Editing Islamic calendar (section)

==Months <span class="anchor" id="Length of months"></span><span class="anchor" id="Hilal"></span>==
Each month of the Islamic calendar commences on the birth of the new lunar cycle.<ref name="Navy Almanac" /> Traditionally, this is based on actual observation of the moon's crescent ([[wikt:hilal#Noun|{{transliteration|ar|hilal}}]]) marking the end of the previous lunar cycle and hence the previous month, thereby beginning the new month. Consequently, each month can have 29 or 30 days depending on the visibility of the Moon, astronomical positioning of the Earth and weather conditions.{{efn|Certain sects and groups, most notably Bohras Muslims namely [[Alavi Bohras|Alavis]], [[Dawoodi Bohra|Dawoodis]] and [[Sulaymani]]s and [[Shia]] [[Ismaili]] Muslims, use a [[tabular Islamic calendar]] in which odd-numbered months have thirty days (and also the twelfth month in a leap year) and even months have 29. However this article is about the calendar used by Sunni Islam, in which there are no explicit leap years.}}

Four of the twelve Hijri months are considered sacred: {{transliteration|ar|Rajab}} (7), and the three consecutive months of {{transliteration|ar|Dhū al-Qa'dah}} (11), {{transliteration|ar|Dhu al-Ḥijjah}} (12) and {{transliteration|ar|Muḥarram}} (1), in which battles are forbidden.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/054-sbt.php#004.054.419|title=Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement|publisher=usc.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828004318/http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/054-sbt.php#004.054.419|archive-date=28 August 2014}}</ref>

{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center"
|+{{Legend|#D0F0C0|[[Sacred months]]|outline=grey|size=20px}}
! scope="col" width="20" | No.
! scope="col" width="130" | Name
! scope="col" width="80" | Arabic
! scope="col" width="140" | Meaning
! Note
|-

