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In
the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
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In
the Holy Quran we read:
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"They
ask thee about the new moons. Say, These are means for measuring
time for people's affairs and for the Pilgrimage" (Holy Quran,
Ch. 2 V. 190)
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| Islam
has made use of both the lunar and solar system of measuring times.
Where worship is to be performed in different parts of the day the
solar system of reckoning time is used as in the five daily Prayers
or for the beginning and breaking of the fast, and where worship
is to be completed within a particular month or part thereof, the
lunar system is used, as in the determination of the month or part
thereof, the lunar system is used, as in the determination of the
month of fasting or fixing the time of Hajj or other festivals.
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To
calculate conversions from one calendar year to the other the following
formula is used:
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G
= H - ( (3 * H) / 100 ) + 622
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H
= G + ( ( G - 622) / 32 ) - 622
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Where
G = Gregorian year (AD)
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H = Hijra year (AH)
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| Thus 2000
AD is 1421 AH
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| Islamic
calendar consists of twelve lunar months. Each month may be of 29
or 30 days depending on the sighting of the new moon.
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| An
lunar year has, on average, 355 days. This is 10 days less than
the solar year. Hence an Islamic year is moved ahead 10 days each
year in solar calendar year.
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Following
are the names of the Islamic months:
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1.
Muharram ul Haram
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2.
Safar
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3.
Rabi-ul-Awwal
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4.
Rab-ul-Akhir
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5.
Jamadi-ul-Awwal
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6.
Jamadi-ul-Akhir
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7.
Rajab
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8.
Sha'aban
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9.
Ramadhan
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10.
Shawwal
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11.
Dhul Qadah
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12.
Dhul Hijja
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| The
Holy Quran states:
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"The
number of months with Allah has been twelve months by Allah's ordinance
since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Of these four
are known as sacred" (Holy Quran, ch., v 36)Muharram, Rajab,
Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijja are considered to be sacred months. Fighting
during these sacred months is considered to be a sin.
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