Difference between revisions of "Correspondence between Islamic Calendar and its Jewish Counterpart"
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* ''Traditional Event'' | * ''Traditional Event'' | ||
Proposed correspondence, not indented | Proposed correspondence, not indented | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Muharram al-Haraam (Tishrei)== | ||
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
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''17 Punishment on on the people of Elephant (soldiers of Abraha)'' <br> | ''17 Punishment on on the people of Elephant (soldiers of Abraha)'' <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">Tishrei <br> | + | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">'''Tishrei''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | ==Safar al-Muzaffar (Cheshvan)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 2. Safar al-Muzaffar <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''2. Safar al-Muzaffar''' <br> |
(whistling of the wind, c.f. Shofar) <br> | (whistling of the wind, c.f. Shofar) <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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28 Wafat Prophet of Islam s.a.w. <br> | 28 Wafat Prophet of Islam s.a.w. <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> Cheshvan <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''Cheshvan''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
7 Prayer for Rain <br> | 7 Prayer for Rain <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | ==Rabi al-Awal (Kislev)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 3. Rabi al-Awal <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''3. Rabi al-Awal''' <br> |
(first rains) <br> | (first rains) <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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22 Battle against Bani An-Nadhir <br> | 22 Battle against Bani An-Nadhir <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> Kislev <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''Kislev''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Rabi al-Thaani (Tevet)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 4. Rabi al-Thaani <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''4. Rabi al-Thaani''' <br> |
(second rains) <br> | (second rains) <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> Tevet <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''Tevet''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
8 Fast of Translation of the Bible into Greek <br> | 8 Fast of Translation of the Bible into Greek <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Jumaada al-Awal (Shevat)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 5. Jumaada al-Awal <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''5. Jumaada al-Awal''' <br> |
(dry, 1st month of summer) <br> | (dry, 1st month of summer) <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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10 The battle of Camel <br> | 10 The battle of Camel <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top">Shevat <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''Shevat''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Jumaada al-Thaani (Adar I)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 6. Jumaada al-Thaani <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''6. Jumaada al-Thaani''' <br> |
(dry, 2nd month of summer) <br> | (dry, 2nd month of summer) <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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15 Hajaj Destroyed Kaaba <br> | 15 Hajaj Destroyed Kaaba <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> Adar </td> | + | <td valign="top">'''Adar I''' </td> |
</tr> | </tr> | ||
− | < | + | </table> |
− | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"> 7. Rajab al Murajjab <br> | + | |
+ | ==Rajab al Murajjab (Adar II)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
+ | <tr> | ||
+ | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">'''7. Rajab al Murajjab''' <br> | ||
(means majestic, great, honored, valuable) <br> | (means majestic, great, honored, valuable) <br> | ||
SACRED MONTH <br> | SACRED MONTH <br> | ||
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Roz-e-Besat (Ascent of the Prophet) <br> | Roz-e-Besat (Ascent of the Prophet) <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"> Adar II <br> | + | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">'''Adar II''' <br> |
[1 Death of Moses, according to Josephus] <br> | [1 Death of Moses, according to Josephus] <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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20 Fast of Honi ha-Me'aggel (1st BCE) miraculously evoked the rain </td> | 20 Fast of Honi ha-Me'aggel (1st BCE) miraculously evoked the rain </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Shabaan al Muazzam (Nisan)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 8. Shabaan al Muazzam <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''8. Shabaan al Muazzam''' <br> |
