The History of the Hijri Calendar

Calligraphy by Qasim Arif

The Islamic New Year has commenced, with the moon of Muharram being sighted yesterday evening.

How did the Islamic, also known as the Hijri Calendar, come around?

When Hazrat Umar (R) was the Caliph, he realised that the Khilafat required a structured system of timekeeping to manage its affairs.

He called a gathering of the Sahabah (R) and other experts for their suggestions.

Some suggested adopting the Roman calendar, known for its widespread use in the West.

Another suggestion came from Hormuzan, a newly converted Persian official, who proposed the Persian calendar.

Both were dismissed. These systems, though organised, reflected foreign cultures and histories.

Hazrat Umar (R) was of the opinion that what Muslims needed was a calendar rooted in their own identity and faith. Now that it was established that a new calendar must be put forth, the next question was even more important: from which point should the Islamic calendar begin?

Several ideas were put forward. Some proposed the date of the Prophet Muhammad’s (S) birth. Others suggested the day his prophethood began, or the year of his passing.

It was Hazrat Ali (R) who offered the suggestion which Hazrat Umar (R) thought was best suited, and adopted henceforth: the year of the Hijrah, the Prophet’s (S) migration from Makkah to Madinah.

As recorded by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari, Umar (R) said:

“The Hijrah has separated truth from falsehood, therefore, let it become the Epoch of the Era.”