Muslims across the globe welcomed the Islamic New Year on Saturday.
The first day of the year, also known as the Hijri year, is observed on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar.
The first Islamic year began in 622AD with the emigration of Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Medina, known as the Hijra. All religious duties, such as prayer, fasting in the month of Ramadan, and pilgrimage, and the dates of significant events, such as celebration of holy nights and festivals, are calculated according to the lunar calendar.
The Islamic calendar is a lunar system and it is shorter than the solar Gregorian year, usually by 11 or 12 days.
Being a 100 percent Muslim country, the Maldives also follows the Hijri or Islamic calendar. Since it embraced Islam in 1153 AD, Maldivians have been observing the beginning of the Islamic New Year. The day is a public holiday in the country to allow families and friends to observe the day.