(means branch) <br> | (means branch) <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> Nisan <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''Nisan''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
1 Deaths of Nadab and Abihu <br> | 1 Deaths of Nadab and Abihu <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Ramadhaan al Mubarak (Iyyar)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 9. Ramadhaan al Mubarak <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''9. Ramadhaan al Mubarak''' <br> |
(means heat) <br> | (means heat) <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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of ramadhaan) <br> | of ramadhaan) <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> Iyyar <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''Iyyar''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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26 Nisan, Death of Joshua </td> | 26 Nisan, Death of Joshua </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Shawwaal al-Mukarram (Sivan)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> 10. Shawwaal al-Mukarram <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''10. Shawwaal al-Mukarram''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
1 Eid al Fitr <br> | 1 Eid al Fitr <br> | ||
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30 Allah destroyed people of Aad. <br> | 30 Allah destroyed people of Aad. <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td valign="top"> Sivan <br> | + | <td valign="top">'''Sivan''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
3-5 Sheloshet Yemei Hagbalah, preparation for Mount Sinai <br> | 3-5 Sheloshet Yemei Hagbalah, preparation for Mount Sinai <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Dhu al Qa'dah (Tammuz)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"> 11. Dhu al Qa'dah <br> | + | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">'''11. Dhu al Qa'dah''' <br> |
(means to sit) <br> | (means to sit) <br> | ||
SACRED MONTH <br> | SACRED MONTH <br> | ||
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29 God sent down the Ka'aba, 25 A.H.? <br> | 29 God sent down the Ka'aba, 25 A.H.? <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"> Tammuz <br> | + | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">'''Tammuz''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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</td> | </td> | ||
</tr> | </tr> | ||
+ | </table> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Dhu al Hijjah (Av+Elul)== | ||
+ | |||
+ | <table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> | ||
<tr> | <tr> | ||
− | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"> 12. Dhu al Hijjah <br> | + | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">'''12. Dhu al Hijjah''' <br> |
(means pilgramage, c.f. Chagg) <br> | (means pilgramage, c.f. Chagg) <br> | ||
SACRED MONTH <br> | SACRED MONTH <br> | ||
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(Gave charity to needy people) <br> | (Gave charity to needy people) <br> | ||
</td> | </td> | ||
− | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top"> Av+Elul <br> | + | <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">'''Av+Elul''' <br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> |
Revision as of 09:07, 23 July 2007
Although the Islamic Calendar has undergone two distinct changes (discontinued intercalation and frozen commutation), is still possible to align the Islamic Calendar to its Jewish counterpart (see Table 10 below).
The holidays of Ras as Sana (Rosh Hashanah) and Roz e Ashura (Yom Kippur) can be found in Muharram, even though Safar was originally the Sacred Month. Minor events such as the Creation of Adam and ritual bath of Erev Yom Kippur can perhaps be found in altered form. The deletion of the month of Elul and the commutation of Safar and Muharram could also explain a shift of Dahwul Arz from 25 of Elul to 25 of Dhu al Qa'dah.
It is significant that the Jewish Holidays of Succot (Feast of Tabernacles), Purim and Chanuka cannot be found in their corresponding place. Purim and Chanuka are post-Biblical so they could have been dropped as is the Karaites custom today. What is interesting is that In place of Succot we find the traditional date of the changing of the Qiblah from Jerusalem to the Holy Kaaba. The changing of the Qiblah marks a conscious, deliberate changing of traditional Jewish practice. Other possible dates of the “changing of Quiblah” are the 15 of Rajab and the 15 of Shabaan, corresponding to Purim and Pessach (Passover), the former not being found and the latter being deprived of all Jewish traditional practice. “Chanuka” if kept by Arabian Jews would have been eventually overshadowed by Milaad-Un-Nabi (Prophet Mohammed's Birthday), and any ‘correspondence’ with the 25th of December and the Birth of Jesus would be pure speculation.
Before the deletion of Elul, the month of Cheshvan would have corresponded with Rabi al-Awal. It is tradition Jewish practice to pray for Rain, record the passing of the Flood, and pray if there is a drought during this month. Rabi al-Awal too is etymologically related to “first rains”.
