Definition

1. Noun:
   • The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar system used primarily in the Islamic world for religious observances. It is also known as the Hijri calendar. Its epoch is the Hijra (the migration of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina) in 622 CE. Because it is a purely lunar calendar, its months are not synchronized with the solar seasons, causing the Islamic year to be about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar year. This results in Islamic months and holidays, such as Ramadan, occurring in different Gregorian seasons over a cycle of approximately 32 years.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The date of Eid al-Fitr is determined by the Islamic calendar.
  • According to the Islamic calendar, the current year is 1445 AH (After Hijra).
  • Religious events are scheduled based on the sightings of the moon in the Islamic calendar.

Advanced Usage

• "To follow the Islamic calendar": to observe or use this calendar system for dating.

  • Many countries follow the Islamic calendar for religious holidays while using the Gregorian calendar for civil affairs.

• "The Islamic calendar year": referring to a specific year within this dating system.

  • The event took place in the Islamic calendar year 1400 AH.

Variants and Related Words

• Hijri calendar (n): Another common name for the Islamic calendar.

  • The Hijri calendar began with the migration from Mecca to Medina.

• Lunar calendar (n): A general term for any calendar based on the cycles of the Moon, of which the Islamic calendar is one example.

  • The Islamic calendar is a strict lunar calendar.

Synonyms

• Muslim calendar: A direct synonym.
• Hijrah calendar: A synonym emphasizing the epoch.

Related Phrases

• "AH" (Anno Hegirae): The abbreviation used to denote years in the Islamic calendar, meaning "in the year of the Hijra".

  • The document was dated 10 Ramadan, 1350 AH.

• "Month of Ramadan": The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a holy period of fasting.

  • The month of Ramadan shifts earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar.

Related Concepts

• "Lunar month": A synodic month based on the Moon's phases, which defines the Islamic calendar month.
• "Gregorian calendar": The solar calendar commonly used internationally, often contrasted with the Islamic calendar.
  • Converting a date from the Gregorian calendar to the Islamic calendar requires a specific calculation.

Noun

1. the lunar calendar used by Muslims; dates from 622 AD (the year of the Hegira); the beginning of the Muslim year retrogresses through the solar year completing the cycle every 32 years