islamic-calendar

It is called the month of Muharram because during that month all tribes and clans in the Arabian Peninsula agreed to forbid warfare. In October, the leaves turn yellow, so the month was named Shafar (yellow). November and December fall in the autumn season (rabi’), and were therefore named Rabi’ul Awwal and Rabi’ul Akhir respectively. January and February are the winter months (jumad = frozen), and thus called Jumadil Awwal and Jumadil Akhir. Snow begins to melt (Rajab) in March. Spring arrives in April, and the month is called Sya’ban (syi’ib = valley) because it was the time to go down into the valleys to farm and herd livestock. In May, the heat begins to burn the skin (Ramadhan = burning), and it grows even hotter in June (Syawwal = rising). July marks the peak of summer, when people prefer to stay at home and rest rather than travel, so the month was called Dzulqa’dah (qa’id = sitting). August was named Dzul-Hijjah, because in that month the Arabs performed the pilgrimage (hajj) inherited from their ancestor, the Prophet Abraham.