We are now adventuring a month known as Al-Muharram. It is called Muharram because fighting is prohibited in it. In addition, Muharram has been agreed as the first month of the Hijri or Islamic calendar. Together with Dzul-qo’dah, Dzul-Hijjah and Rajab, these are the four sacred months which are blessed and important months in Islam. Allah says in Surah Al-Tawbah verse 36:
“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein…”
[Surah al-Tawbah 9:36]
In this verse, Allah has commanded the believers to honour and revere these months. Therefore, the fighting and battles during these sacred months has made prohibited and suspended in order to allow trade and peace. Through this arrangement, the pilgrims and visitors of the Sacred House (Ka’bah) are safe and so as to be able to perform pilgrimage and visit the House in total peace and tranquillity. For this purpose, Allah has guided the believers to honour and to severe the representations of Him in the sacred land. More importantly, the believers are also advised not to commit sins and are recalled to strive hard to obey Him. These reminders are essential for committing sins in these months is far greater than committing them in other months.
Of four sacred months, the first three months mentioned above i.e. Dzul-qo’dah, Dzul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab are consecutive months. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab which comes between Jumaada and Sha’baan.” (Al-Bukhaari: 2958). In the Islamic calendar, Dzul-qo’dah is the eleventh month of the year. This is a time for pilgrims to make preparations and depart their journey to Makkah. Meanwhile, Dzul-Hijjah is the twelfth month of the year and this is the month of which the hajj processions are taken place. Muharram is the first month of the year and it follows the pilgrimage season when the pilgrims return home. Muharram is right after the hajj-procession.
Umar ibn Khattab instituted the Islamic calendar seventeen years after the Prophet’s (PBUH) migration from Mecca to Madinah. It was in the third or fourth year of the succession of Khalifa Umar ibn al-Khattab when they discussed which month should they start the Islamic calendar. Some of the sahabah said this, while some other said that. Finally, they agreed that Muharram made most appropriate year to begin with. Therefore, as the new beginning, they then decided the first month of the year should be Muharram. Since that time on, Muharram was officially declared as the first month of the year.
![Muharram - Names of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]](https://www.lifeofmuslim.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/81.jpg "Muharram - Names of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]")