The Pre-Islamic Calendar - Revision history

ابن اليمن at 14:40, 12 September 2008

2008-09-12T14:40:53Z

ابن اليمن at 11:53, 20 July 2007

2007-07-20T11:53:52Z

ابن اليمن at 11:15, 20 July 2007

2007-07-20T11:15:53Z

ابن اليمن at 11:07, 20 July 2007

2007-07-20T11:07:39Z

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The Jewish pilgrimages of ''Succot'', ''Pesach'' and ''Shavuot'' were a time of truce. On these occasions all male Jews, or at least community representatives, were required to come to Jerusalem “to appear before the Lord” (Deut. 27:7; Neh. 8:9-12). The promise that God would protect their homes while the males were absent was relied upon (Ex. 34:23, 24). Easton's Bible Dictionary says "We never read of an enemy invading the land at the time of the three festivals [until 66 CE]”<ref>Easton's Bible Dictionary, s.v. Festivals</ref> These periods of truce, lacking their focus as a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, became sacred months where war was proscribed, see Table 3.

<table align="right" width=360>
<tr>
<td>
<center>
<font size=-2>'''Table 3. Original Non-Intercalated, Non-Commutated Pre-Islamic Calendar With Four Sacred Months'''</font>

<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">1. Safar al-Muzaffar صف</td>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">7. Tishrei</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2. Rabi al-Awal ربيع الأول</td>
<td>8. Cheshvan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3. Rabi al-Thaani ربيع الآخر</td>
<td>9. Kislev</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4. Jumaada al-Awal جمادى الأول</td>
<td>10. Tevet</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5. Jumaada al-Thaani جمادى الثاني</td>
<td>11. Shevat</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6. Rajab al-Murajjab رجب</td>
<td>12. Adar</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">7. Shabaan al-Muazzam شعبان</td>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">1. Nisan (PESACH)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8. Ramadhaan al-Mubarak رمضان</td>
<td>2. Iyyar</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">9. Shawwaal al-Mukarram شوّال</td>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">3. Sivan (SHAVUOTH)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10. Dhu al-Qa'dah ذو القعدة</td>
<td>4. Tammuz</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">11. Dhu al-Hijjah ذو الحجة</td>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc">5. Av</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12. Muharram al-Haraam محرّم</td>
<td>6. Elul</td>
</tr>
</table>

</center>
</td>
</tr>
</table>

Note that some of the names of the pre-Islamic months appear to be related to their Jewish counterparts:

* Ṣafar صفر comes from a root that means "to beep, blow, hiss, toot" in addition to its meaning of "naught, void" or "yellow". In this first meaning it appears to be derived from same Semitic root as Ṣofer צופר which means "a horn's beep, blow". So it is probable that the month name Ṣafar صفر is a cognate of Shofar שופר -- the trumpet blown during the holidays in Tishrei

* Shawwaal related etymologically to Sivan;

* Dhu al-Hijjah related to Hag or Holiday Pilgrimage.

The lack of a Sanhedrin or Nasi to decide when to insert extra months into the Calendar (to keep it from drifting) created confusion and perhaps incited defiance against Rome.<ref>The regulation of the calendar had always been a sign of national sovereignty and was a point of friction with the Roman government. In earlier centuries, announcements of new months were transmitted from community to community by hill top fires. In 135 CE, during Bar Kochba’s revolt, one of the first acts of defiance against Rome was to light unauthorized bonfires throughout Israel. This custom continues even today in the Lag BeOmer celebration on the 18th of Iyyar.</ref> The historian M. de Sacy's held that parts of Arabia practiced a purely lunar calculation and other parts practiced a form of intercalation with their own Nasi.<ref>Memoire sur divers ?v?nemens de l’histoire des Arabes avant Mahomet, M. Silvestre de de Sacy's. pp. 123-143</ref> Hakim Muhammad Said relates that the Arabs had two calendars: one was with intercalation, the other without it. The custom of kabisa, intercalation, was current among the Bedouins but not among the townsmen.<ref>The History of the Islamic Calendar in the Light of the Hijra, Hakim Muhammad Said, Vol X No. 1 , Spring 1984</ref>

It appears that in practice because the Ka’aba became the central focus for Pilgrimages, one common system or calculation was accepted over the whole Peninsula. The time of the annual pilgrimage was then coordinated by generally accepted practice, sometimes according to the lunar calendar and sometimes according to the lunar-solar calendar.<ref>Mémoire sur divers événemens de l’histoire des Arabes avant Mahomet, M. Silvestre de Sacy's. pp. 123-143</ref> Originally, the year of the Elephant (570 CE) was used by the Arabs for counting the first year of their era.<ref>Abraha, after reconciliation with the king of Abyssinia, took rulership over Yemen and, later on, deployed his soldiers to demolish Al-Ka‘bah, and , hence, he and his soldiers came to be known as the “Men of the Elephant”. After the “Elephant” incident, the people of Yemen, under the leadership of Ma‘dikarib bin Saif Dhu Yazin Al-Himyari, and through Persian assistance, revolted against the Abyssinian (Ethiopian) invaders, restored independence and appointed Ma‘dikarib as their king. However, Ma‘dikarib was assassinated by an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) he used to have him around for service and protection. The family of Dhu Yazin was thus deprived of royalty forever. Kisra, the Persian king, appointed a Persian ruler over San‘a and thus made Yemen a Persian colony. Persian rulers maintained rulership of Yemen.</ref> Afterwards, the lunar calendar of the Muslims began with the Hijra of the Prophet (622 CE). The previous lunar calendar of the Arabs was totally abrogated in the 10th year of the Hijra on the occasion of the Prophet's address at the Hajjat al-Wada'. The strictly lunar calendar became accepted, and it didn’t allow for any addition or modification.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:The Islamic Jewish Calendar]]

