Nisfu Syaaban

Nisfu Syaaban (Nisf bermaksud separuh) adalah peristiwa hari ke-15 dalam bulan Syaaban tahun Hijrah. Umat Islam mempercayai yang pada malam Nisfu Syaaban, amalan akan dibawa naik oleh Malaikat untuk ditukar dengan lembaran amalan yang baru setelah setahun berlalu. Pengertian am Nisfu Syaaban dalam bahasa Arab bererti setengah. Nisfu Syaaban bererti setengah bulan Syaaban. Malam Nisfu Syaaban adalah malam ke-15 Syaaban iaitu siangnya 14 haribulan Syaaban.

Malam Nisfu Syaaban merupakan malam yang penuh berkat dan rahmat selepas malam Lailatul Qadar. Saiyidatina Aisyah r.a. meriwayatkan bahawa Nabi  tidak tidur pada malam itu sebagaimana yang tersebut dalam sebuah Hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Imam Al-Baihaqi r.a:

“

Rasulullah  telah bangun pada malam (Nisfu Syaaban) dan bersembahyang dan sungguh lama sujudnya sehingga aku fikir beliau telah wafat. Apabila aku melihat demikian aku mencuit ibu jari kaki Baginda  dan bergerak. Kemudian aku kembali dan aku dengar Baginda  berkata dalam sujudnya, “Ya Allah aku pohonkan kemaafanMu daripada apa yang akan diturunkan dan aku pohonkan keredhaanMu daripada kemurkaanMu dan aku berlindung kepadaMu daripadaMu. Aku tidak dapat menghitung pujian terhadapMu seperti kamu memuji diriMu sendiri. Setelah Baginda  selesai sembahyang, Baginda berkata kepada Saiyidatina Aisyah r.a. “Malam ini adalan malam Nisfu Syaaban. Sesungguhnya Allah Azzawajjala telah datang kepada hambanya pada malam Nisfu Syaaban dan memberi keampunan kepada mereka yang beristighfar, memberi rahmat ke atas mereka yang memberi rahmat (membuat amal makruf dan nahi munkar) dan melambatkan rahmat dan keampunan terhadap orang-orang yang dengki.”

”

Hari Nisfu Syaaban adalah hari dimana buku catatan amalan orang-orang Muslimin selama setahun diangkat ke langit dan diganti dengan buku catatan yang baru. Catatan pertama yang akan dicatatkan dibuku yang baru akan bermula sebaik sahaja masuk waktu Maghrib (waktu senja), (15 Syaaban bermula pada 14 haribulan Syaaban sebaik sahaja masuk waktu Solat Maghrib)

Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. menggalakkan umatnya untuk bangun malam dan berjaga serta beriktikaf sepanjang malam kerana tidak mahu amalan diangkat dalam keadaan tidur atau lalai.

Dalil:

~Diriwayatkan daripada Ata' ibn Yasar berkata: "Apabila tiba malam Nisfu Syaaban, malaikat maut menulis nama orang yang akan meninggal dunia pada bulan Syaaban tersebut sehingga bulan Syaaban berikutnya. Sesungguhnya seseorang itu melakukan kezaliman, kejahatan, bernikah dan menanam tanamannya, sedangkan namanya telah dipindahkan dari dewan orang yang hidup kepada dewan orang mati. Tidak ada suatu malam selepas malam Lailatulqadar yang lebih mulia daripada malam Nisfu Syaaban."

Diriwayatkan daripada Ibnu Abbas r.a berkata: "Sesungguhnya Allah akan memutuskan semua qadha' hamba-Nya pada malam Nisfu Syaaban dan menyerahkannya kepada pemilik-pemiliknya pada malam Lailatul Qadar."

Malam Pengampunan;

~Diriwayatkan oleh Imam Ahmad bahawa Rasulullah  bersabda: "Sesungguhnya Allah menilik kepada hamba-Nya pada malam Nisfu Syaaban, maka Allah mengampunkan penduduk bumi melainkan dua golongan manusia; golongan musyrik dan musyahin (orang yang bermusuhan)."

Musyahin menurut tafsiran Imam al-Auza'i bermakna setiap pelaku bidaah yang memisahkan diri daripada jemaah (Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah) dan ummah (Muhammad ).

Diriwayatkan daripada Umar ibn Hani': Saya bertanya Ibnu Thauban tentang makna musyahin, maka beliau berkata: Iaitu orang yang meninggalkan sunnah Nabi , orang yang menikam umatnya dan menumpahkan darah mereka.

