beginning these years. The current almanac is in section 149.
59. Mohammed's Era.—The New Year's day of this, the era of Hegira or Mohammed's flight from Mecca to Medina, is reckoned as corresponding to a date afterwards named 16th July, Anno Domini, 622. That day was chosen as the starting point because it was the New Year's day of the then commencing lunar or Arabic year. Hedjrah, or Hegira, is simply the Arabic word for a 'going away'; and it was first used in this chronological connection by the Calif Omar in the first year, now known to us as 640, A.D. This A.D. style was first suggested by Dionysius,[1] thirteen years previously, as already mentioned; and it cannot be doubtful that the Calif Omar never heard of the A.D. calender. It is interesting to compare the dates in the year of these two styles, and to observe the retrogression which always goes on in the Moslem periods, whereof the basis is lunar, not solar. Thus:—
| 17th Aug., 1890, A.D., began 1308, A.H. |
| 7th Aug.,„ 1891, A.D.,„ began„ 1309, A.H.„ |
| 26th Aug.,July, 1892, A.D.,„ began„ 1310, A.H.„ |
| 15th Aug.,„ 1893, A.D.,„ began„ 1311, A.H.„ |
| 5th Aug.,„ 1894, A.D.,„ began„ 1312, A.H.„ |
| 24th Aug.,June, 1895, A.D.,„ began„ 1312, A.H.„ |
Elaborate formulæ have been invented for turning Moslem into Anno Domini years, but the following ready, though sufficiently accurate, method is useful:—[2]
Deduct, 3 per cent from the Moslem year.
Add to the answer 622.
