“They ask you about the sacred month—that is, about fighting during it. Say: ‘Fighting during that month is a grave sin. But to turn people away from the path of Allah, to deny Allah, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and to expel its people from there—these are even greater sins in the sight of Allah. (…)’” (Al-Baqarah, 217.)
The Hijri calendar begins with the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) migration from Mecca to Medina. However, this date was officially adopted as the start of the calendar during the reign of Caliph Umar. Before that, the Arabs did not have a fixed calendar. They used certain significant events—such as the throwing of Prophet Abraham into the fire and the Incident of the Elephant—as reference points for dating.
Sixteen years after the Hijrah (638), a council was convened in Medina by order of Caliph Umar to find a solution to the calendar issue. Based on a proposal by Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and with the approval of those present at the council, it was decided that the Hijrah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would mark the beginning of Islamic history, and that Muharram would be the first month of the year.
For these reasons, the Hijrah marked the beginning of Islamic history. The Hijri-Lunar year consists of twelve months. Along with Muharram, the first month, the months of Rajab, Dhu al-Qi’dah, and Dhu al-Hijjah are referred to as the “sacred months” (eşhur’i hurum), and during these months, people refrained from warfare and all forms of violence.
It is reported that many significant historical events took place on the tenth day of Muharram, known as “Ashura Day.” Among these events are the following:
This day marks the time when Noah’s (peace be upon him) ark was saved from the flood and came to rest on the summit of Mount Judi. In addition, the repentance of Prophet Adam, the rescue of Prophet Abraham from the fire, and the reunion of Prophet Jacob with his son, Prophet Joseph, are said to have occurred on this day.
It is also reported that the sixteenth day of Muharram marks the day Jerusalem was designated as the qibla, and the seventeenth day marks the arrival of the Companions of the Elephant. The month of Muharram also held a special place during the Ottoman era. A large number of poetic works, known as “Muharremiye,” were composed by poets in honor of this month. Furthermore, as it marked the beginning of the new year, state officials would present themselves before the sultan to offer their New Year’s greetings and receive the sultan’s gifts, known as “Muharremiye.”
