The Islamic calendar is known as the Hijri. It starts from 622 A.D. the year in which Prophet Mohammed moved from Mecca to Madina. |
The Hijri has 12 lunar months and the year consists of 354 or 355 days. |
The month of Ramadan (9th month) is the holiest of the 12 months in which eating and drinking during daylight hours is prohibited. It is believed that in this month the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet. |
Ramzan-Id or Id-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of Islamic calendar. |
Id-e-Milad is the festival which celebrates the birth of Prophet Mohammed. |
Moharrum is the mourning day for the Shias who mourn the death of Hussain Ali. |
Moharrum is also the first month of the Islamic calendar. The day of mourning, Moharrum falls on the 10th day of the month. |
Id-u-zuha or Bakr-I-d, the story behind the celebration of the festival is that Abraham on being ordered by God to sacrifice his son Ismael blindfolded himself before killing. When he removed the blindfold he found his son safe and ram slain on the altar. |
Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca is performed during the month of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic Calender. Bakr-I-d is celebrated on the 10th day of the same month. |
The five important tenets of Islam which every devout Muslim is bound to follow are- Offer Namaz five times a day
- Believe that there is no God but Allah
- Visit Mecca at least once in his life time i.e. perform Haz
- Give alms to the poor
- Fast in the month of Ramadan.
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