Safar

Ṣafar (Arabic: صفر‎) is the second month of the Islamic calendar. The Arabic word ṣafar means "empty", corresponding to the pre-Islamic Arabian time period when people’s houses were empty, as they were out gathering food. Ṣafar also means "whistling of the wind", as this was likely a windy time of year. Most of the Islamic months are named according to weather conditions of the time; however, since the calendar is lunar, the months shift about 11 days every year, meaning that the seasons do not necessarily correspond to the name of the month.

Timing

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Safar migrates throughout the seasons. The estimated start and end dates for Safar are as follows (based on the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia^[1]):

Islamic events

• 01 Safar, prisoners of Karbalā entered Yazid's Palace in Syria
• 13 Safar, death of Sukayna bint Husayn, youngest daughter of Hussain ibn Ali and a prisoner of Karbalā
• 16 Safar, 609, the Almohads were defeated by Christian Spain at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa
• 20 or 21 Safar, Arba'een or Chehlum (the 40th day after Ashura)
• 27 Safar, Migration (Hijrah) from Mecca to Medina by the Prophet Muhammad
• 28 Safar, the Prophet fell deathly ill; Martyrdom of Imam Hasan ibn ‘Alī, grandson of the Prophet

Hadith

In Islamic eschatology:

• Abu Hurairah said that the Prophet said:

  There will be an Ayah (sign) in (the month of) Ramadan. Then, there will 'isabah (splitting into groups) in Shawwal. Then, there will be fighting in (the month of) Dhu al-Qi'dah. Then, the pilgrim will be robbed in (the month of) Dhu al-Hijjah. Then, the prohibitions will be violated in (the month of) al-Muharram. Then, there will be sound in (the month of) Safar, then the tribes will conflict with each other in the two months of Rabi' al-awwal & Rabi' al-thani. Then, the most amazing thing will happen between (the months of) Jumada and Rajab. Then, a well-fed she-camel will be better than a fortress (castle) sheltering a thousand (people).^[2]

References

External links

• Islamic-Western Calendar Converter (Based on the Arithmetical or Tabular Calendar)