Dalam riwayat lain pula Rasulullah  bersabda: "Sesungguhnya Allah SWT menilik hamba-hamba-Nya pada malam Nisfu Syaaban, maka Allah mengampunkan dosa orang-orang mukmin, memanjangkan kesesatan orang kafir dan membiarkan orang yang hasad dengan kedengkian mereka sehingga mereka meninggalkannya."

Diriwayatkan oleh al-Dar Qutni dan Imam Ahmad dengan sanadnya daripada Aisyah r.a berkata: "Pada suatu malam, saya kehilangan Rasulullah , maka saya pun keluar mencarinya dan saya menemui Baginda  di Baqi' sedang mendongakkan kepalanya ke langit. Maka Baginda  bersabda: "Adakah kamu takut Allah dan Rasul-Nya menzalimimu?" Aisyah r.a berkata: "Saya berkata, bukan begitu, wahai Rasulullah. Saya cuma menyangka kamu mendatangi isteri-isterimu yang lain."

Baginda bersabda: "Sesungguhnya Allah SWT melimpahkan rahmat pada malam Nisfu Syaaban, maka Dia mengampunkan dosa-dosa hamba-Nya yang lebih banyak daripada bilangan bulu kambing Bani Kilab."

Kemudian baginda mengangkat kepalanya dan kembali sujud lalu membaca: "Aku memohon perlindungan dengan keredaan-Mu daripada kemurkaan-Mu, dengan keampunan-Mu daripada balasan-Mu, dengan-Mu daripada azab-Mu. Tidaklah terhitung pujian ke atas-Mu, Engkau adalah sebagaimana pujian-Mu ke atas zat-Mu. Aku berkata sebagaimana yang pernah dikatakan oleh saudaraku, Daud a.s "Aku menyembam mukaku ke tanah bagi Tuanku dan berhaklah baginya sujud itu kepada-Nya."

Kemudian baginda mengangkat wajahnya dan berdoa: "Ya Allah! Kurniakanlah kepadaku hati yang bertakwa, suci bersih, tidak kufur dan tidak celaka."

Daripada Abu Darda' r.a, bahawa Nabi  bersabda: "Pada malam Nisfu Syaaban, Allah SWT memerintahkan para malaikatnya turun ke langit dunia, lalu memerhatikan amalan hamba-hamba-Nya. Maka Allah mengampunkan orang-orang yang meminta keampunan dan menerima taubat orang-orang yang bertaubat kepada-Nya. Dia juga menerima permohonan orang-orang yang meminta dan mencukupkan keperluan orang yang bertawakal.

"Dia juga meminggirkan orang-orang yang berdendam tanpa memperlakukan sesuatu ke atas mereka dan mengampunkan dosa-dosa bagi sesiapa yang dikehendaki-Nya melainkan dosa orang musyrik dan orang yang membunuh jiwa yang diharamkan oleh Allah ataupun orang yang memutuskan silaturrahim."

Terdapat juga hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Tirmizi dari Aisyah r.a. yang menjelaskan perginya Rasulullah  ke Baqi' dan turunnya Tuhan pada Nisfu Syaaban ke langit dunia, mengampunkan dosa-dosa manusia sekalipun lebih banyak dari bulu kambing biri-biri Bani Kalb. Namun dikatakan sanad hadis Aisyah ini lemah dan terputus.

Doa dikabulkan

~Abu Sa'id al Khudri masuk ke dalam rumah Aisyah. Maka Aisyah berkata, "Wahai Abu Sa'id! Ceritakanlah kepada saya suatu hadis yang pernah kamu dengar daripada Rasulullah , maka saya akan menceritakan kepadamu pula apa yang pernah saya lihat dilakukan oleh Baginda ."

Berkata Abu Sa'id r.a, "Apabila Rasulullah  keluar solat Subuh, Baginda  akan membaca: "Ya Allah! Penuhilah pendengaranku dengan cahaya, pandanganku dengan cahaya, hadapanku dengan cahaya, belakangku dengan cahaya, kananku dengan cahaya, kiriku dengan cahaya, atasku dengan cahaya, bawahku dengan cahaya dan tambahkanlah cahaya Islam dan hidayah dengan rahmat-Mu terhadapku."

