A rare overlap of three Eids and two Hajj seasons in one Gregorian year may come in 2039. Citing a review by Saudi climate and astronomy expert Dr Abdullah Al-Misnad, Dinajpur TV reports that it happens because the Hijri lunar calendar moves 10 to 11 days earlier against the solar calendar each year.
By this reckoning, the first Eid al-Adha of 2039 falls on 6 January, the 10th of Dhul Hijjah 1460. Once the Hijri year completes its cycle, a second Hajj will follow late in the same year, with a second Eid al-Adha on 26 December, the 10th of Dhul Hijjah 1461. Each Hajj will be preceded by its own Day of Arafah.
Between the two, Eid al-Fitr may fall on 19 October 2039, giving that single year three Eids in all.
Ramadan will be affected too. In 2030 the month is expected to begin twice in the same Gregorian year, in January and again in December, something last seen in 1997, 33 years earlier.
The reason lies in the length of the calendars. The Hijri calendar, which follows the moon, has 354 or 355 days a year, while the solar Gregorian calendar has 365 or 366, so Islamic dates move earlier in the solar calendar every year.
This report is based on reporting by Dinajpur TV.
Photo: Medineli / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Source: Dinajpur TV
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