Category Archives: Calendar

Dhul Hijjah – 9th (Day of Arafat)

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Did you know,

That ” fasting on the day of Arafat ” (i.e. 9th Dhul Hijjah), ” which immediately precedes the day of the Eid of Sacrifice (i.e. Eid Al-Adha), is “, ” recommended, except for those who are doing the pilgrimage “. (link, link)

Ref: “English Translation of Jāmi‘ At-Tirmidhī”. Compiled by Mohammad Ibn ‘Eisā At-Tirmidhi et al. Darussalam. Nov, 2007. Volume 2, Hadith #749 (Daif), pg 186 (please refer to Comments)

Hajj – Dates for 1433/2012

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Further to my “1st of Dhul Hijjah (1433)” post the other day, according to ISNA (here) and the Fiqh Council of North America (here) “the Hajj authorities in Makkah have confirmed that the Day of Arafah will be on Thursday, October 25, 2012“. So the days for Hajj for this year (1433 / 2012) are as follows,

So this also means that,

Eid-ul-Adha 1433 is on Friday, October 26, 2012

Dhul Hijjah – First Ten Days

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Did you know,

“It is recommended for a person who has made his clear intention to offer the sacrifice to observe” certain “restrictions from the beginning of the month of Dhul Hijjah until the sacrifice is made. He is simply required not to take anything off his hair or body. Hence, the restrictions are not to cut his hair or clip his nails.” (link)

As a reference the following is a scan from of the page from the English Translation of Sahih Muslim, Volume 5, pg 316.

1st of Dhul Hijjah (1433)

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According to the ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) website (link), the following are expected dates for 1433/2012,

  • Wednesday, October 17, 2012 is expected to be the first day (1st) of Dhul Hijjah 1433
  • Thursday, October 25, 2012 – is expected to be the day of Arafat (9th Dhul Hijjah)
  • Friday, October 26, 2012 – is expected to be Eid ul Adha (10th Dhul Hijjah)

Note: The final determination of the actual dates will be contingent on the announcement by the Hajj authorities in Makkah.

A quick photo I was wanting to share with everyone (below). I took this at approximately 7 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 (1st of Dhul Hijjah 1433). You can just make out the moon on the left hand side of the photo. If you are interested the following statistics are according to calculations,

  • Phase Name: Waxing Crescent
  • Percent of Full: 9%
  • Age: 10%
  • Azimuth: 233° 11′ 0″
  • Altitude: 18° 3′ 44″

Hajj – Types (Part 2)

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Having just finished the Types of Hajj post, some interesting questions/facts for you,

  1. What method (type) of Hajj was performed by the Prophet (pbuh)?
  2. What method (type) of Hajj did the Prophet (pbuh) recommend?
  3. How may times did the Prophet (pbuh) performed Hajj?

The answers are:

  1. Qiran
  2. Tamattu
  3. Once

Ref:

  1. “Getting the Best out of Al-Hajj (Pilgrimage)”,  By Abu Muneer Ismail Davids, Published by Darussalam, Second Edition – August, 2006, Pg. 35

Note:

  1. pbuh = Peace be upon him

Hajj – Types

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There are three types (or methods) of performing Hajj:

  1. Irfad
    1. This is Hajj only without Umrah
    2. You would perform this type if you live in Mecca (Makkah)
    3. Animal sacrifice is optional
    4. Pilgrim is called Mufrid
  2. Tamattu
    1. Umrah then Hajj
    2. The pilgrim would first perform Umrah
      1. Entering into Ihraam at the Meeqat with the Niyah for Umrah
      2. After performing Umrah the pilgrim must come out of the state of Ihraam
    3. The pilgrim would then perform Hajj
      1. Entering back into Ihraam with Niyah for Hajj on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah
    4. There are two separate Niyah’s (one for Umrah and then one for Hajj)
    5. Animal sacrifice is compulsory
    6. Pilgrim is called Mutammati
  3. Qiran:
    1. Umrah and Hajj (together in one Niyah)
    2. The pilgrim would first perform Umrah
      1. Entering into Ihraam at the Meeqat with the Niyah for Umrah and Hajj
      2. After performing Umrah the pilgrim must NOT come out of the state of Ihraam
    3. The pilgrim would then perform Hajj
    4. Animal sacrifice is compulsory
      1. The pilgrim must have with them the animal for sacrifice
    5. Pilgrim is called Qirani

