It's 5.30am on Sunday morning October the 2nd 2016.
In Dubai it's the start of the working week and my normal waking time, however the cat doesn't know it's a public holiday to celebrate the Islamic or Hijri New Year and wants to play. I want to go back to sleep but it thought it was ok to keep knocking on the bedroom door until I got up.
The Islamic New Year starts on October 3rd, the calendar is lunar so next year will fall on September
22nd. The Islamic lunar year is 12 days shorter than the Gregorian year. This marks the first day of the holy month of Muharram which is the 2nd holiest month in the Muslim calendar following on from Ramadan.
Over the next 10 days prayers and fasting will feature daily and is said to commemorate when Noah left the ark and God saved Moses from the Egyptians. One of the most popular dishes eaten at this time is Noah's Pudding or Ashure meaning 10th day, which includes 7 ingredients water, grain, pulses, fresh and dried fruit, salt and honey.
You really would think the cat should have known about the holiday! I've learned something new there, I'd never heard of Muharram.
ReplyDeletei didn't pay an awful lot of attention last year as i was travelling a lot and not aware of the public holidays here, now I'm working i'm far more aware of the Islamic calendar
DeleteI've never heard of Muharram. I've learnt something new today
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up
I'm learning something new every day here, i find it all fascinating
DeleteI'm Muslim and I just learnt about the 7 ingredients from you!!! My z was born on the 10th of Muharram and people we knew were all "oh wow, what a day!". That's when I read up on it properly :). Happy new year!!
ReplyDeleteDespit ethos being our 2nd year here in Dubai, I'm still learning something every time i leave the house, almost
DeleteI admire your fasting, my energy levels drop so fast without food
ReplyDeleteI don't fast, I'm not Muslim, but I do observe the Islamic calendar and dont eat or drink during daylight hours in public during Ramadan, not just out of respect but it's also the law here
DeleteAwww thanks for sharing this. A lovely information to know. #mysundayphoto
ReplyDeleteI'm finding out more and more every day
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