Mumbai: With the reports of new moon being sighted coming from various parts of India today evening, it is announced that the first day of the new month Muharram will be Sunday October 26, 2014. Accordingly, the Islamic New Year 1436 will also begin from tomorrow.
"The new moon of the month of Muharram has been sighted today i.e. Saturday October 25, 2014. Hence, tomorrow will be the first Muharram. The Islamic New Year will also start from tomorrow", said Markazi Rooyat Hilal Committee Mumbai, the moon sighting committee, in a statement.
The new moon was sighted in the Middle East and in the United States and European countries Friday. Accordingly, Islamic New Year 1436 H in the Arab states and the US and other countries commenced Saturday October 25, 2014.
The difference in the regions is because the Islamic calendar runs on lunar system, and the first day of the new month is decided based on sighting of the moon.
The Islamic Calendar was started 1434 years before by the second Caliph Omar ibn Khattab.
Before that Muslims in their respective provinces, following the Arab tradition of the time, were used to count the days and months – with sighting of the new moon and counting the days thereafter without following any particular calendar or dating system.
After the Islamic State spread to beyond Arab land to new areas, the defects in the system began to surface and the need for a better and accurate calendar was felt. Caliph Omar after consultations with other comapnions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave nod to the Hijri Calendar.
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