Islamic New Year 2022: Date, Significance, Everything About Hijri New Year

A country of dynamic cultures, India never ceases to amaze people. A nation where all festivals are celebrated wholeheartedly. It is these festivals that magnify the beauty of India. While there are countless celebrations in this country throughout the year, we will share everything related to Islamic New Year 2022 in this article.

While the Gregorian New Year is based on the solar system, the Islamic calendar, popularly known as the Hijri calendar, is a lunar calendar that consists of 12 months. This makes Muharram the first month of the Islamic calendar.

This year, Hijri New Year will fall on 31 July and that will commence on the first day of Muharram month. It was Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, commonly known as Caliph Umar II who is considered to be the creator of the Hijri Calendar.

Hijri/Islamic New Year 2022 Date:

Based on the lunar cycle, in the Islamic or Hijri calendar, a month lasts for 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the moon. When the moon is sighted on the 29th of the ongoing month, a new month begins and if it is not sighted on the 29th, then the ongoing month completes 30 days and the next day, a new month starts.

Islamic New Year 2022 Date in India:

As mentioned above, the Islamic New Year begins on the first day of Muharram month. The Imarat-e-Sharaiyah Hind, New Delhi announced that the first day of Muharram 1444 AH (Anno Hegirae in Latin or "in the year of the Hijra") in India will be on Sunday, July 31.

Islamic New Year Significance:

The Islamic New Year, also known as Muharram-ul-Haram or the Arabic New Year, occurs on the first day of Muharram. The word 'Hijri' is derived from 'Hijra' which means migration. In 622 AD, the migration of Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Medina is marked as the starting point of the Islamic Calendar. Therefore, the Islamic New Year is also known as Hijri Year. This year will be referred to as Hijri 1444. The New Islamic Year 1444 AH hence will start on Sunday, July 31, 2022, and Youm e Ashura will be on Tuesday, August 09, 2022.

This is a special day so while a section of Muslims celebrates Islamic New Year, a vast majority of people refrain from celebrations. The Shia sect of the Muslim community mourns the martyrdom of Hussain and his family members by self-flagellating themselves. The mourning begins on the first day of Muharram and continues for ten nights, climaxing on the 10th of Muharram.

People from the Muslim community believe that Imam Hussain Ali, who is believed to be the third Imam of the Shia community, was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions were killed on this day by the army of Caliph Yazid in 680 AD at the battle of Karbala, which is now Iraq. Therefore, to mourn on this day, people belonging to the Shia Muslim community flagellate themselves with sharp objects such as Imam Hussain Ali's death is considered to be a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny and oppression. The particular day was the 10th of Muharram, which is also called Ashura.

The Islamic calendar consists of twelve months, namely al-Muharram, Safar, Rabi-al-Thani, Jumada al-Awwal, Jumada al-Thani, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Zu al-Qadah and Zu al-Hijjah. Devotees believe that Allah (God) chose elites from his creations. From mankind and angels, he chose 'Messengers', from space/land on earth he chose 'Mosques', from the speech he chose 'Dhikr' (remembrance of him) and from the months of the year he chose Ramadan and the other sacred months.