Safar - The Second Hijri Month

Information about Safar
(taken from ZamZam Magazine's website - http://www.zamzam-magazine.com/January2010/islamic_calendar.html)

“Safar is the second month of the Islamic calendar.
The month of Safar comes after Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.

The Literal meaning of Safar is Empty.

The Arabs were warring nations. Small disputes would easily turn into wars that will last for years and years and sometimes were inherited by generations to come. They usually did not fight during the four sacred months even in the days of Jahiliyya (Pre Islamic Ignorance).

The sacred or war free months were Muharram (1st month of the Islamic Calendar), Rajab (7th month of the Islamic Calendar), Dhul Qa'dah (11th month of the Islamic Calendar) and Dhul Hijjah (12th month of the Islamic Calendar).

Right in the beginning of the month of Safar, houses used to become empty because the ban on fighting and traveling during three consecutive months - Dhul Hijjah, Dhul Qa’dah and Muharram came to an end, and everyone proceeded to settle scores with their rivals. Most houses in most villages were emptied.

In this month people of Makkah also traveled after the customary ban during the sacred months of Muharram, and the two sacred months preceding it was over; emptying their villages or habitations. These travels were either related to trading or battles, both of which were banned during the sacred months.

Going out to fight their enemies and leaving them empty handed after taking away their possessions, may have been another reason for the name Safar (Sifran min al-mata’) – i.e., they would leave their enemies’ coiffeurs empty and take all their belongings away. (Lisan al-‘Arab)

Many Muslims, with improper knowledge of Islam, have superstitions about this month being a month of misfortunes.

The Holy Qur-an has provided clear guidelines about such superstitions:
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

"No calamity befalls, but with the Leave [i.e. decision and Qadar (Divine Preordainments)] of Allah, and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart [to the true Faith with certainty, i.e. what has befallen him was already written for him by Allah from the Qadar (Divine Preordainments)], and Allah is the All-Knower of everything."
Surah (Chapter) At-Taghabun (Mutual Loss and Gain) 64:11

Islam does not have any room for superstitious beliefs. Muslims should not believe in any inauspicious days, weeks, months or years, there are no people, houses or things that bring bad luck.

The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم also condemned these in the following Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), especially related to the month of Safar.

"There is no bad omen in the month of Safar and no evil spirits." (Muslim)

Hijri Calendar Introduction

HIJRI INTRODUCTION

What is the Hijri Calendar?

The Hijri calendar is how Muslims keep track of the time and dates.

We start counting the years from the year that the Prophet (saw) and his followers made Hijra from Makkah to Madinah. It has been 1431 since the Hijra, so the current year is 1431 AH (after Hijri)

Why do we start counting the years from the Hijra?

Once the Prophet (saw) migrated to Madinah, the Muslims established the first Islamic state and society.

How many months are in each Hijri year? How many days?

There are twelve months in each Hijri year.

Allah Most High tells us in the Holy Qur’an: “Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allaah 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…”[al-Tawbah 9:36]

The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar. Each month is one complete lunar cycle. Lunar cycles (the time it takes from hilal to hilal) is 29.5 days. So lunar months are either 29 or 30 days.

12 months X 29.5 days = 354 days

What are the names of twelve Hijri months? Which names do you know already? What are the four holy months?

The four Holy months are: Dhu’l-Qi’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.

Why is it important to keep track of the hijri months?

Not all times are the same. Allah Most High has made some days and months special. Can you think of any examples?

-Ramadan, Layltul Qadr, the two Eids, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, the day of Arafat, Ashura, etc.

Know your Birth date!

Some Islamic rulings are related to your age. But the ruling applies to your age by the Hijri calendar, not the solar calendar. To keep track of your age by the Hijri calendar, you need to know your Hijri birth date.

You can find your Hijri birth date very easily online by logging on to http://www.islamicfinder.org/Hcal/hdate_gr.php

Go to the year you were born in the Gregorian calendar and find out what day that was in the Hijri calendar.

For more of a challenge, try to figure it out without the converter. Each lunar year is 11 days shorter than each solar year. Can you figure it out?

Jinn Scavenger Hunt

Here are the questions for an educational scavenger hunt to help children learn about the Jinn. We did this game as part of learning about creation month. It was a sequel to the Angels scavenger hunt already posted below. The questions are posted in the comments (Still don't know how to cut and paste into the real blog - sorry)