AQIDAH - Lesson 5

The Months of Islam

Time and space are the creations of Allah. They are His enormous favour upon us, for
without them, we as humans would be lost – unable to anchor ourselves and live
productive lives. Allah, Himself, is beyond time and space. He does not need it, we
do. Thus Allah is aware of all time and all space, all at once. Time and its natural flow
is of special importance in Islam. Through Quran and the teachings of Nabi
Muhammad B we are made aware of how to make the most of our time and how
not to squander our time in those things that will take us away from success. Allah
has set our time in manageable portions of the hours of day and night, and months
and years. Through Quran and Hadith we learn that each time period has set
functions and we should use them wisely as they are meant to be used, as this world
is not eternal and we will be answerable to Allah on the Day of Judgement as to how
we spent every second of the time He had gifted us with.

Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a lunar year) in the
record of Allah (from) the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four
are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them.
(Quran 9:36)

As Muslims we follow the Islamic calendar which consists of twelve lunar months.
Each month may be 29 or 30 days. On average, there are 355 days in a lunar year.
The fact that the lunar year has approximately ten days less than the solar year,
brings Islamic annual events ten days ahead each year in the solar calendar. Our
calendar is called the Hijri calendar and it began on the evening of Friday, July 16th,
622 CE (Gregorian calendar), the day on which Prophet Muhammad B migrated from
Makkah to Madina.

The Prophet B said: The division of time has returned to its original form which
was current when Allah created the heavens and the earths. The year is of twelve
months, out of which four months are sacred: three are in succession Dhul-Qa'dah,
Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab Mudar which comes between
Jumadi-Thani and Sha’ban. (Bukhari)

The sacred months are those wherein Allah has forbidden battle and fighting. If
however the Muslims are attacked then they may take up arms to defend themselves
or others. Also, the sacred months are those wherein the penalty for injustice and sin
is greater, and the reward for righteous deeds are multiplied. Thus these are months
wherein we take extra care to refrain from wrong and increase our devotion in prayer
and fasting.
These are the names of the Islamic months. Four of these months are considered
sacred.

1. Muharram - The first month of the Islamic calendar and one of the sacred months.
Those travelling home after Hajj are safe as fighting is forbidden. In it is Youmul-
Ashura (10th Muharram), the significance of which will be discussed in the next
lesson.
2. Safar
3. Rabi-ul-Awwal - The month of the Holy Prophet’s B birth and death.
4. Rabi-u-Thani
5. Jumadal-Ula
6. Jumada-Thani
7. Rajab - A sacred month. No warfare is allowed.
8. Sha’ban - Not a sacred month, but Prophet Muhammad B emphasised its
importance by increasing his fasting and prayer in it, and wherein too we find the
special night of Laylatul Bara’ah (see previous Aqeeda Lesson 3-Laylatul Bara'ah)
9. Ramadan - The month in which the Holy Quran started to be revealed, the month
in which Muslims fast, and the month wherein we find Laylatul Qadr – a night
better than a thousand months.
10. Shawwal - On the first day of this month Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated. And fasting 6
days of this month along with Ramadan equates to a reward of fasting for a year.
11. Dhul-Qa’dah - A sacred month, travelers for Hajj are guaranteed safety as no
fights are allowed.
12. Dhul-Hijjah - A sacred month. The month in which the Hajj is performed and
Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated on the 10th of this month. Fighting is forbidden.

The Islamic calendar connects us to our Creator through time and helps us organise
our time into sacred and non-sacred days and months.
Consider the annual Islamic cycle (see figure below): The year starts with a sacred
month Muharram, and the blessed day of Ashura (10th Muharram), then comes Safar
(non-sacred time), then comes Rabi-ul-Awwal in which Prophet Muhammad B was
born and many consider it a special time to reflect on the life of Prophet Muhammad
B, then comes the three months of Rabi-u-Thani, JumadaI-Ula, and Jumada-Thani
(non-sacred time), then enters Rajab (sacred time), then Sha’ban – which is not a
sacred month, but the Prophet Muhammad B emphasised its importance, then
comes the highlight of the year – Ramadan, followed by Eid on the 1st of Shawwal,
then we end the year with the two sacred months of Dhul-Qa’dah and Dhul-Hijjah,
before again starting a new lunar year with the sacred month of Muharram.
In addition, within each month, a rhythm of fasting is created as we’re encouraged to
fast on Ayyam-i-Beedh – The White Days (13th, 14th, and 15th of each Islamic month),
when the moon is full.

https://productivemuslim.com/the-islamic-calendar-letsgohijri/?inf_contact_key=a6bbe74fe8e409a13886a8606f76fa3609c74070ac2bf3cfa7869e3cfd4ff832

1st Muharram 1442 corresponds with Friday, 21 August 2020 as the new moon was
sighted the evening before; thus ushering in the Islamic new year.

Unlike non-Muslims we do not celebrate the new year; especially not with fireworks,
parties, well-wishing or resolutions. Instead we have our own manner of doing things
as taught to us by Nabi Muhammad B. So the first of Muharram is not a day of
celebration. Instead the entire month is a sacred one, one in which we increase our
devotion. The 10th of Muharram is a special day however, and we will discuss this
next week inshaAllah.
ACTIVITY

1. What do you understand about the creation of time and its importance? [3]

2. Mention the Quranic verse that confirms the number of months in our year. [3]

3. The secular calendar is called the Gregorian Calendar. Our calendar is known as
the _______ Calendar as it begins from the time the Prophet B migrated to
Madinah (i.e. made hijrah. [1]

4. Mention the hadith wherein the Prophet B speaks about the sacred months. [3]

5. Name the sacred months. [4]

6. What does it mean that these months are sacred? [3]

7. Beside these months, mention the 4 other months which are of special note. [4]

8. What are the Ayyam-i-Beedh, and what do we do on them? [2]

9. Write the meaning of the dua when sighting the new moon for a new month. [5]

10. 1st Muharram 1442 will be this Friday, 21 August 2020. What is our view on
new year and of Muharram in general? [2]

Total: 30