This article was first Published on Sunday, January 13, 2008 at – :
http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/jan-2008-celebs.html
Commemorations and celebrations of people around the world in January: Happy New Year Candlemas Sankaranti Imbolc Yom-e-Ashura Brigid’s Day Vasant Panchami Martin Luther King’s B/D Tu B’Shevat Nirvana Day Holocaust Commemoration Muharram Commemoration Mahatma Gandhi’ 60th Death Commemoration Glossary of Festivals. – We invite articles in 150 Words to describe these events. Please send to [email protected]
This compilation is derived from different sources. You are invited to audit, spell check, correct, enhance and add a festival that I am not aware of.
Click for images: http://www.mikeghouse.net/Articles/Festivals-January-2008.asp
1/10/08 –
Muharram
Islamic new year begins – Hijri year 1429 – It is a lunar calendar with 354 days in it with varying days in a month from 28 thru 30 days. Each consecutive Julian calendar, deduct 11 days for Islamic Calendar. The calendar began when Prophet Muhammad made a decision to migrate from Mecca to another city called Medinah. Hijra, Hijri is roughly translated as migratioin.
1/19/08
Yom-e-Ashura
Yom-e-Ashura – Islamic holy day observed on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram. Shi’ite Muslims regard it as a major festival marking the martydom of the Prophet’s grandson, Hussein. Hussein’s martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi’a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression.
1/15/08
Makara Sankranti
Makara Sankranti – In Hindu belief, a person dying on this auspicious day directly goes to the heaven. Bhishma, an elder in the epic of Mahabharata, is said to have waited for this day to breathe his last. It is also on this day every twelve years the Great Kumbh-Mela is held at Prayag.
1/15/08
Vasanta Panchami
Vasanta Panchami Vasant Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music, and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh (January-February),
1/21/08 –
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
Birthday Celebrations of Martin Luther King Jr. “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on” John F. Kennedy.FEW HAVE HAD AS MUCH IMPACT upon the American consciousness as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A Baptist minister and passionate fighter for civil rights through non-violent action, he was the closest this country has come to producing a leader with the moral stature of Mohandas Gandhi.
Tu B’Shevat
Tu B’Shevat Judaism has several different “new years.” Tu B’Shevat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat, is a holiday also known as the New Year for Trees.
1/26/08 – Holocaust
On this Holocaust remembrance day residents of the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex come together as humans of all affiliations to learn to understand the suffering of the people around the world, to develop an open mind and an open heart towards each other in the process of healing and repairing the world.
1/30/08
Gandhi’s anniversary
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – 60th Death Anniversary. He is my mentor and at times, The United Nations General Assembly has decided to declare October 2 – the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi—as ‘International Day of Non-Violence’ in recognition of his role in promoting the message of peace around the world.
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Yom e Ashura
Islamic holy day observed on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram. Shi’ite Muslims regard it as a major festival marking the martyrdom of the Prophet’s grandson, Hussein.
Ashura has been a day of fasting for Sunni Muslims since the days of the early Muslim community. It marks two historical events: the day Nuh (Noah) left the Ark, and the day that Musa (Moses) was saved from the Egyptians by Allah.
The Day of Ashura transliteration: ‘Ashura’, Ashura, Ashura, and other spellings) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram but not the Islamic month.
This day (Ashura) was an ancient Judaic feast day of celebration and atonement. Now it is well-known because of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). Furthermore Sunni Muslims believe that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberation of Israelites from Egypt. According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.[1][2]
The word ashura means simply tenth in Arabic; hence the name of the remembrance, literally translated, means “the tenth day”. Islamic scholars, however, give various explanations as to why it is thus called.
Hussein’s martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi’a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. [3] Shi’as believe the Battle of Karbala was between the forces of good and evil. Imam Hussain represented good while Yazid represented evil. Shi’as also believe the Battle of Karbala was fought to keep the Muslim religion untainted of any corruptions and they believed the path that Yazid was directing Islam was definitely for his own personal greed.
Hussein’s martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi’a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. [3] Shi’as believe the Battle of Karbala was between the forces of good and evil. Imam Hussain represented good while Yazid represented evil. Shi’as also believe the Battle of Karbala was fought to keep the Muslim religion untainted of any corruptions and they believed the path that Yazid was directing Islam was definitely for his own personal greed.
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