Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Among the specialities of the month of Muharram is that the Islamic year calendar commenced with Muharram from the time of the Hijrah.
The Islamic calendar has twelve months in the same manner as the Gregorian calendar. The difference is that the Islamic calendar follows the lunar system while the Gregorian calendar follows the solar system.
During the era of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), the Muslims did not have their own Islamic year calendar which commenced from any specific year, as the Jews and Christians had.
The lack of an Islamic year calendar (which commenced from a specific year) made it quite difficult for the Muslims to keep a record of the various events which took place at different times. Hence, in the era of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), a great need was felt to commence an Islamic calendar.
Some reports mention that Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) wrote to Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) informing him that the letters which he was receiving from Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) were undated, and hence it was difficult for him to keep a record of the various instructions which Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had given at different times.
Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thereupon made mashwarah (consulted) with the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and informed them that there was a great need for the Muslims to also have their own Islamic year calendar, making it possible for them to keep a record of the various battles or events that occurred during the era of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) or the eras that followed thereafter.
The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) immediately understood the need and agreed with the opinion of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Thereafter, Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked them to present their opinions as to which year should be earmarked as the starting point for the Islamic year calendar.
Some Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) mentioned that the Islamic year calendar should commence from the birth of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). However, Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not accept this opinion, saying that this will be resembling the Christians (whose calendar commences from the birth of Nabi Isa (alaihis salaam).
Some opined that the Islamic year calendar should commence from the demise of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), however Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not accept this opinion as well. He mentioned that the demise of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was a great tragedy for this ummah, and hence it was inappropriate to commence the Islamic year calendar from this tragic event.
Finally, Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) decided that the Islamic calendar should commence from the Hijrah, as this event was among the greatest of events in Islam, and was the deciding factor between Haq and falsehood.
All the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) wholeheartedly agreed and accepted this opinion of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), and thus the Islamic year calendar commenced from Muharram of the year of Hijrah. (Seeratul Mustafa 1/399-401)