Dalam riwayat lain Rasulullah  berkata kepada Aisyah: "Wahai Aisyah! Apakah kamu takut Allah dan Rasul-Nya akan menzalimimu?" Aisyah berkata, "Saya berkata, "Bukan begitu, wahai Rasulullah!" Sabda Baginda: "Telah datang kepada saya Jibril a.s. dan berkata, "Wahai Muhammad! Malam ini ialah malam Nisfu Syaaban. Pada malam ini, Allah SWT membebaskan manusia dari api neraka sebanyak bilangan bulu kambing Bani Kilab. Pada malam ini, Allah tidak memandang kepada orang musyrik, tidak juga kepada orang yang bermusuhan, orang yang putuskan silaturrahim, orang yang melabuhkan kainnya melebihi buku lali, orang yang menderhaka kepada ibu bapa dan orang yang berterusan minum arak."

Apabila Subuh, saya menyebut kepada Baginda  kalimah yang dibacanya, maka Baginda bersabda, "Wahai Aisyah! Adakah kamu telah mengetahuinya?" Saya berkata, "Ya." Baginda bersabda, "Pelajarilah dan ajarilah ia kerana Jibril a.s. telah mengajarnya kepada saya dan menyuruh saya mengulang-ulangnya di dalam sujud."

Mid-Sha'ban

Mid-Sha'ban is the 15th day of the eighth month (shaaban) of the Islamic lunar calendar. The preceding night is known as Laylatul Bara’ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha’ban in the Arab world, and as Shab-e-barat (شب برات) in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran and Muslim parts of India. These names are translated to the night of records, the night of assignment and the night of deliverance, and the observance involves a festive nightlong vigil with prayers. In some regions, this is also a night when one's deceased ancestors are commemorated.

Other Name:

• Lailat al-Baraa (Arabic: ليلة البراءة‎, Night of Innocence)
• Lailat al-Du'a (Arabic: ليلة الدعاء‎, Night of Prayer or Supplication)
• Nim Sha'ban in Afghanistan and Iran.
• Nisf Sha'ban (Arabic: نصف شعبان‎, Mid-Sha'ban) in Arabic speaking countries.
• Nisfu Sya'ban in Malay speaking countries.
• Shab e Baraat in India and Pakistan meaning the 'Night of Innocence'.
• Berat Kandili in Turkish

Sunni View:

~With regard to the night mentioned in the quran verses: “We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship].

Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments”

[al-Dukhaan 44:3-4]

Ibn Jareer al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: the commentators differed concerning that night, i.e., which night of the year it is. Some of them said that it is Laylat al-Qadr, and it was narrated from Qurtaadah that it is Laylat al-Qadr. Others said that it is the night of the 15th of Sha’baan. The correct view is the view of those who say that it is Laylat al-Qadr, because Allah has told us of that when He says, ‘Verily, We are ever warning’ [al-Dukhaan 44:3].”

Laylat al-Qadr brings great reward for the one who does good deeds and strives in worship on that night.

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).

And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?

The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months), comes in Ramadan 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th & 29th.

Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees,

(All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn”[al-Qadr 97:1-5]

There are many ahaadeeth which speak of the virtue of that night, such as the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari from Abu Hurayrah, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven, and whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Sawm, 1768).

(Tafseer al-Tabari, 11/221) Sunnis observe mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation. Various ahadith have been transmitted in this regard, some weak and others graded hasan or sahih. Scholars including Al-Shafi‘i, Al-Nawawi, Al-Ghazali and Al-Suyuti have declared praying on the night of mid-Sha'ban as acceptable.

In his Majmu`, Al-Nawawi quoted Al-Shafi`i saying that there are 5 nights when dua (prayer) is answered, one of them being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban.

There are many other narrations from Sahaba and early Muslims confirming this matter, as mentioned by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his Lataif al-Ma`arif, amongst others.

About Hadith:

~On this night, Muslims perform Nawaafil, recite the Qur'an, Salawat, Kalima Tayyibah, and seek forgiveness.

Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the 15th of Sha’baan) is like any other night, and there is no sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to indicate that on this night the fate or destiny of people is decided.

As for the other narrations concerning the 15th of Sha'baan (which are not believed authentic), the Hanafi scholar, Shaikh Mulla 'Alee al-Qaaree (d.1014H) records some of these hadith:

Also on this night the Doors of Mercy and Forgiveness are opened wide,and those who sincerely grieve over and repent for their past sins and seek forgiveness from Allah are pardoned and forgiven by Allah.