|style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | 1 ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" |[[Muharram|{{transliteration|ar|al-Muḥarram}}]] ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | {{lang|ar|ٱلْمُحَرَّم}} ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | forbidden ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | A sacred month, so called because battle and all kinds of fighting are forbidden ({{transliteration|ar|ḥarām}}) during this month. Muharram includes [[Ashura]], the tenth day.
|-
| 2 || [[Safar|{{transliteration|ar|Ṣafar}}]] || {{lang|ar|صَفَر}} || void || Supposedly named this because pre-Islamic Arab houses were empty this time of year while their occupants gathered food.
|-
| 3 || [[Rabi' al-Awwal|{{transliteration|ar|Rabīʿ al-ʾAwwal}}]] || {{lang|ar|رَبِيع ٱلْأَوَّل}} || the first spring || Also means to graze, because cattle were grazed during this month. Also a very holy month of celebration for many Muslims, as it was the month Muhammad was born.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.minhaj.org/english/tid/9813/The-significance-of-the-12th-of-Rabi-al-Awwal.html|last=Hanif|first=Muhammad|title=The significance of the 12th of Rabi al - Awwal|date=18 February 2010|website=Minhaj - ul - Quran|access-date=14 June 2016|archive-date=15 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115023729/https://www.minhaj.org/english/tid/9813/The-significance-of-the-12th-of-Rabi-al-Awwal.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 4 || [[Rabi' al-Thani|{{transliteration|ar|Rabīʿ ath-Thānī}}]]<br/>or<br/>{{transliteration|ar|Rabīʿ al-ʾĀkhir}} || {{lang|ar|رَبِيع ٱلثَّانِي}}<br/>or<br/>{{lang|ar|رَبِيع ٱلْآخِر}} || the second spring, the last spring ||
|-
| 5 || [[Jumada al-awwal|{{transliteration|ar|Jumādā al-ʾŪlā}}]] || {{lang|ar|جُمَادَىٰ ٱلْأُولَىٰ}} || the first of parched land || Often considered the pre-Islamic summer. {{transliteration|ar|Jumādā}} may also be related to a verb meaning "to freeze" and another account relates that water would freeze during this time of year.
|-
| 6 || [[Jumada al-Thani|{{transliteration|ar|Jumādā ath-Thāniyah}}]]<br/>or<br/>{{transliteration|ar|Jumādā al-ʾĀkhirah}} || {{lang|ar|جُمَادَىٰ ٱلثَّانِيَة}}<br/>or<br/>{{lang|ar|جُمَادَىٰ ٱلْآخِرَة}} || the second of parched land, the last of parched land ||
|-
|style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | 7 ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | {{transliteration|ar|[[Rajab]]}} ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | {{lang|ar|رَجَب}} ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | respect, honour ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | This is the second sacred month in which fighting is forbidden. {{transliteration|ar|Rajab}} may also be related to a verb meaning "to remove", so called because pre-Islamic Arabs would remove the heads of their spears and refrain from fighting.
|-
| 8 || [[Sha'ban|{{transliteration|ar|Shaʿbān}}]] || {{lang|ar|شَعْبَان}}  || scattered || Marked the time of year when Arab tribes dispersed to find water. {{transliteration|ar|Sha‘bān}} may also be related to a verb meaning "to be in between two things". Another account relates that it was called thus because the month lies between Rajab and Ramadan.
|-
| 9 || [[Ramadan (calendar month)|{{transliteration|ar|Ramaḍān}}]] || {{lang|ar|رَمَضَان}} || burning heat || Burning is related to fasting as with an empty stomach one's worldly desire will burn{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}. Supposedly so called because of high temperatures caused by the excessive heat of the sun{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}. {{transliteration|ar|Ramaḍān}} is the most venerated month of the Hijri calendar. During this time, Muslims must [[fasting|fast]] and not do anything sinful from pre-dawn until sunset and should [[Zakat al-Fitr|give charity to the poor and needy]].
|-
| 10 || [[Shawwal|{{transliteration|ar|Shawwāl}}]] || {{lang|ar|شَوَّال}} || raised || Female [[camel]]s would normally be in calf at this time of year and raise their tails. At the first day of this month, the [[Eid al-Fitr]], "Festival of Breaking the Fast" begins, marking the end of [[fasting]] and the end of Ramadan.
|-
|style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | 11 ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | [[Dhu al-Qadah|{{transliteration|ar|Ḏū al-Qaʿdah}}]] ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | {{lang|ar|ذُو ٱلْقَعْدَة}} ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | the one of truce/sitting ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | This is a holy month during which war is banned. People are allowed to defend themselves if attacked.
|-
|style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | 12 ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | [[Dhu al-Hijjah|{{transliteration|ar|Ḏū al-Ḥijjah}}]] ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | {{lang|ar|ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة}} ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" | the one of pilgrimage ||style="background:#D0F0C0; text-align:center;" |During this month Muslim pilgrims from all around the world congregate at [[Mecca]] to visit the [[Kaaba]]. The Hajj is performed on the eighth, ninth and the tenth of this month. [[Day of Arafah]] takes place on the ninth of the month. [[Eid al-Adha]], the "Festival of the Sacrifice", begins on the tenth day and ends on the thirteenth, and this is a fourth holy month during which war is banned.
|}

