This trend is to make us aware of our new year Calendar (1440AH), it is an unfortunate majority of Muslim nowadays do not count the date except in festive periods and hence makes it imperative to know more about the calendar, Hijrah. Thanks to our brother, AbuUbayy1 for taking his time daily to update us on the dates (https://www.nairaland.com/4414970/todays-hijri-date).

History

Muslims do not traditionally "celebrate" the beginning of a new year, but we do acknowledge the passing of time, and take time to reflect on our own mortality. Muslims measure the passage of time using the Islamic (Hijrah) calendar. This calendar has twelve lunar months, the beginnings and endings of which are determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. Years are counted since the Hijrah, which is when the Prophet Muhammad migrated from Makkah to Madinah (approximately July 622 A.D.).


The Islamic calendar was first introduced by the close companion of the Prophet, Umar ibn Al-Khattab. During his leadership of the Muslim community, in approximately 638 A.D., he consulted with his advisers in order to come to a decision regarding the various dating systems used at that time. It was agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was the Hijrah, since it was an important turning point for the Muslim community. After the emigration to Madinah (formerly known as Yathrib), the Muslims were able to organize and establish the first real Muslim "community," with social, political, and economic independence. Life in Madinah allowed the Muslim community to mature and strengthen, and the people developed an entire society based on Islamic principles.


The Islamic year has twelve months that are based on a lunar cycle. Allah says in the Qur'an:

"The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year) - so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth...." (9:36).

"It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory, and the moon to be a light of beauty, and measured out stages for it, that you might know the number of years and the count of time. Allah did not create this except in truth and righteousness. And He explains His signs in detail, for those who understand" (10:5).

And in his final sermon before his death, the Prophet Muhammad said, among other things, "With Allah the months are twelve; four of them are holy; three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumaada and Sha'ban."

https://www.thoughtco.com/overview-of-the-islamic-calendar-2003736

The Islamic Months


Islamic months begin at sunset of the first day, the day when the lunar crescent is visually sighted. The lunar year is approximately 354 days long, so the months rotate backward through the seasons and are not fixed to the Gregorian calendar. The months of the Islamic year are:

Muharram ("Forbidden" - it is one of the four months during which it is forbidden to wage war or fight)
Safar ("Empty" or "Yellow" )
Rabia Awal ("First spring" )
Rabia Thani ("Second spring" )
Jumaada Awal ("First freeze" )
Jumaada Thani ("Second freeze" )
Rajab ("To respect" - this is another holy month when fighting is prohibited)
Sha'ban ("To spread and distribute" )
Ramadan ("Parched thirst" - this is the month of daytime fasting)
Shawwal ("To be light and vigorous" )
Dhul-Qi'dah ("The month of rest" - another month when no warfare or fighting is allowed )
Dhul-Hijjah ("The month of Hajj" - this is the month of the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, again when no warfare or fighting is allowed )

Reference:
Huda. "An Overview of the Islamic Calendar." ThoughtCo, Jun. 22, 2018, thoughtco.com/overview-of-the-islamic-calendar-2003736.

Ruling on Offering Congratulations At the Beginning of the year:

https://www.nairaland.com/4726609/hijrah-1439ah-ruling-offering-congratulations

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on congratulating people on the occasion of the Hijri new year, and how should one reply to a person who offers congratulations?

He replied:

If someone offers you congratulations, then respond to him, but do not initiate such greetings. This is the correct view concerning this matter. So if a person says to you, for example, “Happy New Year”, then you can say, “May Allaah make it a good and blessed year for you.” But you should not initiate such a greeting, because I do not know of any report that the salaf [early generations of Islam] congratulated one another on the occasion of the new year, rather the salaf did not regard the first of Muharram as the first day of the new year until the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr said concerning offering congratulations on the occasion of the hijri new year:

Praying for another Muslim in general terms, in phrases that are not meant as a kind of ritual on special occasions such as Eid, is acceptable, especially if what is meant by this greeting is friendship and to show a friendly face to one’s fellow Muslim. Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “I do not initiate the greeting but if someone greets me I return the greeting, because responding to the greeting is obligatory. But being the first to offer congratulations is neither Sunnah nor forbidden.

https://islamqa.info/en/21290

Muharram and Hijrah

Praise be to Allah.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Leader of the Messengers, and upon all his family and companions. To proceed:

The month of Allah Muharram is a great and blessed month. It is the first month of the Hijri year and is one of the sacred months concerning which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred, (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein”

[Soorat at-Tawbah 9:36].

It was narrated from Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “… The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive months, Dhu al-Qa‘dah, Dhu al-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha‘baan.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2958).

Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (muharram) month; this further emphasizes its sanctity.

The words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning): “so wrong not yourselves therein” [Soorat at-Tawbah 9:36] mean: (do not wrong yourselves) in these sacred months, because doing so is a greater sin than at other times.

