Happy islamic new year

The Islamic calendar, which is based purely on lunar cycles, was introduced in 638CE by Umar bin al Khattab, who was a close Companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the second Caliph of Islam. Umar did it in an attempt to rationalize the various, at times conflicting, dating systems used during his time.

1. He consulted his advisers on the starting date of the new Muslim chronology. It was finally agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was of Hijra, which chronicles the divinely ordained migration of the Holy Prophet and his Companions from Makkah to Madinah on September 20, 622CE. For this reason, the Islamic calendar is known as the Hijra calendar.
2. The actual starting date for the Hijra calendar was chosen (on the basis of purely lunar years, counting backwards) to be the first day of the first month (1 Muharram) of the year of Hijrah. Thus 1 Muharram, 1AH, corresponds to July 15, 622CE. A Hijra year is usually abbreviated AH in Western languages from the Latinised Anno Hegirae.
3. Hijrah is the central historical event of early Islam. It led to the foundation of the first Muslim city-state, a turning point in Islamic and world history. To Muslims, the Hijra calendar is not just a sentimental system of time reckoning and dating important religious events, e.g. Siyaam (fasting) and Haj. It has a much deeper religious and historical significance.
4. It is a unique aspect of the Islamic Era that it did not start with the victories of Islamic wars, or with the birth or death of the Holy Prophet, or the Revelation of the Holy Qur'an. It starts with Hijra or the sacrifice for the cause of Truth and for the preservation off the Revelation. It was divinely inspired selection. Allah wanted to teach man that struggle between Truth and Evil is eternal. The Islamic year reminds Muslims every year not of the pomp and glory of Islam but of its sacrifice, and prepares them to do the same.
5. The Islamic year consists of twelve lunar months. They are Muharram, Safar, Rabee' al-Awwal, Rabee' ath-Thaanee / al-Aakhir, Jumaada al-Oolaa, Jumaada ath-Thaaniyah / al-Aakhirah, Rajab, Sha'baan, Ramadhan, Shawwaal, Dhul-Qi'dah and Dhul-Hijjah.
6. The most important dates in an Islamic year are: 1 Muharram (first day of the year), 27 Rajab (Isra and Mairaj), 1 Ramadhan (first day of fasting),17 Ramadhan (Battle of Badr), last 10 days of Ramadhan (which include Lailatul Qadar when the Holy Qur'an was revealed), 1 Shawwal (Eid Al-Fitr) & 10 Dhul-Hijjah (Eid ul Adha).