Muharram 2022: Date of Ashura in Saudi Arabia, India, Oman and other countries

The Islamic New Year, also known as Al Hijri or Arabic New Year, is celebrated on the first day of Muharram as it was in this holy month that Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina but the 10th day of the month, known as Ashura, is mourned by Muslims in the remembrance of the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussain Ibn Ali in Karbala. The word Muharram means ‘not permitted’ or ‘forbidden’ hence, Muslims are prohibited from taking part in activities like warfare and use it as a period of prayer and reflection.

Muharram is the first month in Islamic calendar followed by the lunar months of Safar, Rabi-al-Thani, Jumada al-Awwal, Jumada ath-Thaniyah, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Zu al-Qadah and Zu al-Hijjah. It is the most sacred month in Islam after Ramadan and marks the beginning of the lunar calendar which Islam follows.

Islamic lunar calendar:

The Islamic calendar is based on a lunar cycle, unlike the Gregorian calendar which is based on the sun. While Gregorian calendar has 30 or 31 days in a month, a month in lunar calendar lasts for 29 or 30 days, depending on the moon sighting.

A new month begins when the new moon or the crescent moon is sighted on the 29th day of the ongoing month. If it is not sighted on 29th, the ongoing month completes 30 days and a new month starts the next day.

Date of Ashura:

Unlike the Gregorian calendar that consists of 365 days, Islamic calendar has about 354 days divided into 12 months and depends on the sighting of the crescent moon which varies from country to country. This year, the Islamic New Year is referred to as Hijri 1444 AH (Anno Hegirae in Latin or the year of the Hijra).

This means that it has been 1444 years since Prophet Mohammed’s migration from Mecca to Medina. This year, Muslims across the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain and other Arab states have marked the onset of the New Islamic Year 1444 H on Saturday July 30, 2023, which was the first day of the Holy Month of Muharram al Haram.

Hence, Ashura in these countries will be marked on August 8, 2022. In India, the Imarat-e-Shariyah Hind in New Delhi had confirmed the start of the Islamic New Year 1444 AH on Sunday July 31, 2022 and Youm-e-Ashura on Tuesday August 09, 2022.

Similar announcements are made by religious authorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh after the Muharram moon sighting. Ashura date in Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom, Canada, USA, Morocco, Iran and falls on August 08, 2022.