There are many different calendars in the world beyond the Gregorian calendar that we use daily. Take for instance, the Islamic calendar.

The Islamic calendar is a fully lunar calendar with 12 months and 29 to 30 days per month. It is in use primarily to mark Muslim holidays: Ramadan is the 9th month of the calendar and entails a month-long observance that’s concluded by the celebration of Eid al Fitr. In the 12th month of the Islamic month calendar, the Hajj pilgrimage takes place; it’s concluded by the celebration of Eid al Adha. And at the end of the calendar year, attention shifts to welcoming a new year. This year we’ll be starting the year 1445 AH which stands for After Hijrah.

Hijrah was a migration that took place when Prophet Muhammad was forced to leave the city of Makkah for the city of Madinah. So, the calendar year starts off with a solemn and sacred month called Muharram.

What is Muharram and when is it?

Muharram is the name of the first month on the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is a fully lunar calendar, meaning that it doesn’t sync with seasons but rather complete cycles of Moon phases. On the Gregorian calendar, for example, the first month of January always takes place in the same season of winter.

In 2023, Muharram takes place on July 19, 2023. Next year, it will take place on July 8, and following that on June 27.

How is Muharram celebrated?

Muharram marks the beginning of the Islamic year which is the main reason why it’s important. New year celebrations are not common in the Islamic tradition. Instead, people might use this as a time to internally reflect, set goals or take note of time.

Muharram is also a sacred month. The 10th day of Muharram is of particular importance as it is believed on this day, called the day of Ashura, God saved Moses and his people from Pharoah by parting the sea. Moses fasted on this day out of gratitude so it became a tradition in the Islamic faith to also fast on this day. However, once the fasting of Ramadan became obligatory, fasting on Ashura became optional. The day symbolizes God granting relief to those being oppressed.

For those fasting on Ashura, they might celebrate with an iftar meal, similar to iftar dinners in Ramadan. In some cultures, making rice pudding or a similar dessert for Ashura is common.

Another key point about Muharram is how it’s observed by Shia Muslims. In the Shia sect, Muharram is a major observance commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

It’s observed with congregational gatherings all throughout the month of Muharram, but particularly from the 7th to the 10th of Muharram. Depending on the part of the world, this also includes street processions and city-wide closures observing the mourning of Imam Hussain. Individually, Shia families might observe the mourning in ways such as not having joyous occasions as part of Muharram’s mourning period.

Why it’s important

Muharram is important because it’s a sacred month. There are four sacred months in the Islamic calendar. A sacred month means that fighting is prohibited in it. In Islam, salvation is earned through one’s own intentions and actions. In sacred months, good deeds weigh heavier and sins are more serious as well.

Apart from being a sacred month, Muharram is the best month to fast after Ramadan. It is also known as Allah’s Month, so it has the utmost level of respect.