Hajj Begins 
Tuesday Sept. 15
ISLAM NEWSROOM: "Dhul Hijjah Begins Tuesday - September 15, 2015"
American Muslims Misinformed about start of the month of Dhul Hijjah (Islamic calendar month for Makkah pilgrimage).
The Ministry of Hajj and the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia declared the new moon sighting for the beginning of the last month of the Hijri calendar for 1436 AH, will start on Tuesday (Monday night), September 15, 2015.
READ . .
Although many American Muslims may have made plans for the Eid Al Adha celebration to take place on Wednesday, the 23 of September the date is Thursday, September 24.
The reason for this is the actual sighting of the new moon on location there in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Even some Muslims may be confused as to the importance of local sighting for Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Hijri (Islamic) calendar.
Ramadan, is the month of fasting for Muslims, and it starts on the night that the month of Shaban ends.
This is also the first of activities associated with the month of Ramadan by the beginning of the Taraweh recitation of Quran following the Esha (night prayer).
However, there differences of opinion as to which night this will be, according to local sightings in various parts of the world. This is due to the position of moon and whether or not it can be seen at certain places all at the same time or not.
Also the same is not true for the month of Hajj (pilgrimage) due to the event of being centered on activities that must take place there in Makkah (Mecca) commemorating the original rituals that took place with Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail (Ishmael) so many centuries ago.
The entire events related to the Hajj, such as beginning tawaf (circling the Kabah - the large cube shaped building inside the Harem in Mecca), moving to Mina, the Day on the Plain of Arafat, the night at Musdelifah, the Day of sacrifice, the days of stoning the Jamarat (tossing stones or pebbles toward uprights) and other rituals - must all be coordinated by the Hajj ministry in Arabia.
Another important point is days on the Jewish and Muslim calendars do not begin at midnight (like the sun calendar). Days end and new days begin when the sun disappears at sunset.
According to this, estimations for the new year of 1437 are likely to be when the sunsets on October 15, 2015
Islamic calendar, Muslim calendar
Hijri calendar (AH) lunar calendar
Hijri calendar (based on moon sightings) has 12 months every year, with a total of 354 days (11 days less than the sun calendar).
Muslims everywhere calculate important holidays and ritualistic activities for worship:
Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah); Ramadan (month of fasting); laylatul Qadr (night of Power); Eid Al Fitrah (celebration of end of Ramadan) and Eid Al Adha (celebration of sacrifice after Hajj); etc.
The migration of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, from Makkah to Madina was used to establish the first year on the Hijri calendar and it corresponds to 622 C.E. (Christian Era).
The expression for the Hijri years are note by the letters “A.H.” represent the Latin expression anno Hejirae (year of Hijra). But many Muslims just think of these letters as “after Hijri”, in English.
Currently we are in the year 1436 A.H. corresponding to the sun calendar (Pope Gregory’s Gregorian calendar for the Catholic Church) of 2015.
Prospects for new moon sighting to begin the next year of 1437 A.H. are estimated to be October 13, after the sun goes down.
But as usual, we say, “Allahu ‘Alim” - It is Allah Who has all knowledge.
May Allah accept the Hajj of all the pilgrims and bless Muslims everywhere with a wonderful day of sacrifice on Eid Al Adha, ameen.
References:
—> for kids: www.iqQuran.com (games that really teach the meaning of Quran)