Each Tasbih or Du’a should begin and terminate with the recital of Salawat and one who wishes for the acceptance of his Du’as should use the Wasila of Muhammadﷺ.

Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani has mentioned in his book ”Ghunyat li Talibee Tariqil Haqq” (i.e., The Gift for those seeking the path of truth) that the month of Shaban according to some narrations is related to Muhammad ﷺ. So, it is the duty of Muslims, as the followers of Muhammad ﷺ to love and respect this month more than any other month (besides Ramadhan). Muslims should also offer abundantly salutations upon Muhammad ﷺ.

Ruling:

~It is the special night of seeking forgiveness and repenting to Allah, remembering past sins and sincerely settling the mind that one will never commit sins in the future. All the deeds that are against Shari’ah must be totally avoided so that our Du’a and Istighfaar, hopefully, will be accepted.

Dr. Muhammad al-Jibaly said: The hadith indicates that this night surely has a special merit

Even when hadiths are used to justify the night, Salafi scholars have labeled such hadiths as weak (da'if). Day of Arafa, Laylat al-Qadrand Day of Ashura on the other hand have much stronger references in Quran and/or Hadith.

Shia View:

~The Shia spend the entire eve of the 15th of Sha'ban in prayers and worship. This day also marks the birthday of the final Imām, Muhammad al-Mahdi. Shia's believe him to be the Mahdi, an important figure who all the Muslims believe will rid the world of tyranny and injustice.

Salafi View:

~Some Salafi minhaj claimants oppose the recognition of Mid-Sha'ban as exceptional. However, those "neo-"Salafis don't consider quotations from Imam Ibn Khuzaymah's book, Kitab At-Tawheed wa Ithbat Sifat ar-Rabb (which is used extensively by Salafis for 'Aqeedah), about Mid-Sha'ban. Imam Ibn Khuzaymah has specifically mentioned the night of Nisf-Sha'ban in his book (in the section on Nuzool, normally meaning Revelation but in the current context Descent (of Allah)) from the hadith of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. He clarified in the same book that, while it has been revealed that Allah does descend to the world every night, the exact method of the descent remains unrevealed.

Many scholars and general people believe that Shab-e-Barat is not what it is believed to be. This belief is based on the fact that there is no mention of such a night in the Quran.

Some quote 44.4 of the Quran to justify the Night from the Quran.With regard to the night mentioned in the verses:

“We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship].

Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments” [al-Dukhaan 44:3-4]

In the South Asia, Muslims make sweets (especially Halwa or Zarda) to be given to the neighbors and the poor on the evening prior to the 15th of Sha'ban.

This hadith is very weak and many scholars advise praying in this night for any special prayers or Dua or any belief that the dead return is false and should not be followed.

Why PORK is HARAM (Prohibited) in ISLAM? (Scientific Answers)

01- CONSUMPTION OF PORK CAUSE SEVERAL DISEASES

The other non-Muslims and atheists (disbelievers of God) will agree only if convinced through reason, logic and science. Eating of pork can cause no less than SEVENTY different types of diseases.

A person can have various helminthes like roundworm, pinworm, hookworm, etc… One of the most dangerous is “Taenia Solium”, which is in lay man’s terminology called tapeworm. It harbors in the intestine and is very long. Its ova i.e. eggs, enter the blood stream and can reach almost all the organs of the body. If it enters the brain it can cause memory loss. If it enters the heart it can cause heart attack, if it enters the eye it can cause blindness, if it enters the liver it can cause liver damage. It can damage almost all the organs of the body.

Another dangerous helminthes is Trichura Tichurasis. A common misconception about pork is that if it is cooked well, these ova die. In a research project undertaken in America, it was found that out of twenty-four people suffering from Trichura Tichurasis, twenty two had cooked the pork very well. This indicates that the ova present in the pork do not die under normal cooking temperature.

02-DISEASES CAUSED BY PORK IN DETAIL

The following lists show germs or parasites that are found in pork and some diseases caused by them. Many of these diseases are contagious while some are proven fatal. This proves that the more science advances the more Islam is shown correct as a religion of God.

