DISCOVERY OF THE LOST CALENDAR OF MAKKAH MUKARRAMAH

[Abu Tariq Hijazi]

DISCOVERY OF THE LOST CALENDAR OF MAKKAH MUKARRAMAH
ABU TARIQ HIJAZI

The traditions of Seerat and Maghazi of Holy Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.) are one of the best preserved records of the world history. The historians were so keen that they quoted most of the events with precised date and the day, 1400 years ago, when there was no sense of accurate dating system prevailing in the world. However we find little difference in the quoted dates within the first ten years of Islamic history. Sometime we find names of two dates for a single event or the quoted day differs with the date. This riddle has continued for a long time. Though few Muslim writers and orientalists have suggested few solutions but they could not reach to satisfactory result.
Just about 50 years ago, a Muslim scholar and historian named Is-haq un Nabi Khan Alwi of The Institute of Oriental Studies discovered the lost Calendar of Makkah Mukarramah (DCM) which solved most of the differences of the dates and the days. These articles appeared in u ‘Burhaan Urdu Delhi’ in 1383 AH (1964). Later a full length article covering 116 pages was published in world renowned ‘Rasool Number’ of Nuqoosh Lahore Pakistan in 13 volumes of over 9910 pages, in 1405 AH(1985). An abstract in English was also published in 48 pages separately (both documents are available with me).This new Discovery is based on the concept of ‘Double Calendar’ theory which runs as follows:

There were two different calendars current in pre-Islamic Makkah and Madina. The Makki calendar was a luni-solar calendar while the Madani was a purely lunar one, with common names for the months of the year. After Hijrah in 622 AC, the Mohajereen from Makkah carried with them their Makki calendar to Madina. Subsequently two calendars prevailed in Madina at the one time, until the Prophet (s.a.w.) abrogated the Makki calendar in 10 AH. As a result some Sahaba, mostly Mohajereen, reported the events according to the Makki dates while some others, mostly Ansaar, recorded according to their own Madani dates. The early historians inherited traditions based on both these records simultaneously and the passed on their information verbatim, without any amendment to us. Subsequently we find some conflicting entries in this literature. Allama Is-haq Alwi, a learned scholar (brother in law of Allama Imtiaz Ali Arshi of Raza Library Rampur U.P.) succeeded in devising and discovering the lost Makki calendar and authenticated it by testing with tens of recorded events.

(i) Here we start with striking controversial case of Ghazwah Tabuk which is recorded in Rajab 09AH. According to Holy Quran it was a hot season as mentioned in Surah Tauba (9:81). The hypocrites in Madina were advising Muslims not to go out in hot summer. Kaab bin Malik also narrates that it was a hot summer when the fruits were in abundance. Ibn Is-haq says that it was period of scarcity and drought and that it was quite hot when fruits are abundant and people like to go to their orchards and sit beneath the shadows of the trees. But strange enough, according to the prevalent Standard Hijri Calendar (SHC) Rajab 09AH corresponds to Oct/Nov 630 which was very cold month in Madina.

According to Allama Is-haq Alwi, the Rajab 09 of the Makki calendar began on Tuesday the 9th April and ended on Wednesday 8th May 631. This testifies the climatic conditions of hot summer in April and May in Hijaz as mentioned in Hadith literature. Historian Ibn Habib referred that 1st Rajab was on Monday. Allama Alwi’s calculation of Tuesday (instead of Monday as 1st Rajab) is very close to this statement.

(ii) The other example may be taken from the Hijrah (migration) of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.).Ibn Is-haq recording the event, gives the date of his arrival at Quba as MONDAY the 12th Rabi Awwal of the first year of Hijrah. There is a consensus on this date. But when this date is examined through the Standard Hijri Calendar (SHC), we find that it was FRIDAY on the 12th Rabi Awwal, 01AH. As a result Al-Beiruni calculated that Prophet’s arrival at Quba was not on the 12th but on 8th which was a Monday. As it was based on mathematical calculations most of the Islamologists agreed with it, thus ignoring the basic narration.
According to the Discovered Calendar (DCM), the Makki calendar was a luni-solar with Nasi intercalatory months. But it began with Autumn Equinox on 13th Sept 622 (and not on 16th July 622 as assumed) .Thus 12th Rabi Awwal, 01 was exactly on MONDAY as recorded and it was on Nov. 22,622AC and not on Sept 20, as publicized.

(iii) The third test may be done on Ashoura Fasting. Ibn Abbas narrates “When the Prophet (s.a.w.) reached Madina, he saw the Jews fasting. There upon he asked “What is this? He was told that on that very day Almighty God gave deliverance to the sons of Israel from their enemies, so Moses had fasted on that day. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “We are more deserving than you are.” And then he fasted and asked others to do so (Bukhari, Musnad Ibn Hanbal).

The above Hadith quoted by Imam Bukhari indicates that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) fasted with the Jews on the Ashoura which was their Tishri, the first month of their year 4383 (p35) and that it corresponded to Moharram in Madina. The Jewish calendar started form Autumnal Equinox in September. Thus beginning of Moharram in Madina was from Autumn Equinox in September and not from July.
Allama Is-haq Alwi re-instated the above instances through his historic discovery. He proved that quoted writings of the Seerat were perfectly authentic and it was our concordance which was faulty and created these doubts.