The correspondence between Lailat al Baraat (Night of Emancipation) and Pesach (Passover) has been mentioned above. The Sefirah mourning period consists of 49 days from Pesach (Passover) to Shavuoth (Pentecost), however there are differing customs as to the degrees of mourning during that period. Many oriental Jews observe heightened mourning during the month of Iyyar which corresponds to Ramadhan. There is a similarity even in the Sefirah custom of counting the 49 days of the “Omer”. In Jewish tradition each day must be counted distinctly and individually. Similar to this most of Islamic jurists think that the intention "I will fast for this approaching month of Ramadan" is not legally enough, since the intention to fast must be formulated each night for the following day, i.e. "I will fast for Ramadan during this day".
The 18th of Iyyar is very interesting because until now we have assumed that the Jewish holidays were transformed into Islamic holidays because of the historical record attesting to the observance of these holidays hundreds of years prior the advent of Islam. But Lag BeOmer (the Revelation of the Zohar), if it corresponds to Lailat-el-Qadr (Revelation of the Qur’an) would indicate the reverse. The Zohar was not known publicly until several hundred years after the advent of Islam.
There seems to be a correspondence between Shavouth (Pentacost) and Eid al Fitr, both marking the end of the mourning period. Lastly, for hundreds of years after the destruction of the 2nd Temple, the only Jewish pilgrimage consisted of the 9th of Av pilgrimage to the Mount of Olives to mourn over the ruins of Jerusalem. Previous to this, the Pilgrimage to Jerusalem had always been for the “Chag” Holidays of Succot (Tabernacles), Pesach (Passover) and Shavuoth (Pentacost). It appears that due to some specific reason this “Chag” pilgrimage to Jerusalem was changed to the “Hajj” pilgrimage to Mecca.
Table 10 contains a correspondence between the Islamic Calendar and its Jewish counterpart.
Legend
- Major Holiday
- Minor Holiday
- Traditional Event
Proposed correspondence, not indented
Contents
- 1 Muharram al-Haraam (Tishrei)
- 2 Safar al-Muzaffar (Cheshvan)
- 3 Rabi al-Awal (Kislev)
- 4 Rabi al-Thaani (Tevet)
- 5 Jumaada al-Awal (Shevat)
- 6 Jumaada al-Thaani (Adar I)
- 7 Rajab al Murajjab (Adar II)
- 8 Shabaan al Muazzam (Nisan)
- 9 Ramadhaan al Mubarak (Iyyar)
- 10 Shawwaal al-Mukarram (Sivan)
- 11 Dhu al Qa'dah (Tammuz)
- 12 Dhu al Hijjah (Av+Elul)
- 13 References
Muharram al-Haraam (Tishrei)
1. Muharram al-Haraam (means sacred, c.f. Cherem) |
Tishrei
|
Safar al-Muzaffar (Cheshvan)
2. Safar al-Muzaffar (whistling of the wind, c.f. Shofar) |
Cheshvan
|
Rabi al-Awal (Kislev)
3. Rabi al-Awal (first rains) |
Kislev
|
Rabi al-Thaani (Tevet)
4. Rabi al-Thaani (second rains) |
Tevet
|
Jumaada al-Awal (Shevat)
5. Jumaada al-Awal (dry, 1st month of summer) |
Shevat
|
Jumaada al-Thaani (Adar I)
6. Jumaada al-Thaani (dry, 2nd month of summer) |
Adar I |
Rajab al Murajjab (Adar II)
7. Rajab al Murajjab (means majestic, great, honored, valuable) |
Adar II [1 Death of Moses, according to Josephus] |
Shabaan al Muazzam (Nisan)
8. Shabaan al Muazzam (means branch) |
Nisan
|
Ramadhaan al Mubarak (Iyyar)
9. Ramadhaan al Mubarak (means heat) |
Iyyar
|
Shawwaal al-Mukarram (Sivan)
10. Shawwaal al-Mukarram
|
Sivan
|
Dhu al Qa'dah (Tammuz)
11. Dhu al Qa'dah (means to sit) |
Tammuz
|
Dhu al Hijjah (Av+Elul)
12. Dhu al Hijjah (means pilgramage, c.f. Chagg) |
Av+Elul
|