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said, concerning the words of Allah “so wrong not yourselves therein” [Soorat at-Tawbah 9:36]: (The command not to wrong yourself) applies in all months, then Allah singled out four months and made them sacred, and emphasised their sanctity, and He made sin during these months more grave, and He made righteous deeds and the reward thereof greater. Qataadah said, concerning the words “so wrong not yourselves therein”: Wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and incurs a greater burden of sin than in other months. Wrongdoing is a serious matter in any circumstances, but Allah makes whatever He wills of His commands carry more weight. And he said: Allah has chosen elites from His creation: from among the angels He chose Messengers, from among mankind He chose Messengers, from among speech He chose remembrance of Him (dhikr), from among spaces on earth He chose the mosques, from among the months He chose Ramadan and the sacred months, from among days He chose Friday (Jumu‘ah), and from among nights He chose Laylat al-Qadr. So venerate that which has been chosen by Allah, for people of understanding and wisdom respect that which has been chosen by Allah.

End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him), commentary on Soorat at-Tawbah verse 36

The virtue of observing a great deal of naafil (supererogatory) fasts during the month of Muharram

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The best fast after Ramadan is in the month of Allah Muharram.”

Narrated by Muslim (1982).

The phrase “the month of Allah (shahr Allah)” is indicative of the veneration this month deserves, as it is attributed to Allah (in a genitive or idaafah phrase). Al-Qaari said: What appears to be the case is that what is meant is the entire month of Muharram.

But it is proven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never fasted any month in full apart from Ramadan. So this hadeeth is to be understood as meaning that it is encouraged to fast a great deal during the month of Muharram, not to fast the entire month.

It is proven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fasted a great deal during Sha‘baan, and perhaps the virtue of Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his life, before he was able to fast during this month.

Sharh an-Nawawi ‘ala Saheeh Muslim

Allah chooses whatever He wills of times and places

Al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd as-Salaam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Superiority of times and places is of two types, the first of which is in worldly terms and the second is in religious or spiritual terms because of what Allah bestows upon His slaves at those times and in those places of a greater reward for deeds, such as the greater virtue of fasting Ramadan over fasting in other months or on the day of ‘Ashoora’. Its virtue is due to Allah’s generosity and kindness to His slaves during it.

Qawaa‘id al-Ahkaam (1/38)

May Allah sent blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.

https://islamqa.info/en/204142

We pray Allah make us steadfast in His deen, forgive us our sins, be with us and family, bless us and family, grant us sound health and wealth, transform our country for better, be with our leaders and make it possible for us to witness more of Hijrah years (Ameen).

Cc:
Sissie
Mukina2
Lalasticlala

Aameen, aameen & ameen Bro.

Na'am, we should shun celebrating this new year as a way of copying the popular new year celebration of 1 January!

Only two festivals in Islam namely: 'Eid al Adha and 'Eid al Fitr. All other festivals are bid'ia.

No greetings!

No Special Prayers, Tahajud, etc!

May Allah grant us understanding!

Rashduct4luv:
Na'am, we should shun celebrating this new year as a way of copying the popular new year celebration of 1 January!

Only two festivals in Islam namely: 'Eid al Adha and 'Eid al Fitr. All other festivals are bid'ia.

No greetings!

No Special Prayers, Tahajud, etc!

May Allah grant us understanding!

smh

Amin. Jazaka Lah khairan.

Only Allah has the right to be worshipped

May SWT bestow thy mercy on us Aameen.....

My name is tunde,I am a christian from benue state,my parents and friends have been killed,and i fell bad everyday,a friend advised me to convert to islam that allah will make me happy and give me peace. To forget the pain expecially of my kid sister,so i want to convert to muslim,i heard they will pay me if i do is that true
how and where do i start.
Allah akha kuba

Sallam Alaikum, happy Islamic new year 1440AH to all muslims.

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Lukgaf:
We pray Allah make us steadfast in His deen, forgive us our sins, be with us and family, bless us and family, grant us sound health and wealth, transform our country for better, be with our leaders and make it possible for us to witness more of Hijrah years (Ameen).

Cc:
Sissie
Mukina2
Lalasticlala

Allahumo Amin �

technicallyrich:
My name is tunde,I am a christian from benue state,my parents and friends have been killed,and i fell bad everyday,a friend advised me to convert to islam that allah will make me happy and give me peace. To forget the pain expecially of my kid sister,so i want to convert to muslim,i heard they will pay me if i do is that true
how and where do i start.
Allah akha kuba

sorry for your losses. Sorry, no one pays you to convert. Being Muslim is conviction. And being Muslim you get assurance that the people you lost were made possible by Allah's permission.

This way you can be at peace that Inna Lilah waina ilai rajiun