Dr. Muhammad Mahtab Hossain Mazed

The holy month of Muharram 1446 Hijri will start counting from Monday 8 July 24th 1431 Bangald. In this context, next 10 Muharram 1446 Hijri, 2 Shravan 1431 Bangald, 17 July will be celebrated on Wednesday. Farewell Islamic Arabic year 1445. Welcome Hijri New Year 1446 Hijri. The first month of Hijri year is Muharram. Hijri year is calculated from eveningThis month is said to be very virtuous in the Holy Quran and Hadith Sharif. According to the Qur'an, it is one of the honored four months of 'Arbaatun Hurum'. Special importance is given to fasting in this month. Abu Hurairah (RAIn a hadith narrated by the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, he said, "After Ramadan, the fast of Muharram is the best in the sight of Allah."

There is a hadith about Ashura fasting, 'You fast Ashura and forsake the example of the Jews - fast one more day before or after Ashura.' Sa.) said, 'If I live next year, then I will fast on the 9th.(Sahih Muslim: 1/359)

In the new year, let us shake off the gloom, inadequacy, disappointment, deprivation and failure of the past days and turn around with new dreams and commitments. Although there is no New Year celebration in Islam, because every day given by Allah is beautiful and auspiciousIn fact, varshpanji is the name of an essential context of life. Nothing works in the modern world without the calculation of days, months and years. We can observe the use of three calendars in Bangladesh.

English calendar is an essential medium for government and private office work, international communication and transactions. The use of the Bengali calendar in Bangladesh is not very noticeable, except for Hindu-samprasai puja-parban, marriage date determination and agricultural season calculation of farmers. Calculation of Hijri year is essential for religious matters including Namaz, Fasting, Hajj, Zakat, Shabbat, Shabakdar, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha among Muslims. But in the relevance of life, the importance given to the departure and arrival of English and Bengali dates is not noticed at all during Hijri dates.

However, it was desirable to observe the Hijri New Year seriously in our Muslim-dominated country. The Hijri year is one of the elements that energize the Muslim Ummah. The Hijri year has immense importance in the culture of the world Muslim Ummah.

> History of Hijri year calculation:- Hijri year calculation started on the occasion of an unforgettable historical event. Rasul (PBUH) And to commemorate the historical event of the migration of his Companions from Mecca to Medina, the Arabic month of Muharram began counting the year from the first month of the Hijri year. Hijri year starts from the year of migration of Rasool (PBUH) and Companions from Mecca to Madinah for the sake of Allah's order and religionDuring the reign of Caliph Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA) in 16 AH, the famous Companion Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (RA) served as the Governor of Iraq and Kufa. Once Hazrat Abu Musa Ashari (RA) of Khalifa Umar (RA)Khedamte wrote the letter to the effect that the letters containing advice or instructions from you reach us, as there is no day, month, time, date etc., it is not possible for us to determine the date of any letter. This makes it difficult to execute our instructions.

Many times we feel embarrassed not getting the continuity of the letter. After receiving Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari's letter, Hazrat Umar (R.A.) convened a consultation meeting that an Islamic date should be introduced from now on. Hazrat Usman (ra) and Hazrat Ali (ra) were present in the consultation meeting. Based on the suggestions and opinions of all present, Umar (RA) decided to introduce the Islamic calendar in that meeting. However, there is a difference of opinion among each other about the month from which the year will be started. Some are of opinion to start the year from Rabiul Awal, the birth month of Rasool (PBUH).

Others are of the opinion that the year should be started from the month of Prophet's death. According to others, the year should be made from the month of Hijrah of Prophet (PBUH). After various opinions were discussed, Hazrat Umar (R.A.) said, the calculation of Hijri year cannot be started from the month of birth of Huzoor (S.A.W.). Because the Christian community started counting AD from the month of birth of Hazrat Isa (AS). Hence starting from the month of Rasul's birth, outwardly Christians follow and conform, which is abhorrent to Muslims. The Prophet's words about this, "Oppose the Jews and Christians.(Bukhari and Abu Dawud Sharif).

On the other hand, counting cannot be started even from the month of the death day of Huzoor (pbuh), because then the pain of the death of Huzoor (pbuh) will arise again and again among us. Besides, there will be a revival of an anti-Islamic custom of mourning the death of the ignorant age. Hazrat Uthman (RA) and Hazrat Ali (RA) agreed with Hazrat Umar (R.A.)'s guiding statement in one sentence and said, in this context, Caliph Hazrat Umar Farooq (R.A.) decided to calculate the Islamic calendar from the year of Hijra. This historic decision was taken 16 years after Hijrah on 10 Jumadal Ulla 638 AD. In short, Amir al-Mu'minin started counting the Hijri year during the reign of Hazrat Umar (RA). This was the context of Hijri Son. The importance of Hijri year in Muslim life is immense. In this context, Allah Almighty said, "Surely, the counting month with Allah is twelve. The first month of the Hijri year is Muharram." Muharram is a significant and blessed month. In Muslim history, this month is held in dignity for various reasons. In the Quran, this month has been declared as 'Shahrullah' meaning the month of Allah.

In this context, Almighty Allah said, 'There are four months which are honorable months. One of them is Muharram. (Surah Tawbah: 36) And in this month there is the meritorious 'Ashura'. The historic 'Karbala' took place on the 10th of Muharram. Also many important events happened on this day and many more events will happen on this day in future. Muharram has many meritorious acts, one of which is Nafal fasting.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RANarrated, I did not see Rasool (pbuh) giving more importance to this day (Ashura) and any other fast than the fast of Ramadan in this month. (Mishkat Sharif)
Rasulullah (SAW) said, "I believe that Allah will forgive the sins of the past year in exchange for fasting on Ashura." (Tirmidhi Sharif)

> According to the lunar calendar, Islamic Shari'ah provisions:-Hijri year is the Muslim year. Muslims should follow it. In this case, indifference is not desirable. Islamic jurisprudents have called kifaya to keep track of the lunar year as obligatory for Muslims. It means that if some people keep track of it, everyone's responsibility will be fulfilledBut if everyone shows indifference in this matter then everyone will be guilty. There is no room for doubt, the calculation of lunar months follows the Sunnah of Prophet (PBUH) and Khulafay Rasheda. Following them is a virtuous and beneficial deed for us. Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi (RA) said, keeping and using solar calculations is absolutely not permissible. Rather, there will be this jurisdiction, that a person will use the calculation of the lunar year for prayer, fasting, zakat, iddat. But will use solar calculation in other matters including business and trade. But the condition is that lunar reckoning should be prevalent among Muslims as a whole. So that the accounts of Ramadan, Hajj etc. worship are known. In order to prevent this from happening, he does not know any month other than January and February. And the Hijri New Year Muslims will not celebrate any joy, but remember the sacrifice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and his companions to accept the sacrifice for the individual, family, society and humanity. Will receive education. In the Hijri New Year, Muslims should be enthusiastic with new zeal. We must continue with the education of sacrifice at all levels of life.

Finally, each month of the Arabic Hijri year is particularly significant. We pray in the court of the Most Merciful Allah in the Hijri New Year - O Great Rabbul Alamin! May Muslims and all mankind be blessed with health, happiness, peace and prosperity in their worldly and heavenly lives from the current flood, snake menace and dengue outbreak in Bangladesh. Save us from worldly bloodshed.
Inshallah... 1446 Hijri will bring the message of happiness, peace, prosperity and joy in all of our lives. Amen.

The writer is a, researcher on Islam Founder Chairman,Jatiya Rogi Kallyan Society