Throughout the Muslim world, celebrations marking the Islamic new year begin today, with many Muslims devoting the day to reflection and time spent with family.
Tomorrow is the first day of the Hijri new year, marking the year 1430 on the Islamic lunar calendar. The day marks the arrival of the Prophet Muhammed in Medina after emigrating from Mecca, the definitive moment when Muslims formed a state based on Islamic teachings, and Islam began to flourish as a major world religion.
In the UAE, the new year is marked with a holiday for private and public sectors, though there are no prescribed ceremonies or traditions marking the holiday.
Khulood Hassan, 19, a student at Dubai Women's College, said the new year is a time for reflection on the Prophet Mohammed's trip from Mecca to Medina; a time for family and for talking about faith.
"Some families tell stories about the Prophet Mohammed, his life and his travels," Ms Hassan said. "I think about the 1,400 years Islam has been around. I think about the continuation of the religion and how it can help me improve my life. But it's not just the first day of the new year that is important, it's the whole first month."
For Abdalla Ali, 19, a medical student at the University of Sharjah, New Year coincides with exams.
"So I won't be doing much," Mr Ali said. "It's not about doing things, like Eid, for example. But that doesn't mean it's not important. The Hijrah is actually one of the most important events. It marks the beginning of Islam."
After spreading the word of God for more than a decade in the holy city of Mecca, the Prophet Mohammed, fearing that his followers faced grave persecution, urged many to migrate to Ethiopia where their protection was guaranteed by the rulers.
The persecution in Mecca worsened when a boycott imposed on business and social relations with any of Prophet Mohammed's people led to a second migration from Mecca. But the persecution continued, with abuse and torture becoming common.
The Prophet Mohammed then sent about 70 of his followers to seek refuge in a town called Yathrib, now called Medina, about 320km north of Mecca.
The Prophet Mohammed joined the migrants there in the year 622AD, after learning of a plot to kill him. The city had previously sent an envoy to Mecca asking the Prophet Mohammed to help settle a debate between two rival clans.
Known as the Hijrah, the Prophet Mohammed's emigration from Mecca to Medina marks the beginning of the Islamic era, and is denoted the first year of after Hijrah (1AH).
In breaking bonds with his own tribe to preach, the Prophet Mohammed showed the bonds of faith are stronger than those of blood or association.
The Islamic calendar follows the lunar year, 11 or 12 days shorter than the solar year, which has a total of 354 days. The first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram, is one of four during which fighting is prohibited. One of the most sacred months, Muharram holds particular significance for Shia Muslims as a time to remember the Battle of Karbala - in present day Iraq - when Hussain ibn Ali, the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, died at the hands of the Sunni Umayyad Caliph Yazid I.
Because the Islamic calendar follows lunar cycles, it does not use corrections and holidays fall on different days each year.
The first day of a new month is marked by the first sighting of the crescent Moon, though Saudi Arabia and Egypt use the setting of the Moon and Sun. In both countries, if the Moon sets before the sun on the 29th day, there will be one more day of the month. But if the sun sets before the Moon, a new month will begin.
jhume@thenational.ae
THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
SPECS
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Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
How to help or find other cats to adopt
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
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World Series
Game 1: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4
Game 2: Red Sox 4, Dodgers 2
Game 3: Saturday (UAE)
* if needed
Game 4: Sunday
Game 5: Monday
Game 6: Wednesday
Game 7: Thursday
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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'Falling%20for%20Christmas'
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Company%20Profile
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The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)