The Hegira calendar, also known as the Islamic calendar, is a lunar calendar used by Muslims around the world. It is named after the Arabic word "hijrah" which means migration, specifically referring to the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. The correct spelling of this word is "Hegira" and is pronounced /hejɪrə/. The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable "hej." The "i" in the second syllable is pronounced as a schwa sound, represented by the symbol "ə".
The Hegira calendar, also known as the Islamic calendar or the Hijri calendar, is a lunar-based system used by Muslims worldwide to mark the passage of time. It begins with the migration (hijra) of the Prophet Muhammad from the city of Mecca to the city of Medina in the Arabian Peninsula in 622 CE. This event is regarded as a significant turning point in Islamic history and is used as the starting point of the calendar.
The Hegira calendar consists of 12 lunar months, each of which consists of 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the new moon. This results in a year that is approximately 10 to 11 days shorter than the solar-based Gregorian calendar widely used in the Western world. Consequently, the Islamic calendar does not align with the seasons and moves forward through the Gregorian calendar each year.
The calendar is primarily used to determine the dates of Islamic religious observations such as Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Hajj. It is also used for administrative purposes in Muslim-majority countries, including the scheduling of public holidays and in official government documents.
The Hegira calendar is significant not only for its religious importance but also for its cultural and historical significance. It serves as a unifying force among Muslims worldwide and plays a vital role in preserving Islamic traditions and heritage.
The word "Hegira calendar" refers to the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar. The term "Hijri" or "Hegira" refers to the migration of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD.
The word "Hijra" comes from the Arabic root "hajara" which means "to leave" or "to emigrate". It specifically refers to the historical event when Muhammad and his followers left Mecca due to persecution and settled in Medina, which marked the beginning of the Islamic era.
Therefore, the "Hegira calendar" or "Hijri calendar" is named after this significant event and is used to calculate the years in the Islamic lunar calendar system.