=== Alternative names ===

==== Afghan lunar calendar ====
The "Afghan lunar calendar" refers to two distinct naming systems for the months of the Hijri calendar, one of which was used by the [[Pashtuns]] and the other by the [[Hazaras]]. They were in use until the time of [[Amanullah Khan]]'s reign, when the usage of the [[Solar Hijri Calendar]] was formalized across Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Klaus |first=Ferdinand |date=1959 |title=Preliminary notes on Hazāra culture: The Danish Scientific Mission to Afghanistan 1953-55 |url=https://www.royalacademy.dk/Publications/Low/632_Ferdinand,%20Klaus.pdf |journal={{Interlanguage link|Historisk-filosofiske Meddelelser|qid=Q100906806}} |publisher=[[Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters]] |publication-place=Copenhagen |volume=37 |issue=5 |pages=44–46 |quote=Until the time of Amānullāh, the Hazāras used the following terms to indicate the Mohammedan lunar months: ''Ashur'', (...) ''Safar'', ''Algho-i-awwal'', ''Algho-i-doyum'', ''Algho-i-seyum'', ''Algho-i-chārum'', ''Rejāb'', ''Shabo'', ''Ramazo'', ''Id mah'', ''Khāli'', ''Qurbo''.}}</ref><ref>{{Encyclopædia Iranica Online|year=1990|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/calendars#prettyPhoto[content]/20/|access-date=7 April 2024|first=Daniel|last=Balland|title=The Afghan lunar calendar}} "Pashto: Ḥasan-o-Ḥosayn, Ṣafara, Lumṛəy ḵо̄r, Dwayəma ḵо̄r, Drēyəma ḵо̄r, Calarəma ḵо̄r, Ḵodāytaʻālā myāšt, Barāt, Rо̄ža, Waṛakay aḵtar, Mīānī, Lо̄y aḵtar. Hazāragī: ʻĀšūr, Ṣafar, Alḡо̄-ye awwal, Alḡо̄-ye dovvom, Alḡо̄-ye sevvom, Alḡо̄-ye čahārom, Rajab, Ša'bо̄, Ramażо̄, ʻĪd, Ḵālī, Qorbо̄."</ref>

With effect from March 2022, the [[Government of Afghanistan]] has formally ceased use Solar Hijri calendar in favour of the Lunar Hijri calendar.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 March 2022 |title=Taliban Changes Solar Year to Hijri Lunar Calendar |url=https://8am.af/eng/taliban-changes-solar-year-to-hijri-lunar-calendar/ |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=Hasht-e Subh Daily |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904224713/https://8am.af/eng/taliban-changes-solar-year-to-hijri-lunar-calendar/ |archive-date=4 September 2022}}</ref>

