OIS, Midwest - Important Islamic Dates

"I think it's so important for all of us to understand each others cultures. This Presentation is a wonderful way to introduce students to Islam. It's a fantastic presentation"
Teacher-Scott Elementary School

"I never knew I could learn so much about one culture in so little time."
Student-Hinsdale Central High School

"I thought the presentation was very imformative it was great to have clarification on topics related to Islam."
Teacher-Lake Park High School

"I learned a lot from the presentation. It was a lot good information that was easy to understand."
Student-Lake Park High school

"I thought the presentation was very informative and explained and cleaned up many questions I had about Islam. It was good to listen to someone who knew and was from the culture."
Student-Lyons Township H.S

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Important Islamic Dates
2005-2006 CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT ISLAMIC DATES
Please Note: Dates are subject to local sightings of the new moon.
(2008-2011 dates are included at the end of this page)

Recognizing these holy days not only brings awareness to diversity within the student population, but also instills pride in Muslim students who celebrate them. Muslim students are often embarrassed or shy to address these practices or holy days, which are not yet a part of the greater culture. A major benefit of living in such an open and multi-cultural place as the Chicagoland is that people of all backgrounds and cultures can share and enjoy each other's similarities as well as differences.

About the Islamic Calendar:

The Islamic calendar (or Hijri calendar) is a lunar calendar. It contains 12 months that are based on the motion of the moon, and because 12 synodic months is only 12 x 29.53=354.36 days, the Islamic calendar is consistently shorter than a tropical year, and therefore it shifts approximately 10-12 days every year with respect to the Gregorian calendar. The calendar is based on the Quran (Chapter IX, 36-37) and its proper observance is a sacred duty for Muslims.

January 29, 2007
Aashura
Ashura falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. For Sunnis, Ashura commemorates the exodus of Moses from Egypt, and is usually observed by completing an optional fast as practiced by the Prophet Muhammad. For Shi'as it marks the tragic anniversary of the death of the Prophet's grandson, Husain at the hands of Ummayyad ruler, Yazid. The day is marked with mourning and even enactments of the tragic event.

September 13 - October 11, 2007
Ramadan (Islamic month of Fasting)
Ramadan is an Islamic month during which Muslims (believers in Islam) fast daily from dawn to sunset as part of an effort towards self-purification and moral excellence. Ramadan is believed to be the month, in which, the first verses of the Quran (divine Scripture & Final Testament) were revealed by God to Prophet Mohammad between 610 and 633 CE.

October 12, 2007
Eid ul-Fitr (Festival of the Breaking of the Fast)
Holiday occurring after the completion of Ramadan, lasting three days during which Muslims celebrate with special prayers followed by community celebrations.

December 18, 2007 - December 21, 2007
Hajj (Annual Pilgrimage to Mecca)
The Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Mecca, consists of several ceremonies meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, such as submission, brotherhood, and unity, and to commemorate the trials of the Prophet Abraham and his family. Required once in a Muslim’s lifetime, over two million Muslims perform the pilgrimage annually.

December 20, 2007
Eid-ul-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)
Holiday occurring on the third day of the Hajj, lasting four days. It commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, who was replaced by a lamb.

January 9, 2008
Islamic New Year (1429 A.H.*)
Marks the beginning of a New Year in the Islamic calendar. There are an estimated 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, making Muslims one of the world's largest religious group in the United States. There are an estimated 6-8 million Muslims in America, making Muslims the second largest religious group in the United States. While the majority of American Muslims were born in this country, they are from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds: African-American, South Asian, Arab, African, Persian, and the remaining are European, Southeast Asian and Turkish.

Upcoming Important Dates:

2008 CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT ISLAMIC DATES
Aashura: January 18, 2008
Ramadan: September 1 - September 29, 2008
Eid ul-Fitr: September 30, 2008
Hajj: December 6 - December 9, 2008
Eid ul-Adha: December 8, 2008
Islamic New Year: December 29, 2008 (1430 A.H.)

2009 CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT ISLAMIC DATES
Aashura: January 7, 2009
Ramadan: August 21 - September 19, 2009
Eid ul-Fitr: September 20, 2009
Hajj: November 25 - November 28, 2009
Eid ul-Adha: November 27, 2009
Islamic New Year: December 18, 2009 (1431 A.H.)

2010 CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT ISLAMIC DATES
Aashura: December 27, 2009
Ramadan: August 11 - September 8, 2010
Eid ul-Fitr: September 9, 2010
Hajj: November 14 - November 17, 2010
Eid ul-Adha: November 16, 2010
Islamic New Year: December 7, 2010 (1432 A.H.)

2011 CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT ISLAMIC DATES
Aashura: December 16, 2010
Ramadan: August 1 - August 29, 2011
Eid ul-Fitr: August 30, 2011
Hajj: November 4 - November 7, 2011
Eid ul-Adha: November 6, 2011
Islamic New Year: November 26, 2011 (1433 A.H.)

*After Hijrah. (Hijrah means "migration" in Arabic. This refers to the migration the Prophet Muhammad made from Mecca to Medina in the year 610 C.E., which marks the beginning of the Islamic Calendar.)

Please Note: Dates are subject to local sightings of the new moon.