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 The Moslem era began exactly on July 16, 622 of the western calendar, shortly after the migration of the prophet Mohammed (pbup) of his birthplace “Mecca” towards “yathreb” accompanied by forty Moslems without the knowledge of their enemies and fleeing persecution.
Hijri, in Arabic comes from the word “hijrah” which means migration, gave its name to the Moslem time-table.
The lunar year was adopted by the Caliph Omar, that the Quraan adopted the lunar months while imposing, for example, the fast of Ramadan by the visual observation of new moon.
One Moslem month corresponds to a lunar cycle of 29 or 30 days and starts with the first crescent of the moon become the symbol of Islam. The twelve months names which make the time-table are as follows :
| 1) Moharrem 30 days |
2) Safar (29 days) |
3) Rabi al Awal (30 days) |
| 4) Rabi al tani (29 days) |
5) Jomada awal (30 days) |
6) Jomada tani (29 days) |
| 7) |
8) |
9) |
| 10) |
11) |
12) |
The Moslem year lasts 354 days for one year normal and 355 days for one leap year which arrives only every 30 years, for this reason the Moslem year takes a lead of 10 or 11 days over the solar year, and which the dates of the Moslem religious festivals are mobile from one year to another compared to the Christian time-table.
Hereafter the rule of conversion between the Gregorian time-table (G), followed to Occident and the “Hijri” time-table (H) :
G=H+622- (H/33)
H=G-622+ [(G-622)/32] |
Thus, to convert the year 2005 into solar time-table :
H= 2005-622+ [(2005-622)/32] = 1426th year since the prophet Mohammed (pbuh) (peace be upon him) towards Medina.
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Note, however, that each lunar month begins with the appearance (visible with the naked eye) of the crescent of the moon, the dates of the Christian time-table indicated above are estimated with possibility of a one day shift in more or in less.
The Arab astronomers accumulated with the passing of years considerable observations of the celestial phenomena published in innumerable books and which were used for the composition of almanacs (Arab word of origin) and of time-tables of which most famous is that of Cordoue (year 961). Most widespread in Tunisia were due to a scientist and brilliant and fertile calligrapher of the name of Mohammed Salah Khammasi.
The "ras el am el hejri" thus arrives with eleven days in advance with a small shift of + or - one day.
In Tunisia it is a one paid holiday.
The day before is called also in the popular jargon “lilat laâjouza wel laâjouz” (the night of the old woman and the old man!), the celebration starts with the couscous with the “kadid” (dried meat taken on the Aïd sheep) furnished mainly with “foul” (dry beans) and finishes the following day by the “mloukhia” (.) of green color by superstition so that the year is green thus fertile.
“Am Mabrouk” (Good year)
Mohamed Rebai
info@kairouan.org
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Discovering
Ras el am el hejri - new year hegir