After thorough research and deep study on Nasi intercalations, Allama Alwi devised and discovered the lost Makkah calendar for the first ten years (01 to 10AH) of Islamic history. Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) abrogated the Makki calendar in 10 AH and Madani calendar was approved as the official calendar of the state which is still running without any variation. The Discovered Makki Calendar may be summarized a under:

NEWLY DISCOVERED CALENDAR OF MAKKAH MUKARRAMAH (DCM)
DCM Moharram 01 = Rabi Awwal 01AH Monday Sept 13, 622
DCM Moharram 02 = Rabi Sani 02 AH Sunday Oct. 02, 623
DCM Moharram 03 = Rabi Sani 03AH Friday Sep.21, 624
DCM Moharram 04 = Rabi Sani 04 AH Tuesday Sept.10, 625
DCM Moharram 05 = Jamad Awwal 05AH Sunday Sept.28, 626
DCM Moharram 06 = Jamad Awwal 06 AH Friday Sept.18, 627
DCM Moharram 07 = Jamad Sani 07AH Thursday Oct 06, 628
DCM Moharram 08 = Jamad Sani 08 AH Tuesday Sept.26, 629
DCM Moharram 09 = Jamad Sani, 09 AH Saturday Sept15, 630
DCM Moharram 10 = Rajab 10 AH Thursday Oct.03, 631

Allama Alwi analyzed about seventy events on DCM and found them correct. It proved that the narrators and writers of Islamic history were very authentic in recording these events. As it has been noted that two calendars were prevalent in Madina through Mohajereen and Ansar, we find some events true according to the Madina calendar while the others are true to lost Makki calendar. Here we mention
few examples from both the categories:

Correct Dates with no variations:
6.Ghazwah Khandaq (Battle of the Ditch) is said to have in rainy and stormy winter in Shawwal 05AH. This corresponds to Feb/March 629AH which is very correct.

7. The murder of Kaab bin Ashraf is dated 14th Rabi I, 03AH which was a fine spring night. This corresponds to Sep.06, 624AH which is very correct.

8. The Battle of Mawta is said to have taken place in summer and is dated Jamad I, 08 AH which equals to Aug/Sept 629 which is really hot season in Jordon.

Dates against the season
1. Battle of Badr was fought in hot season. Holy Quran also supports this evidence saying that it was so hot that Muslims were compelled to pray for an unseasonal rain which was granted (8:11). The Hijri calendar puts the Ramadhan 02 AH in Feb/March which are not the hot months. The DCM puts it from May 25 to June 24, 624 which is very correct.

2. The Battle of Ohud is said to have taken place in Shawwal 03AH when fresh dated were in abundance. Hijri calendar corresponds to March /April 624 which is not a date season in Madina. The DCM gives it as June 24, 624 which is very appropriate.

3. The Ghazwah Zat Salasil in Jamad II, 08 AH is said to be held in severe winter. But it corresponds to Sept/Oct which are not very cold months in Hijaz. The DCM puts it in Feb. 630 which is very logical.

4. The conquest of Makkah is dated Ramadan 08 AH which corresponds to Dec/Jan while Abu Hurairah relates that it was so hot that the Prophet (s.a.w.) in his fast threw water over his head (Mustadrak ) (p6). According to the DCM it was May and June 630 which is very correct.

5. Battle of Hunain which occurred on 6th Shawwal, within two weeks after the conquest of Makkah corresponds to January 27,630. The DCM quotes it as June 23, 630 which is hot season in Taif.

Double dating cases:
9. The change of Qibla: It is generally believed that it took place in Shaban while Imam Zuhri puts it in Jamad I. Actually both versions are correct as Jamad I of the DCM is Shaban 02AH.

10. Marriage of Sayyeda Fatima: Historian Tabari puts it in late Safar while other scholars agree on Zulhijja. Actually Zulhijja of the DCM was Rabi I, very close to the end of Safar 02AH. Hence both versions are correct.

11. Hajj under Abubakr: Actually it commenced before the Ghazwah Tabuk. The dates given as Rajab for Tabuk and Zulqada for Haj create a contrary impression. But Zulqada is quoted from the DCM and Rajab from the Hijri Calendar. In Makki calendar, Rajab appears after two months from Zilqada 09AH. According to Ikrema evidence, Prophet (s.a.w.) left for Tabuk when Abubakr had returned from his pilgrimage. Hence both dates are correct.

12. Ali bin Abi Talib’s expedition to Yemen: It is a striking example of double calendar confusion. Ali was sent to Yemen in the Ramadan 10 AH, while it is reported that Khalid bin Walid was sent in Rabi II and was instructed to hand-over the command to Ali. There seems a gap of many months between the two dates. But this confusion again is solved which shows that Ramadan 10AH was actually Rabi I of the Makki calendar so Khalid could meet Ali in Rabi II.

Allama Is-haq-un-Nabi’s Discovery of Makki Calendar (DCM) is a great event of history which solved the past riddles of the chronology and elevated the standard of Muslim historians to high level.

Alhamdo Lillah ATH Dec.21,2010