PARASITIC (Bloodsucking) DISEASES

a) TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS ( Trichina worms )

It is the most dangerous parasite to man ( Rheumatism and muscular pain). The infected persons shown no symptoms, recover very slowly some die, some reduced to permanent invalids. No one is immune from this disease and there is no cure.

b) TAENIA SOLIUM ( Pork tape worm )

The worm causes malnourishment of the person leading to anemia, diarrhea, extreme depression melancholia and digestive disturbances. Cysticercosis means that larva enter the blood stream then settle down in one or more of the vital organs of the body, for example: brain, liver, lungs or spinal cord. They grow and encapsulate, inducing pressure to thesystem around, resulting in dangerous diseases (diarrhea,digestive disorder, anemia, chronic invalidation).

c) ROUNDWORMS

Examples: Ascaris, which may lead to digestive disturbances, appendicitis, obstructive jaundice.

d) HOOKWORMS

Examples:Ancylostomiasis, which may lead to anemia, oedema, heart failure or retarded growth ( mental and physical), tuberculosis,

e) SCHISTOSOMA JAPONICUM

Bleeding, anemia and other syndromes. If ova are settled in the brain or spinal cord, paralysis and death may occur.

f) PARAGONIMUS WESTERMANI

Infestation leading to bleeding of the lungs ( endenve haemoptysis )

g) FASCIOLOPSIS BUSKI

Digestive disturbances leading to persistent diarrhea; generalized oedema.

h) CLONORCHIS SINENSIS

chlonorchiasis-obstructive jaundice, liver enlargement.

i) METASTRONGYLUS APRI

Causes bronchitis, abscess of the lungs.

j) GIGANTORHYNCHUS GIGAS

Cause anemia and digestive disorders.

k) BALANTIDIUM COLI

Causes acute dysentery and general weakness.

BACTERIAL DISEASES

1. Tuberculosis

2. Fusiformis necrofurus: causing foot-rot which  is  very difficult to heal.

3. Salmonella Choleraesuis: causing cholera.

4. Paratyphoid

5.Brucellosis: Acute, sub acute and chronic. It may  lead to permanent disabilities.

6. Swine Erysipelas: causing Erypelas in man.

VIRAL DISEASES

1. Smallpox: is was a source of infection to man.

2. Japanese B-encephalitis: It is the source of infection

3. Influenza, foot mouth disease, gas tro-enteritis of  the new born babies.

PROTOZOAN DISEASES

Toxo plasma goundii- It is a very dangerous diseases. A new born baby of an infected woman may die within few days or weeks after delivery. But if he survives he may develop blindness or deafness.In adult chronic exhaustive fever with enlarged liver and spleen may occur. Pneumonia, or celebro- spinal meninggitis which may lead to death or madness. The patient may become blind and deaf too.

OTHER DISEASES

Flesh of the pork is hard to digest and may lead to chronic digestive disturbances. Pimples, boils, cysts are common in pork eaters. These are some of the parasites and diseases found in pork and/ or the skin of pigs and certainly there are many more. There is still no means of killing these parasites, in the tissues, neither has anyone found a method of expelling them, even produced any specific treatment for the diseases.

03-FATS IN PIGS

Pork contains more fats than other meats. Therefore, people who are loving of pork are more fat than others. Cholesterol is higher in their blood thus making them more flat to asthereosclerosis cardiovascular accidents and sudden death.

04-PIG IS THE MOST SHAMELESS ANIMAL

The pig is the most shameless animal on the face of the earth. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. In America, most people consume pork. Many times after dance parties, they have swapping of wives; i.e. many say “you sleep with my wife and I will sleep with your wife.” If you eat pigs then you behave like pigs. We look upon America to be very advanced and sophisticated. Whatever they do, we follow after a few years. According to an article in Island magazine, this practice of swapping wives has become common practice in South Asia.

05- PIG IS ONE OF THE FILTHIEST ANIMALS ON EARTH

The pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth. It lives and thrives on muck, feces and dirt. It is the best scavenger that I know that God has produced. In the villages they don’t have modern toilets and the villagers defecate in the open air (Body releases) and Very often these releases are cleared by pigs.

Some may argue that in advanced countries like Australia, pigs are bred in very clean and hygienic conditions. Even in these hygienic conditions the pigs are kept together in sties. No matter how hard you try to keep them clean they are filthy by nature. They eat and enjoy their own as well as their neighbor's excreta.

Source: Dr. Zakir Naik

What is Islamic Calendar (Hijri Calender)?

