MOSCOW, January 9 (RIA Novosti) - The world's Muslims celebrated the Islamic New Year at sunset on Wednesday.
The Islamic year begins on the first day of the Muslim month of Muharram, and marks the migration of the Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Medina. Since the Islamic lunar calendar, introduced in 634 A.D., is 11-12 days shorter than the solar calendar, the date of the holiday changes each year.
"Muslims celebrate the New Year in the Islamic lunar calendar as the date when Islamic religious expansion began," a first deputy chairman of Russia's mufti council, Damir Gizatullin, said.
Up to 30% of Russia's 142-million population are estimated to be Muslims.
