islamic calendar

Muharram is the real new beginning. Each year, Muslims around the world experience the first of the month on a different day, in a different manner, and eventually in different seasons. 

These  guidelines was adopted in the Islamic Shura Council of North America meeting in Chicago moon sighting on January 19th 1995. It was signed by all the leaders.

Every Ramadan the Muslim community errupts into arguements over moonsighting. There are five main ways Muslims worldwide determine the Islamic dates.

In AD 638, six years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam's second caliph Umar recognized the necessity of a calendar known as Hijri calender, to govern the affairs of the Muslims. This was a practical matter.