The Islamic calendar is based on lunar months, which begin when a thin new crescent Moon is actually sighted in the western sky after sunset within a day or so after the New Moon. Hence, the month is either 29 days or 30 days. There are 12 months in an Islamic year, which is either 354 days long or 355 days long, compared to (Gregorian) civil calendar year of 365 or 366 days. Since the Islamic Lunar year has 12 lunar months, it is on an average, 11 days shorter than the (Gregorian) civil year, the Islamic year shifts earlier in each civil year by about 11 days. The 12 months of the Islamic calendar are:

1. Muharram
2. Safar
3. Rabi' al-Awwal
4. Rabi' al-Thaani
5. Jumada al-Ooola (also known as Jumada al-Awwal)
6. Jumada al-Ukhra (also known as Jumada al-Thaani)
7. Rajab
8. Sha'ban
9. Ramadan
10. Shawwal
11. Dhu al-Qa'dah
12. Dhu al-Hijjah

The following is the list of the days of the week used especially by Arabs and in Islamic nations in general

1. youm al-ahad (first day) – Sunday
2. youm al-ithnayna (second day) – Monday
3. youm ath-thalatha’ (third day) – Tuesday
4. youm al-arba`a’ (fourth day) – Wednesday
5. youm al-khamis (fifth day) – Thursday
6. youm al-jum`a (gathering day) – Friday
7. youm as-sabt (Sabbath day) – Saturday

The Islamic (Hijri) calendar year is usually abbreviated A.H. in Western languages from the latinized "Anno Hegirae" or more commonly known as "After Hijrah."

It was during the Messenger Muhammad's  ﷺ  last pilgrimage in the 10th year of Hijrah (10th year of his migration from Makkah to Medinah), that the decision to introduce a purely lunar Islamic Calendar was made. The word Hijrah has often been misrepresented by many writers Muslims and non-Muslim alike. It means neither flight nor fleeing. The Arabic word Hajara means: to break off from the relations or abandon one's own tribe.

Although, the Islamic calendar was introduced in the Christian Era of 632 AD by the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ , the beginning of the Islamic era for the count of Islamic years was considered and discussed during 639 AD, the time of the 4th year of the Caliphate of Umar who declared that the most important event in establishing the roots of Islam in Medinah is Hijrah (Messenger's migration from Makkah), therefore let it become the epoch of the era which happened in 622 AD. The actual starting date for the Islamic Calendar was chosen (on the basis of purely lunar years, counting backwards) to be the first day of the first month (1st Muharram) of the year of the Hijrah. However, the era between 1st year to 10th year of the Hijrah was not following this Islamic Calendar; instead the prevailing practices of various kinds of intercalation was followed in Arabia at that time. Different tribes were following different intercalations, so there was no uniform calendar. Accordingly, first day of Muharram, 1 A.H. as practiced in Arabia corresponded either April 18 or May 18, 622 C.E. (Julian calendar). However, if one wants a theoretical starting date for Islamic calendar (on the basis of purely lunar months without intercalation, counting backwards) then the first day of the first month i.e. 1st Muharram, 1 A.H. corresponds to July 16, 622 C.E.

The earliest date of Islamic calendar for which a Julian calendar date is exactly known is 9th Dhu al-Hijjah, 10 AH, which corresponds to March 6, 632 C.E. (Friday), when the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ  performed his last and farewell pilgrimage to Makkah.

The Rise of Islam

In the year 570 CE, in the city of Mecca, in what is today Saudi Arabia, the man Mohammed was born. He would become the founder of Islam, a mighty monotheistic religion that has over a billion-and-a-half adherents, a religion that would exert a great influence on civilization and the history of humanity in general.

According to Islam, a Muslim is someone who is “subservient to” or who serves God. Muslims object to being called “Mohammedans” because it is blasphemous to say that Mohammed was a god.

The religion of Islam is a purely monotheistic faith which is built in to a great extent upon Judaic ideas. In fact, in the Quran, the book of Islam, one finds many direct quotes not only from Tanach, but even from the Talmud. Mohammed himself lived in an area that at the time had a large Jewish population. Therefore, he was well acquainted with the ideas and customs of the Jews. He even tailored his new religion to try to attract Jews.

Early Life

He was born into a famous clan that still exists today among the Arabs: the Hashemite family. This family rules Saudi Arabia as well as Jordan. In fact, the country of Jordan today is called “The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”

Mohammed’s father died before he was born, and his mother died before he was six. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by Bedouin Arabs. In his early youth, he became a camel driver, then a caravan leader and then a merchant.

When he turned 25, he took a rich widow and her entourage on a caravan and did such a splendid job that she married him. She was almost 20 years older than he was, but she would play a major role in his life. She is the one that supported and encouraged him. She also bore him a daughter who would become famous in her own right, Fatima. The years that Mohammed was married to the wealthy woman were the most tranquil and normal in his life. After her death, his lifestyle changed radically.

