英语课程计划-The Islamic New Year

The Islamic New Year, Al-Hijra, is celebrated¹ by Muslims on the first day of the first month in the Islamic Calendar. This month is called Muharram. The exact day changes every year because the Islamic lunar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar (Western) year. This means that in 2008, there were two Islamic New Years – one on January 9th and another on December 29th. It also means that new year’s day for Muslims can be in the middle of winter or in the middle of summer. The exact date of the next Al-Hijra is not yet known. It is only predicted until there is a sighting of the new moon. Once that happens, governments in Islamic countries tell their citizens when the new year begins.

Al-Hijra is the time when the Islamic prophet² Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers³ moved from Mecca to Medina, where they set up the first Islamic state. This happened in 622AD. Islamic years use the suffix⁴ AH (After Hijra) which means the year 2008AD is the Islamic year 1429AH. For Muslims, Al-Hijra is more of a time for personal reflection⁵ than parties and celebrations. They think about how to leave behind the bad things from the previous year and move ahead to live a better life in the following year. It is, therefore, a time when people make new year resolutions. A recent trend during Al-Hijra is for people to exchange gifts and cards, although this has not spread throughout the Muslim world.

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 prophet   

n.预言家，先知，提倡者

参考例句：

• A prophet made a prophecy that the kingdom would fall.一位预言家预言那个王国将要灭亡。
• The pity is that you are not a prophet.可惜你不能未卜先知。

3 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

4 suffix   

n.后缀；vt.添后缀

参考例句：

• We add the suffix "ly" to make the adjective "quick" into the adverb " quickly ".我们在形容词“ quick”后加“ly” 构成副词“quickly”。
• It described the meaning of suffix array and also how to built it.它描述的含义，后缀数组以及如何建立它。

5 reflection   

n.映象，倒影；反射；反映；非议；深思

参考例句：

• The reflection of the sun on the glass wall was blinding.玻璃墙上反射的太阳光令人目眩。
• One can see the reflection of the tower in the water.塔的影子倒映在水中。