ISLAMIC SEASONAL DAYS OF CELEBRATION AND HOLY DAYS

	The six most important Islamic holy days: All dates are approximate, because they depend upon the method of determining the timing of a new moon. Muslims in some countries determine the date after the physical sighting of the new moon by eye. Other Muslims use the astronomic calculations of the new moon. Because the dates are based on a lunar calendar, they come earlier with each year by about eleven days Using the Gregorian calendar. Year New Years Ashura Mawlid 1 Ramadan Id al-Fitr Id al-Adha 1417 H 1996-MAY-18 1996-MAY-27 1996-JUL-28 1997-JAN-10 1997-FEB-08 1997-APR-17 1418 1997-MAY-08 1997-MAY-17 1997-JUL-17 1997-DEC-31 1998-JAN-29 1998-APR-07 1419 1998-APR-27 1998-MAY-06 1998-JUL-06 1998-DEC-20 1999-JAN-19 1999-MAR-28 1420 1999-APR-17 1999-APR-26 1999-JUN-26 1999-DEC-09 2000-JAN-08 2000-MAR-16 1421 2000-APR-06 2000-APR-15 2000-JUN-14 2000-NOV-27 2000-DEC-27 2001-MAR-05 1422 2001-MAR-26 2001-APR-04 2001-JUN-04 2001-NOV-16 2001-DEC-16 2002-FEB-22 1423 2002-MAR-15 2002-MAR-24 2002-MAY-24 2002-NOV-06 2002-DEC-05 2003-FEB-11 1424 2003-MAR-04 2003-MAR-13 2003-MAY-13 2003-OCT-27 2003-NOV-25 2004-FEB-01 1425 2004-FEB-22 2004-MAR-02 2004-MAY-02 2004-OCT-16 2004-NOV-14 2005-JAN-21 1426 2005-FEB-10 2005-FEB-19 2005-APR-21 2005-OCT-05 2005-NOV-05 2006-JAN-10 1427 2006-JAN-31 2006-FEB-09 2006-APR-11 2006-SEP-23 2006-OCT-23 2006-DEC-31 1428 2007-JAN-20 2007-JAN-29 2007-MAR-31 2007-SEP-13 2007-OCT-12 2007-DEC-20 1429 2008-JAN-10 2008-JAN-19 2008-MAR-20 2008-SEP-01 2008-SEP-30 2008-DEC-08 1430 2008-DEC-29 2009-JAN-07 2009-MAR-09 2009-AUG-21 2009-SEP-20 2009-NOV-28 1431 2009-DEC-18 2009-DEC-27 2010-FEB-26 2010-AUG-11 2010-SEP-09 2010-NOV-17 1432 2010-DEC-07 2010-DEC-16 2011-FEB-15 2011-JUL-31 2011-AUG-30 2011-NOV-07 Descriptions of the holy days: Al-Hijra/Muharram is the Muslim New Year, the beginning of the first lunar month. 'Ashura recalls an event circa 680-OCT-20 CE in Iraq when an army of the Umayyad regime martyred a group of 70 individuals who refused to submit to the Caliph. One of the martyrs was Imam Husain, the youngest grandson of Prophet Muhammad.  Mawlid al-Nabi is a celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam in 570 CE. Sunni Muslims observed it on the 12th of the lunar month of Rabi'-ul-Awwal in the Islamic calendar. Shi'a Muslims celebrate it five days later. "The Mawlid al-Nabi was first observed around the thirteenth century and was preceded by a month of celebration. The actual day of Muhammad's birthday included a sermon, recitation of litanies, honoring of religious dignitaries, gift giving, and a feast. The festival spread throughout the Muslim world and is celebrated in many countries today. However, some conservative sects (e.g., the Wahhabiyah) consider the celebration to be idolatrous." 2,3 Ramadan is the holiest period in the Islamic year; it is held during the entire 9th lunar month of the year. This was the month in which the Qura'n was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The first day of Ramadan is listed above. It is a time at which almost all Muslims over the age of 12 are expected to fast from sunup to sundown, unless they suffer from health problems which would make fasting dangerous. More details. Id al-Fitr (a.k.a. "'Id" and "Eid") is the first day of the 10th month -- i.e. the day after the end of Ramadan. It is a time of rejoicing. Houses are decorated; Muslims buy gifts for relatives. The words " 'Id" and "Eid" mean fesival. Id al-Adha (a.k.a. the Feast of Sacrifice or Day of Sacrifice) occurs during the 12th month of the Islamic year. This immediately follows the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). It recalls the day when Abraham intended to follow the instructions of God, and sacrifice his son Ishmael. (This is not a typo; Muslims believe that Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his elder son Ishmael; Judeo-Christians believe that it was Isaac who was involved in the near sacrifice).