The True Believer

The Arabs at that time were polytheistic and Mohammed objected to that in the worst way. He claimed to have seen a vision in which the angel Gabriel came to him and told him that he was being given an assignment by God to go forth and preach to the Arabs the doctrine of monotheism, and that all the idols had to be eradicated and destroyed.

In the streets of Mecca there were many people who walked around and said they had visions. It is a very hot climate, and hashish is plentiful. But he did not want to be regarded as just another crazy man, so he was afraid to tell anyone. This is where his wife’s support came in. She believed in the vision and encouraged him until he finally went public with it.

Until then, the people in Mecca let him alone. He was not really disturbing anyone. But when he proclaimed himself a prophet, the authorities began to fear that he would stir a rebellion. Therefore, they started to give him a very hard time.

It is during this period that Mohammed began to flesh out a little his religion. Based on the tenet of monotheism, he placed a great deal of stress on moral codes, on behavior between human beings. A great many of these ideas bore a striking similarity to ideas in Judaism.

However, he eventually claimed to have a vision in which God told him and his followers that they were not making enough headway by merely trying to convince people with words. If people were not going to get convinced with words, then he should convince them with the sword.

Mohammed and the Jews

While Mohammed’s following was still small, he and his group were forced to flee Mecca to save their lives. That took place in the year 622 CE. His trip from Mecca to the city of Medina became known in Islam as the hijra (also hegira, which means “migration” in Arabic). Medina was then called Yathrib. Its name was eventually changed to Medina, which is short for Medinat Nabi, the “city (or county) of the prophet.” (Medina is the same word in Hebrew, meaning city or country.)

Medina was a city with a very large Jewish population. There were three major Jewish clans who controlled a great deal of the commerce and politics in the town. Therefore, when Mohammed came to Medina, he tailored his religion to make it more attractive to Jews. For instance, he instituted the right of praying toward Jerusalem, the same way that the Jews pray. A few years later, when he caught on that the Jews were not going to become Muslims, he changed it to praying toward Mecca. However, for the first few years, the Muslims prayed facing Jerusalem.

He also introduced the prohibition against pork. He introduced the method of slaughtering animals similar to shechitah. He introduced many things that were similar to Jewish practices.

All of this was done with the conviction that the Jews would accept the new religion, much as the Christians were also convinced that the Jews somehow would accept their new religion. When it became obvious that the Jews were not going to accept the religion, he became very strongly anti-Jewish.

Not surprisingly, the Quran contains some of the most awful statements in world literature regarding the Jewish people. There are also statements that are not as vicious, but the problem with the Quran is that if one wants to be a rabid, anti-Semitic fanatic one can, on the basis of the Quran, justify everything that he is doing.

When Mohammed realized that the Jews rejected him he took direct action and his followers assassinated the leaders of the Jewish tribes. One of Mohammed’s later wives was a Jewess; she had been taken captive in one of his campaigns against the Jewish tribes outside of Medina.

Jihad

After Mohammed’s forces destroyed all of his enemies in Medina they turned toward Mecca. His army marched into the city, destroyed all opposition and forcibly converted everyone there, as well as those in neighboring villages. He thus built for himself a strong base of power with a large army, whose avowed purpose was to go forth, conquer the rest of the Middle East and convert it to Islam.

Mohammed is the one who invented – or at least introduced — the concept of the jihad, or holy war, into the Muslim religion. He said that anyone who dies in the jihad receives the greatest rewards in the afterlife. The Muslim afterlife has much more tangible rewards than the spiritual “World to Come” of Judaism or even of Christianity. The Muslim afterlife is wine, women, and song—not necessarily in that order. Therefore, he had a relatively easy time convincing others that death in a jihad was to be viewed as nothing to be feared.

Over the centuries, the Muslims have been able to raise such a fervor among themselves for these types of holy wars that outsiders tend to associate Islam with jihad more than anything else.

Life After Mohammed

One has to realize that in a single century — roughly between the years 600 and 700 — the Muslims swept the entire Middle East. At the height of Mohammed’s powers, Muslim armies had swept up from the Saudi Arabian peninsula through Palestine into Babylonia and Syria, all the way up into Turkey. Then they swept east into what is today Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. Then they swept west into what is today Egypt and the Sudan, Libya and the northern coast of Africa. They even came to the gates of Vienna and almost took over Europe. The entire face of the world was changed by the coming of the Muslims.

