The day will therefore begin on August 7 and end the following evening. What is Ashura?Īshura, literally meaning the tenth, unsurprisingly falls on day ten of the New Year. Other sects appreciate the gravity of the event but Shia Muslims often make the added pilgrimage to the seminal site of Hussain’s shrine in central Iraq.

In Shia Islam, the second biggest denomination in the faith, the Battle of Karbala that occurred on this date in history is a time of immense mourning. Many significant historical events fall on this day, but for Shia’s the standout event was the martyrdom of Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad – upon whom Muslims send blessings. The sacred month is one of four marked in the Islamic calendar in which fighting is disallowed. This year Muharram begins on the evening of Friday July 29 and ends on Sunday August 28. Timings of the day also differ, with the 24 hour cycle beginning and ending at sundown. This means the entire calendar year has ten days less than its Gregorian counterpart, so significant dates fall on a different day each year in the west. Muharram is the first month in the Islamic calendar, which runs according to a lunar cycle.

The Islamic New Year is, unlike other religions and cultures, not widely considered as a time for celebration.įrom the first to the tenth day of the new year, the time of serious reflection and mourning is a common practice.Īs Muslims around the world commemorate the month in different ways here is what you need to know about the Islamic New Year. A Muharram procession in Baghdad, Iraq (2019) (AP)

Shia calendar 2019