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		+	[[Category: Islam and Judaism]]
	[[Category:The Islamic Jewish Calendar]]		[[Category:The Islamic Jewish Calendar]]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 <tr>
 <td bgcolor="#cccccc">1. Safar al-Muzaffar صف</td>
-<td bgcolor="#cccccc">7. Tishrei</td>
+<td bgcolor="#cccccc">7. Tishrei תשרי</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2. Rabi al-Awal ربيع الأول</td>
-<td>8. Cheshvan</td>
+<td>8. Cheshvan חשוון</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>3. Rabi al-Thaani ربيع الآخر</td>
-<td>9. Kislev</td>
+<td>9. Kislev כסלו</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>4. Jumaada al-Awal جمادى الأول</td>
-<td>10. Tevet</td>
+<td>10. Tevet טבת</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>5. Jumaada al-Thaani جمادى الثاني</td>
-<td>11. Shevat</td>
+<td>11. Shevat שבט</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>6. Rajab al-Murajjab رجب</td>
-<td>12. Adar</td>
+<td>12. Adar אדר</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td bgcolor="#cccccc">7. Shabaan al-Muazzam شعبان</td>
-<td bgcolor="#cccccc">1. Nisan (PESACH)</td>
+<td bgcolor="#cccccc">1. Nisan ניסן</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>8. Ramadhaan al-Mubarak رمضان</td>
-<td>2. Iyyar</td>
+<td>2. Iyyar אייר</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td bgcolor="#cccccc">9. Shawwaal al-Mukarram شوّال</td>
-<td bgcolor="#cccccc">3. Sivan (SHAVUOTH)</td>
+<td bgcolor="#cccccc">3. Sivan סיוון</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>10. Dhu al-Qa'dah ذو القعدة</td>
-<td>4. Tammuz</td>
+<td>4. Tammuz תמוז</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td bgcolor="#cccccc">11. Dhu al-Hijjah ذو الحجة</td>
-<td bgcolor="#cccccc">5. Av</td>
+<td bgcolor="#cccccc">5. Av אב</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>12. Muharram al-Haraam محرّم</td>
-<td>6. Elul</td>
+<td>6. Elul אלול</td>
 </tr>
 </table>

