Question 1

True or false: The Islamic New Year date is fixed on January 1st of the Gregorian calendar.

Accepted Answer

False. The Islamic calendar is lunar, so the New Year shifts about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year. It never lands on January 1st.

Question 2

True or false: The Islamic New Year is celebrated with fireworks and public parties in most Muslim countries.

Accepted Answer

False. It's a quiet, reflective day focused on prayer and remembrance, not festivities. Major celebrations are reserved for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Question 3

True or false: The Islamic calendar year number is based on the number of years since the Hijra.

Accepted Answer

True. The calendar's epoch is the Hijra in 622 CE. Year 1 AH (After Hijra) started then. Current year 1446 means 1446 lunar years since that event.

Question 4

True or false: The Islamic New Year commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

Accepted Answer

False. The New Year marks the Hijra—Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. His birth is celebrated separately on Mawlid al-Nabi.

Question 5

True or false: The Islamic New Year begins with the month of Muharram, not Ramadan.

Accepted Answer

True. Many people assume Ramadan is the start, but the Islamic calendar starts with Muharram. The New Year is marked by the Hijra, not fasting.

Question 6

True or false: Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year, is considered a sacred month for fasting.

Accepted Answer

True. Muharram is one of four sacred months in Islam. Many Muslims fast on the 10th day, Ashura, though it's optional, unlike Ramadan's mandatory fast.

Question 7

True or false: The Islamic New Year 1446 AH will begin at sunset on July 7, 2024.

Accepted Answer

True. This is correct for the year 1446 AH. The Islamic day starts at sunset, so the New Year begins the evening before the first sighting of the crescent moon.

Question 8

True or false: The Islamic New Year is a public holiday in every Muslim-majority country.

Accepted Answer

False. While many Muslim countries observe it, not all do as a public holiday. Saudi Arabia, for example, does not officially recognize it as a holiday.

Islamic New Year Trivia Questions