Re: Hebrew calendar direction

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Constructed Languages List
> [mailto:CONLANG@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU] On Behalf Of Mark J. Reed
> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 3:34 PM
> To: CONLANG@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU
> Subject: Re: [OT] Hebrew calendar direction
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 11, 2005 at 03:24:32AM +0100, Jean-François Colson wrote:
> > Just look there:
> > http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/kids/islam/months.html
>
> Thanks!
>
> > Rabi al-Awwal - The First Spring
> >
> > Rabi ath-Thani - The Second Spring
>
> [snip]
>
> Are those literal translations of the names?  I find it quite
> surprising that the Islamic calendar, which has absolutely no
> seasonal anchors, would have months named after seasons and
> weather conditions.  Holy misnomers!
The translations are absolutely literal.  Interesting indeed.

> Also, IIRC, the Muslim holy day (well, holier day; Muslims
> seem to do their worshipping and prayer services daily) is
> Friday.  So are Islamic calendars printed with Friday at the
> end of the week?
No, I haven't seen that.  I had an interesting discussion with a Muslim
Arab work colleague of mine yesterday. As you mentioned, yesterday was
the Muslim new year, and my children were off school.  But the whole
event was very low key, and my friend turned up for work and had a
meeting with some other people, also Muslim Arabs...  I asked him and he
said that there are only really two festivals, Id al-Fitr and Id
al-Adha; other dates (like the new year) might be an occasion for
special prayers, but are virtually unmarked in social terms.  He quoted
a tradition (Hadith) about the Prophet Mohammed saying that there are 2
festivals, but I can't remember it exactly.


>
> -Marcos
>

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