Muharram 2021: Date, History and Significance of the Islamic New Year

Muharram 2021: Muharram is the first month in the Islamic calendar or the Hijri calendar, Muharram is considered the second holiest month for Muslims across the globe. The day is also famous as Al Hijri or the Islamic New Year. This day also marks the journey of Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Medina.

Muharram 2021 Date: The date depends on the location and the sightings of the Moon of Muharram. Tuesday will be the beginning of the new year 1443. 1st Muharram 1443 will correspond with Tuesday 10th August 2021.

Muharram History: As per the Islamic calendar, on the 10th day of Muharram, the Battle of Karbala happened between a small group of supporters and family of Hussain, and the army of Yazid I, the Umayyad caliph. Hussain and his supporters were captured and deprived of water and food for three days in a row after which they killed him and his 6-year-old son while imprisoning the women.

Muharram 2021: Significance Muharram is the 1st month of the Islamic Calendar which marks the New Islamic Year and one of the four holy months of the year. As mentioned in Quran: "Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred." (Surah At-Taubah 9:36)

The four months mentioned in the Ayah are Dhul-Qadah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. This is evident from the words of Holy Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.) on the occasion of his last Hajj Sermon: "The year is of twelve months, out of which four months are sacred: Three are in succession Dhul-Qadah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab." (Sahih Bukhari: 3197)

Muharram 2021: Understanding Ashura The 10th day of Muharram is marked as Ashura by Muslims worldwide. Muslims fast remembering the day Noah left the Ark. On this day of Ashura, Shia Muslims, mourn the martyrdom of Hussain in 680 AD at Kabala in modern-day Iraq. Shia men and women dressed in black take out processions through the streets beating their chests and chanting. Some even imitate Hussain's suffering by whipping themselves.