Then Mohammed made the mistake of dying.

A problem which always exists, especially in dictatorships or authoritarian rules, is the problem of succession. Who is going to take over? This led to the major split in the Muslim world, a split that exists until today: the split between the Sunni Muslims and the Shi’ite Muslims.

When he died, the majority of the elders of the Muslim religion met and elected new leaders. However, Mohammed had a daughter, Fatima, and she had a husband, Ali, and he claimed the right of succession by the fact that he was related to Mohammed. He thus became the founder of the Shi’ites.

The Sunnis took a less literal view of the Quran. They had extra-textual traditions that modified the words of the Quran, and these generally relaxed some of the extremism. The Shi’ites took the Quran literally, without any tradition to leaven it, to lighten it, so to speak.

About two-thirds of the Muslim world today is Sunni, and one-third Shi’ite. The Muslim religion was originally supposed to be for the Arabs only. And the Arabs do basically control it. The Sharif (Governor) of Mecca, for instance, is from the Hashemite family. Nevertheless, most Muslims in the world are not Arabs. A great deal of Asia is Muslim. All of Indonesia and Malaysia are Muslims. A great deal of Africa is Muslim. Therefore, you have a combination of different groups and different races, but basically it is a religion of the desert, a religion for the Arabs.

Jewish Reaction to the Rise of Islam

After the first century of Muslim rule, from about the year 720 on, even though the Jews would never have an easy life among the Muslims, and even though they never would be treated with respect let alone equality, they did not feel the terrible persecutions. There were exceptions, such as the Almohads in the 12th century, but generally speaking they did not feel the type of persecution that, for instance, the Jews in Christian Europe felt throughout the Middle Ages.

Furthermore, for a long period of time, the Muslims were the leaders of civilization in terms of art, music, literature, poetry, astronomy and mathematics. The Jews were able to relate to that.

Arguably, their greatest invention – probably the most significant invention since the wheel — was the invention of Arabic numerals, which are the basis of all modern mathematics. Imagine making advanced calculations if you had to multiply with Roman numerals.

Some of these advances were no doubt due to war. Unfortunately, most of the major advances in human technology over the centuries have been either because of war or by-products of war. Since the Muslims were fierce warriors, and were always engaged in war, they naturally made great technological advances. The study of how to heal war wounds alone, for instance, helped them become skilled doctors. They were especially expert in healing cuts and amputations. Even in the Roman Empire, a doctor was little more than a soothsayer or magician. Advances in the study of medicine and the transformation of the station of the doctor into a serious profession are contributions of the Arabs.

Because of their love of words, they became poets and authors. We have vestiges of the literature of the Arab world from that time. The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is probably the most famous, but there are other vestiges of poetry, word plays, puns, stories that all became part of the Muslim culture.

And it became part of the Jewish culture also.

It is no accident that this time period also begins the age of the piyyutim (singular,piyut) in Jewish prayer. A piyut is a special poem inserted into the prayers. Jews often are influenced by the surrounding culture. Arab culture influenced Jews to become poets. The Jews directed it towards holy and sublime goals, but the idea to use words in inventive ways is characteristic of the times.

Philosophy

The Muslims became very great in philosophy. They inherited Aristotle, because the Church, which needed Aristotle and would use it later with Aquinas, was asleep for these centuries. When the Arabs got hold of all the classical works, they read them and developed ideas in philosophy.

When they came to debate the Jews, the Jews had to answer. Therefore, we will find for the first time – during roughly the seventh to the ninth centuries – classic Jewish philosophers. The Jews learned Arabic because the books were written in Arabic.

Arabic is a sister language to Hebrew. It is a Semitic language. Maimonides wrote his famous commentary to the Mishnah in Arabic, as well as his Guide for the Perplexed. That could not be done if the culture would not have supported it.

Jews adopted Arabic as their second language. It would not until the end of the Spanish Era that the Jews would give up Arabic and adopt Ladino as a second language to be spoken.

In matters of religion, Islam had zero influence upon the Jews. But in matters of culture, it had an enormous influence. It changed all of Jewish culture. That, combined with the decline of Europe in the Dark Ages, shifted the whole emphasis toward the Arabic world. Jews were now living in an Arab society, a Muslim society, and the response of the Jewish people to that is what is reflected in the works and in the life of the Jews during that period of time.