Note:

  1. Ihraam = A state in which one is prohibited to practice certain deeds that are lawful at other times. i.e. The state of ritual consecration
  2. Meqaat = Boundary of the area around Mecca (Makkah) which a pilgrim should not pass without being in Ihraam
  3. Niyah = Intention

Ref:

  1. “Getting the Best out of Al-Hajj (Pilgrimage)”,  By Abu Muneer Ismail Davids, Published by Darussalam, Second Edition – August, 2006, Pg. 35
  2. “The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari”. Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Darussalam. July, 2007. Volume 9, Pg. 411

Hajj – When is it?

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The days of Hajj are from the 8th to 13th of Dhul-Hijjah (the twelfth & last month of the Islamic calendar). A brief description of each day is as follows:

# Dhul-Hijjah Day Known As Meaning
1 8th Yaumut-Tarweya Day of Quenching
2 9th Wuqoof-bil-Arafat Standing at Arafat
3 10th Yaumun-Nahr; Yaumul-Eid; Yaumul-Hajjil-Akbar Day of Sacrifice; Day of Eid (Eidul-Adha); Greatest day of Hajj
4 11th Ayaamut-Tashreek Days of drying of the meat
5 12th Ayaamut-Tashreek Days of drying of the meat
6 13th Ayaamut-Tashreek Days of drying of the meat
  • Hajj may be performed in either 4, 5 or 6 days
    • 4 days – 9th (Arafat) until the 12th (Mina)
    • 5 days – 8th (Mina) until the 12th (Mina)
    • 5 days – 9th (Arafat) until the 13th (Mina)
    • 6 days – 8th (Mina) until the 13th (Mina)
  • 5 days (8th to 12th) appears to be the most common package available today
  • 6 days (8th to 13th) is the way the Prophet (pbuh) performed Hajj

Ref:

  1. “Getting the Best out of Al-Hajj (Pilgrimage)”,  By Abu Muneer Ismail Davids, Published by Darussalam, Second Edition – August, 2006, Pg. 285

Note:

  1. pbuh = Peace be upon him

The Islamic Calendar

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The Islamic calendar (or Hijri calendar) is a lunar calendar based on the positions of the moon.

  • In every year there are 12 months.
  • In each month there are either 29 or 30 days.
  • Therefore each year has either 354 or 355 days.
  • Each new year falls 10 or 11 days earlier (annual drift) according to the 365 day solar calendar.
  • A month begins by the sighting of the new moon (i.e. first visible crescent).
  • The western convention in designating Islamic dates is by the abbreviation AH, which stands for the Latin anno hegirae, or “Year of the Hijrah“.
  • The 12 months of the Islamic calendar are as follows:
# Name of Month Arabic Pronunciation
1 Muharram
2 Safar
3 Rabi’ al-Awwal (Rabi’ I)
4 Rabi’ al-Thani (Rabi’ II, Rabi’ al-Akhir)
5 Jumada al-Ula (Jumada I, Jumada al-Awwal)
6 Jumada al-Thani (Jumada II, Jumada al-Akhira)
7 Rajab
8 Sha’ban
9 Ramadan
10 Shawwal
11 Dhul-Qa’dah
12 Dhul-Hijjah

Ref:

  1. “Islam in Focus”. By Hammudah Abdalati. Da’wah Academy International Islamic University. Pg 202
  2. “Understanding the Islamic Calendar”. By Mountain of Light [Link]
  3. “Islamic calendar”. (2012, June 29). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:24, July 1, 2012, from [Link]
  4. “Tafsir ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume 4” – Second Edition. By Imam Abu Al-Fida Ismail Ibn Kathir. Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, July 2003, pg 421.

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