==== Turki lunar calendar ====
In [[Xinjiang]], the [[Uyghurs|Uyghur]] Muslims traditionally had different names for the months of the Hijri calendar, which were in use until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Raquette |first=Gösta |author-link=Gösta Raquette |title=Mitteilungen des Seminars für Orientalische Sprachen an der Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Berlin |date=1912 |publisher={{ill|Georg Reimer publishing house|de|Verlag Georg Reimer}} |editor-last=Sachau |editor-first=Eduard |editor-link=Eduard Sachau |series=Part 2: Westasiatische Studien [West Asian Studies] |volume=15 |location=Berlin |pages=179–183 |trans-title=Notices from the Seminar for Oriental Languages at the Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin |chapter=Eastern Turki Grammar |quote=The Mohammedans only employ the Chinese system in documents to be presented before the Chinese authorities, otherwise they keep to their own. They have a Lunar year[.] (...) It has 12 months with 29 or 30 days. Their names, corresponding to the Arabic ones, (...) are as follows: {{lang|chg-Arab|عشور آی}} ''ʾä̬šu̬r ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|صفر آی}} ''säpär ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|صفر قوشنەسی}} ''säpär qošnä̬sı̬̊'', {{lang|chg-Arab|جمادی‌الاول}} ''ǰämadi ulä̬vä̬l'', {{lang|chg-Arab|جمادی‌الآخر}} ''ǰämadi ulaχir'', {{lang|chg-Arab|تلاش آی}} ''talaš ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|دعا آی}} ''dʾu̥ā ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|براعت آی}} ''baraʾt ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|روزە آی}} ''roze ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|عید آی}} ''ʾä̬yd ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|آرا آی}} ''ārḁ ay'', {{lang|chg-Arab|عید قربان آی}} ''ʾä̬ydqurban ay''.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Forsyth |first=Thomas Douglas |author-link=Thomas Douglas Forsyth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IpDxEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA512 |title=Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873, Under Command of Sir T. D. Forsyth: With Historical and Geographical Information Regarding the Possessions of the Ameer of Yarkund |date=1875 |publisher={{ill|Books on Demand (publisher)|fr|Books on Demand|lt=Books on Demand}} |isbn=978-3-385-25329-2 |page=512 |language=en |quote=The [c]alendar (...) is the same as the Muhammadan Almanac, the months and year being lunar[.] (...) The names of the lunar months and their corresponding Arabic ones are these: 'Ashúr Ay =  Muharram. Safar Ay = Safar. Safar Coshini Ay = Rabí'ulawwal. Jamádí-ul-awwal = Rabí-'uth-thání. Jamádí-ul-ákhir = Jamádí-ul-awwal. Talásh Ay = Jamádí-uth-thání. Duá Ay = Rajab. Barát Ay = Sha'bán. Roza Ay = Ramazán. Hít (Íd) Ay = Shawál. Ará Ay = Zi Ca'da. Hít Cúrbán Ay = Zi Híjja. |access-date=3 April 2024 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 July 2014 |title=ھىجرىيە يىلنامىسى ھەققىدە قىسقىچە چۈشەنچە |trans-title=A brief description of the Hijri calendar |url=http://uyghur.chinaislam.net.cn/zongjiaoyuwenhua/yisilanzhishizhuji/201407/26-6524.html |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=[[Islamic Association of China]] |language=ug}}</ref> These names were collectively referred to as the "Turki lunar year" or "Turki lunar calendar".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schwarz |first=Henry G. |url=https://cedar.wwu.edu/easpress/30/ |title=An Uyghur-English Dictionary |date=1992 |publisher=East Asian Studies Press |location=Bellingham, Washington |pages=1073–1074 |chapter=Calendars |volume=East Asian Research Aids & Translations, 3 |doi=10.25710/c1bm-2e85 |oclc=26635636 |quote=Turki Lunar Year: aşur ay, säpär ay, säpär qoşnisi, jamadi ulaval, jamadi ulaxir, talaş ay, du'a ay, barat ay, roza ay, heyt ay, ara ay, aydi qurban ay. |chapter-url=https://cedar.wwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=4&article=1029&context=easpress&type=additional |chapter-format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Schluessel |first=Eric |url=http://niko.qalaymiqan.com/eastern_turki_glossary/ |title=Digital Glossary of Eastern Turki |date=2015 |chapter=Turki lunar year |access-date=3 April 2024}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center"
! rowspan="2" |No.
! rowspan="2" |Arabic name
! colspan="2" |Uyghur name
! rowspan="2" |Pashto name
! rowspan="2" |Hazaragi name
|-
![[Chagatai language|Chagatay]]
!Modern Uyghur
|-
|1
|{{langx|ar|المحرم|italic=no|translit=al-muḥarram|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|عشور ای|translit=äşûr ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|ئەشۇر ئاي|translit=eshur ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|حسن او حسین|translit=hasan aw husayn|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|عاشور|label=none|translit=āšūr}}
|-
|2
|{{langx|ar|صفر|italic=no|translit=ṣafar|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|صفر ای|translit=säfär ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|سەپەر ئاي|translit=seper ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|صفره|translit=safara|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|صفر|label=none|translit=safar}}
|-
|3
|{{langx|ar|ربيع الأول|italic=no|translit=rabīʿa l-ʾawwal|label=none}}
or

{{langx|ar|ربيع الأولى|italic=no|translit=rabīʿa l-ʾūlā|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|صفر قوشنیسی|translit=säfär qoşnısı|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|سەپەر قوشنىسى|translit=seper qoshnisi|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|لومړۍ خور|translit=lūmṛəy xor|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|الغوی اول|label=none|translit=alğō-yi awwal}}
|-
|4
|{{langx|ar|ربيع الثاني|italic=no|translit=rabīʿa th-thānī|label=none}}
or

{{langx|ar|ربيع الآخر|italic=no|translit=rabīʿa l-ʾākhir|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|جمادی‌الاول|translit=cämâdiyyul-ävväl|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|جەمادىئۇل-ئەۋۋەل|translit=jemadiul-ewwel|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|دويمه خور|translit=dwayəma xor|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|الغوی دویم|label=none|translit=alğō-yi duyum}}
|-
|5
|{{langx|ar|جمادى الأول|italic=no|translit=jumādā l-ʾawwal|label=none}}
or

