of Muharram and continues for ten nights.
