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RPPENDIH III<br />

THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR<br />

The Muslim Era began with the great event of the Hijrah<br />

from Mecca to Med<strong>in</strong>a or the Emigration of Prophet Mu-<br />

hammad and his Companions from Mecca to Med<strong>in</strong>a. The<br />

adoption of this Event as the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of the Muslim Era<br />

took place <strong>in</strong> the Caliphate of 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab, the sec-<br />

ond Caliph after Muhammad. We are now <strong>in</strong> the year 1395<br />

after//i)'ra/r(1395A.H.)<br />

The Muslim Calendar is lunar, and its months are deter-<br />

m<strong>in</strong>ed by the various positions of the moon. In every year<br />

there are twelve months, and each month is either thirty or<br />

twenty-n<strong>in</strong>e days depend<strong>in</strong>g on the position of the moon.<br />

These months are: Muharram, Safar, Rabee' Al-Awwal, Ra~<br />

bee' Al-Thani, Jumada Ai-'Ula, Juniada Al-Thaniyah, Rajab,<br />

Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Thul-Qi'dah, and Thul-Hijjah.<br />

Every week has one special day to remember and ob-<br />

serve. This is Friday, and its significance stems from the

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