{{langx|ar|جمادى الأولى|italic=no|translit=jumādā l-ʾūlā|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|جمادی‌الآخر|translit=cämâdiyyul-âxir|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|جەمادىئۇل-ئاخىر|translit=jemadiul-axir|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|درېيمه خور|translit=dreyəma xor|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|الغوی سیم|label=none|translit=alğō-yi seyum}}
|-
|6
|{{langx|ar|جمادى الثانية|italic=no|translit=jumādā th-thāniyah|label=none}}
or

{{langx|ar|جمادى الآخرة|italic=no|translit=jumādā l-ʾākhirah|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|تلاش ای|translit=talaş ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|تالاش ئاي|translit=talash ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|څلرمه خور|translit=tsalarəma xor|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|الغوی چارم|label=none|translit=alğō-yi čārum}}
|-
|7
|{{langx|ar|رجب|italic=no|translit=rajab|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|دعا ای|translit=duâ ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|دۇئا ئاي|translit=dua ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|خدای تعالی مياشت|translit=xudāy taālā myāšt|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|رجب|label=none|translit=rajab}}
|-
|8
|{{langx|ar|شعبان|italic=no|translit=shaʿbān|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|برائت ای|translit=bärâät ay|label=none}}
or

{{langx|chg-Arab|برات ای|translit=bärât ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|بارات ئاي|translit=barat ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|برات|translit=barāt|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|شعبو|label=none|translit=ša'bō}}
|-
|9
|{{langx|ar|رمضان|italic=no|translit=ramaḍān|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|روزە ای|translit=rôzä ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|روزا ئاي|translit=roza ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|روژه|translit=roža|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|رمضو|label=none|translit=ramazō}}
|-
|10
|{{langx|ar|شوال|italic=no|translit=shawwāl|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|عید ای|translit=ayd ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|ھېيت ئاي|translit=hëyt ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|وړکی اختر|translit=waṛakay axtar|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|عید|label=none|translit=īd}}
|-
|11
|{{langx|ar|ذو القعدة|italic=no|translit=ḏū l-qaʿdah|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|آرا ای|translit=ara ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|ئارا ئاي|translit=ara ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|مياني|translit=miyānī|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|خالی|label=none|translit=xālī}}
|-
|12
|{{langx|ar|ذو الحجة|italic=no|translit=ḏū l-ḥijjah|label=none}}
|{{langx|chg-Arab|عید قربان ای|translit=aydi-qurbân ay|label=none}}
|{{langx|ug-Arab|ھېيتى-قۇربان ئاي|translit=hëyti-qurban ay|label=none}}
|{{Langx|ps|لوی اختر|translit=loy axtar|label=none|italic=no}}
|{{Langx|fa|قربو|label=none|translit=qurbō}}
|}

=== Alternative order ===
[[Twelver Shi'ism|Twelver Shia]] Muslims believe the [[Islamic New Year|Islamic new year]] and first month of the Hijri calendar is Rabi' al-Awwal rather than Muharram, due to it being the month in which the [[Hijrah]] took place.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Al-Hilli |first=Mohammed |date=22 September 2021 |title=Muharram May Not Be The Start Of The Islamic Hijri New Year |url=https://www.al-islam.org/media/muharram-may-not-be-start-islamic-hijri-new-year |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project]]}}</ref> This has led to difference regarding description of the years in which some events took place, such as the Muharram-occurring [[battle of Karbala]], which Shias say took place in 60 AH, while [[Sunni Islam|Sunnis]] say it took place in 61 AH.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rizvi |first=Sa'eed Akhtar |author-link=Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi |date=1401 |title=Martyrdom of Imam Husayn and the Muslim and Jewish Calendars |url=https://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/vol-6-no-3-4-1401ah/martyrdom-imam-husayn-and-muslim-and-jewish-calendars-sayyid-saeed-0 |journal=Al-Serat (A Journal of Islamic Studies) |volume=6 |issue=3–4 |access-date=13 April 2024 |via=[[Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project]]}}</ref>