Islamic New Year

The first day of the month of Muharram has observed as the beginning of Islamic New Year. Many Muslims consider this day to memorialize the importance of Muharram and the Hijra or evacuation of Muhammad to Medina city. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar schedule and hence has 354 days only.

In comparison to the western schedule, the Islamic schedule goes 11 or 12 backwards every year.The Islamic New Year has celebrated with great pomp and shows. This was only after the evacuation to Medina that the Muslims were able to establish. The first Muslim community and accomplished social, economic and political independence. Muslims also reveal on the passing of time and their own mortality.The manner of the celebration of Islamic New Year's Day is quite different from other such celebrations. In 2024 it will be celebrated on 4th November. They get together in mosques and offer particular prayers and listen to special readings from the Koran. An important part of the prayer is the telling of the Hegira of diviner Muhammad from Mecca to Medina.

Muslims are believed to reflect on their life, the way in which they are leading their life and about their own mortality. The day has spent in prayer and on shimmering on how one is leading one's life. There are no celebrations that we usually connect with New Year's Day. The New Year is also known as Maal Hijra amongst the Muslims civilizations. In recent times many Muslims have started sending greeting cards to each other on their Islamic New Year's Day. On this joyful occasion, giving sweets to children is a significant tradition. The boys are given sweets of the form of a boy on a horseback while the girls are given the sweets of the form of a girl. The adults trip to the places of their near and dear ones.