@@ Line 65: / Line 65: @@
 Note that some of the names of the pre-Islamic months appear to be related to their Jewish counterparts:
-* Ṣafar صفر comes from a root that means "to beep, blow, hiss, toot" in addition to its meaning of "naught, void" or "yellow".  In this first meaning it appears to be derived from same Semitic root as Ṣofer צופר which means "a horn's beep, blow".  So it is probable that the month name Ṣafar صفر is a cognate of Shofar שופר -- the trumpet blown during the holidays in Tishrei
+* ''Ṣafar'' صفر comes from a root that means "to beep, blow, hiss, toot" in addition to its meaning of "naught, void" or "yellow".  In this first meaning it appears to be derived from same Semitic root as ''Ṣofer'' צופר which means "a horn's beep, blow".  So it is probable that the month name ''Ṣafar'' صفر is a cognate of ''Shofar'' שופר -- the trumpet blown during the holidays in ''Tishrei''
-* Shawwaal related etymologically to Sivan;
+* ''Shawwaal'' related etymologically to ''Sivan'';
-* Dhu al-Hijjah related to Hag or Holiday Pilgrimage.
+* ''Dhu al-Hijjah'' related to ''Hag'' or Holiday Pilgrimage.
-The lack of a Sanhedrin or Nasi to decide when to insert extra months into the Calendar (to keep it from drifting) created confusion and perhaps incited defiance against Rome.<ref>The regulation of the calendar had always been a sign of national sovereignty and was a point of friction with the Roman government.  In earlier centuries, announcements of new months were transmitted from community to community by hill top fires.  In 135 CE, during Bar Kochba’s revolt, one of the first acts of defiance against Rome was to light unauthorized bonfires throughout Israel.  This custom continues even today in the Lag BeOmer celebration on the 18th of Iyyar.</ref>  The historian M. de Sacy's held that parts of Arabia practiced a purely lunar calculation and other parts practiced a form of intercalation with their own Nasi.<ref>Memoire sur divers ?v?nemens de l’histoire des Arabes avant Mahomet, M. Silvestre de de Sacy's. pp. 123-143</ref>  Hakim Muhammad Said relates that the Arabs had two calendars: one was with intercalation, the other without it. The custom of kabisa, intercalation, was current among the Bedouins but not among the townsmen.<ref>The History of the Islamic Calendar in the Light of the Hijra, Hakim Muhammad Said, Vol X No. 1 , Spring 1984</ref>
+The lack of a Sanhedrin or ''Nasi'' to decide when to insert extra months into the Calendar (to keep it from drifting) created confusion and perhaps incited defiance against Rome.<ref>The regulation of the calendar had always been a sign of national sovereignty and was a point of friction with the Roman government.  In earlier centuries, announcements of new months were transmitted from community to community by hill top fires.  In 135 CE, during Bar Kochba’s revolt, one of the first acts of defiance against Rome was to light unauthorized bonfires throughout Israel.  This custom continues even today in the Lag BeOmer celebration on the 18th of Iyyar.</ref>  The historian M. de Sacy's held that parts of Arabia practiced a purely lunar calculation and other parts practiced a form of intercalation with their own ''Nasi''.<ref>Mémoire sur divers événemens de l’histoire des Arabes avant Mahomet, M. Silvestre de Sacy's. pp. 123-143</ref>  Hakim Muhammad Said relates that the Arabs had two calendars: one was with intercalation, the other without it. The custom of ''kabisa'', intercalation, was current among the Bedouins but not among the townsmen.<ref>The History of the Islamic Calendar in the Light of the Hijra, Hakim Muhammad Said, Vol X No. 1 , Spring 1984</ref>
-It appears that in practice because the Ka’aba became the central focus for Pilgrimages, one common system or calculation was accepted over the whole Peninsula.  The time of the annual pilgrimage was then coordinated by generally accepted practice, sometimes according to the lunar calendar and sometimes according to the lunar-solar calendar.<ref>Mémoire sur divers événemens de l’histoire des Arabes avant Mahomet, M. Silvestre de Sacy's. pp. 123-143</ref>  Originally, the year of the Elephant (570 CE) was used by the Arabs for counting the first year of their era.<ref>Abraha, after reconciliation with the king of Abyssinia, took rulership over Yemen and, later on, deployed his soldiers to demolish Al-Ka‘bah, and , hence, he and his soldiers came to be known as the “Men of the Elephant”.  After the “Elephant” incident, the people of Yemen, under the leadership of Ma‘dikarib bin Saif Dhu Yazin Al-Himyari, and through Persian assistance, revolted against the Abyssinian (Ethiopian) invaders, restored independence and appointed Ma‘dikarib as their king. However, Ma‘dikarib was assassinated by an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) he used to have him around for service and protection. The family of Dhu Yazin was thus deprived of royalty forever.  Kisra, the Persian king, appointed a Persian ruler over San‘a and thus made Yemen a Persian colony. Persian rulers maintained rulership of Yemen.</ref>  Afterwards, the lunar calendar of the Muslims began with the Hijra of the Prophet (622 CE). The previous lunar calendar of the Arabs was totally abrogated in the 10th year of the Hijra on the occasion of the Prophet's address at the Hajjat al-Wada'. The strictly lunar calendar became accepted, and it didn’t allow for any addition or modification.
+It appears that in practice because the ''Ka’aba'' became the central focus for Pilgrimages, one common system or calculation was accepted over the whole Peninsula.  The time of the annual pilgrimage was then coordinated by generally accepted practice, sometimes according to the lunar calendar and sometimes according to the lunar-solar calendar.<ref>Mémoire sur divers événemens de l’histoire des Arabes avant Mahomet, M. Silvestre de Sacy's. pp. 123-143</ref>  Originally, the year of the Elephant (570 CE) was used by the Arabs for counting the first year of their era.<ref>Abraha, after reconciliation with the king of Abyssinia, took rulership over Yemen and, later on, deployed his soldiers to demolish Al-Ka‘bah, and , hence, he and his soldiers came to be known as the “Men of the Elephant”.  After the “Elephant” incident, the people of Yemen, under the leadership of Ma‘dikarib bin Saif Dhu Yazin Al-Himyari, and through Persian assistance, revolted against the Abyssinian (Ethiopian) invaders, restored independence and appointed Ma‘dikarib as their king. However, Ma‘dikarib was assassinated by an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) he used to have him around for service and protection. The family of Dhu Yazin was thus deprived of royalty forever.  Kisra, the Persian king, appointed a Persian ruler over San‘a and thus made Yemen a Persian colony. Persian rulers maintained rulership of Yemen.</ref>  Afterwards, the lunar calendar of the Muslims began with the Hijra of the Prophet (622 CE). The previous lunar calendar of the Arabs was totally abrogated in the 10th year of the Hijra on the occasion of the Prophet's address at the ''Hajjat al-Wada' ''. The strictly lunar calendar became accepted, and it didn’t allow for any addition or modification.
 ==References==