Muslim holidays

There are two official holidays in Islam: Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. Eid Al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadan (a month of fasting during daylight hours), and Muslims usually give zakat (charity) on the occasion. Eid Al-Adha is celebrated on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah and lasts for four days, during which Muslims usually sacrifice a sheep and distribute its meat in 3 parts: among family, friends, and the poor.

Both holidays occur on dates in the Islamic (Hijri) calendar, which is lunar, and thus their dates in the Gregorian calendar, which is solar, change each year.[1] The Gregorian calendar is based on the orbital period of the Earth's revolution around the Sun, approximately 3651⁄4 days, while the Islamic calendar is based on the synodic period of the Moon's revolution around the Earth, approximately 291⁄2 days. The Islamic calendar alternates months of 29 and 30 days (which begin with the new moon). Twelve of these months constitute an Islamic year, which is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year.

Eid holidays

Main articles: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha

Religious practices

Fasting

Main article: Ramadan

Ramadan is the holy month in which Muslims must fast from dawn to sunset primarily as a devotion to the commandment of Allah ( this includes flattery-free fasting, prayer and charity as well), but also to harvest the healthy benefits of fasting ( Self-Enlightenment, Immune System Boost, brain function and Insulin Sensitivity Improvement). Contrary to the false idea that fasting is done so people feel what the poor and the hungry go through, the needy also fast for Ramadan, as prescribed by Muslim scholars. Muslims fast by denying themselves food, water and all related sexual activity with their spouses, but also many things religiously forbidden but socially forgotten can void the person's fast, such as Ghibah (backbiting others) and deceiving others. However, people with chronic diseases or unhealthy conditions such as diabetes for example, and those who haven't reached the age of puberty are exempt from fasting. Travelers, and women who are menstruating or nursing a baby, are exempt from fasting as well during their special situation but are required to fast later.

Pilgrimage

Further information: Hajj

Hajj

Main article: Hajj

Umrah

Main article: Umrah

Dates of holidays and other days of note

Hijri date 1436 AH[2][3] 1437 AH[4][5] 1438 AH[6][7] 1439 AH[8][9] 1440 AH[10][11]
Islamic New Year 1 Muḥarram 25 Oct. 2014 14 Oct. 2015 2 Oct. 2016 21 Sep. 2017 11 Sep. 2018
Day of Ashura 10 Muḥarram 3 Nov. 2014 23 Oct. 2015 11 Oct. 2016 30 Sep. 2017 20 Sep. 2018
Arba'een[lower-alpha 1] 20 or 21 Ṣafar[lower-alpha 2] 13 Dec. 2014 2 Dec. 2015 20 Nov. 2016 9 Nov. 2017 30 Oct. 2018
Mawlid an-Nabī[lower-alpha 3] 12 Rabī‘ al-Awwal (Sunnis) 3 Jan. 2015 23 Dec. 2015 11 Dec. 2016 30 Nov. 2017 20 Nov. 2018
17 Rabī‘ al-Awwal (Shias) 8 Jan. 2015 28 Dec. 2015 16 Dec. 2016 5 Dec. 2017 25 Nov. 2018
Birthday of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib[lower-alpha 1] 13 Rajab 2 May 2015 20 Apr. 2016 10 Apr. 2017 30 Mar. 2018 20 Mar. 2019
Laylat al-Mi'raj 27 Rajab[lower-alpha 4] 16 May 2015 4 May 2016 24 Apr. 2017 13 Apr. 2018 3 Apr. 2019
Laylat al-Bara'at 15 Sha‘bān 2 June 2015 22 May 2016 11 May 2017 1 May 2018 20 Apr. 2019
Birthday of Muhammad al-Mahdī[lower-alpha 5] 15 Sha‘bān 2 June 2015 22 May 2016 11 May 2017 1 May 2018 20 Apr. 2019
First day of Ramaḍān 1 Ramaḍān 18 June 2015 6 June 2016 27 May 2017 16 May 2018 6 May 2019
Laylat al-Qadr 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, or 29 Ramaḍān[lower-alpha 6] between
7 & 16 July 2015 		between
25 June & 4 July 2016 		between
15 & 24 June 2017 		between
4 & 13 June 2018 		between
25 May & 3 June 2019
Chaand Raat[lower-alpha 7] 29 or 30 Ramaḍān[lower-alpha 8] 16 July 2015 5 July 2016 24 June 2017 14 June 2018 3 June 2019
Eid al-Fitr 1 Shawwāl 17 July 2015 6 July 2016 25 June 2017 15 June 2018 4 June 2019
Hajj 8–13 Dhū al-Ḥijja 22–27 Sep. 2015 9–14 Sep. 2016 30 Aug. – 4 Sep. 2017 19–24 Aug. 2018 9–14 Aug. 2019
Day of Arafah 9 Dhū al-Ḥijja 23 Sep. 2015 10 Sep. 2016 31 Aug. 2017 20 Aug. 2018 10 Aug. 2019
Eid al-Adha 10 Dhū al-Ḥijja 24 Sep. 2015 11 Sep. 2016 1 Sep. 2017 21 Aug. 2018 11 Aug. 2019
Eid al-Ghadeer[lower-alpha 1] 18 Dhū al-Ḥijja 1 Oct. 2015 19 Sep. 2016 9 Sep. 2017 29 Aug. 2018 19 Aug. 2019
  1. 1 2 3 Primarily observed by Shias.
  2. ↑ Observed 40 days after the Day of Ashura.
  3. ↑ Not observed by some Sunnis.
  4. ↑ There is some disagreement about this date; see Isra and Mi'raj.
  5. ↑ Primarily observed by Twelver Shias.
  6. ↑ Most often observed on 27 Ramaḍān; see Laylat al-Qadr.
  7. ↑ Primarily observed in South Asia.
  8. ↑ Observed on the last evening of Ramaḍān; see Chaand Raat.

Some Gregorian dates may vary slightly from those given, and may also vary by country. See Islamic calendar.

References

  1. ↑ Mughal, Muhammad Aurang Zeb. (2014). Calendars Tell History: Social Rhythm and Social Change in Rural Pakistan. History and Anthropology 25(5): 592-613.
  2. ↑ "2015 Special Islamic Days". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Gregorian/Hijri Calendar for 1436". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "2016 Special Islamic Days". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Gregorian/Hijri Calendar for 1437". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "2017 Special Islamic Days". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Gregorian/Hijri Calendar for 1438". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  8. ↑ "2018 Special Islamic Days". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "Gregorian/Hijri Calendar for 1439". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "2019 Special Islamic Days". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  11. ↑ "Gregorian/Hijri Calendar for 1440". Islamic Finder. Retrieved 7 November 2015.

Further reading

External links

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