YEAR: Definition, Etymology, and Concept in Islam
Etymology and Translations
- Arabic: سنة (Sanah), plural: سنون (Sanūn), سنوات (Sanawāt)
- Arabic: عام (ʿĀm), plural: أعوام (Aʿwām)
- Arabic: حول (Ḥaul), plural: أحوال (Aḥwāl)
- Persian: سال (Sāl), plural: سالها (Sālhā)
The terms for ‘year’ in Arabic and Persian denote the passage of time typically measured in twelve lunar months.
Historical Context
The ancient Arabian year originally consisted of twelve lunar months, similar to the current Islamic calendar. However, around 412 AD, the Arabs introduced intercalation, adding a month every three years. This system persisted until the Islamic Prophet Muhammad re-established the pure lunar calendar.
Restoration by Muhammad
During the farewell pilgrimage, Prophet Muhammad declared in his sermon on the Day of Sacrifice: “A year is twelve months only, as at the time of the creation.” This proclamation re-established the twelve-month lunar year without intercalation, amounting to approximately 354 days and 9 hours.
Islamic Calendar System
The Islamic Hijri year now consists exclusively of twelve lunar months. This system results in the Islamic New Year (Nau Roz) occurring approximately eleven days earlier each solar year due to the shorter lunar calendar.
The Quṣaiy System of Commutation
This system allowed for the substitution of sacred months to suit personal or communal needs. For instance, sacred months like Muḥarram could be made secular, and months like Ṣafar could be made sacred. The Qur’an disapproves of this practice:
<p>“Verily, twelve months is the number of months with God, according to God’s Book, ever since the day when He created the Heavens and the Earth; of these, four are sacred: this is the right usage. Therefore, wrong not yourselves therein… To carry over a sacred month to another is only an increase of unbelief.” (Qur’an 9:36-37)</p>
Solar and Lunar Year Calculations
Converting Hijri to Christian Years
Formula:
- Subtract 3% from the Hijri year.
- Add 621.54 to the result.
- Example: To find the Christian year equivalent for AH 942:
- Subtract 3%: 942 - 28.26 = 913.74
- Add 621.54: 913.74 + 621.54 = 1535.28
- AH 942 ended in the spring of AD 1536.
Accurate Conversion
Formula:
- Multiply the Hijri year by 0.970225.
- Add 621.54 to the product.
Equivalent Calculation
For converting a given Christian year to Hijri:
- Subtract 621 from the given year.
- Multiply the remainder by 1.030834.
Additional Resources
- Books for Further Study:
- Chronology of Islamic History by E.L. Doctor
- The Lunar Calendar Systems in Islam by A.D. Alderson
- Islamic Calendar: Its Origins and Evolution by F. Hedayetullah
Takeaways
- The Islamic year, known as Sanah in Arabic, is calculated as twelve lunar months.
- The lunar year inherent to Islamic practice does not align with solar years, causing Islamic dates to shift annually by about eleven days.
- Historical practices included intercalation and month commutation but were abolished by the Prophet Muhammad to restore the original lunar calendar system.
Conclusion
Understanding the concept of a year in Islam requires grasping the historical, theological, and astronomical contexts that shape the Hijri calendar. This system influences various religious practices and timings of festivals within the Muslim world.
