UPSC Prelims 2004 Q67: Art & Culture – Festivals, Crafts & Folk Traditions
Consider the following statements:
1. The Islamic Calendar is twelve days shorter than the Gregorian Calendar
2. The Islamic Calendar began in AD 632
3. The Gregorian Calendar is a solar calendar
Which of these statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2
- (c) 1 and 3
- (d) 3 only
Answer: (d) 3 only
Explanation
Islamic and Gregorian calendars
| Statement | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 1. Islamic calendar twelve days shorter | False: it is about ten to eleven days shorter than the solar year |
| 2. Islamic calendar began in AD 632 | False: it began in AD 622, the year of the Hijra |
| 3. Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar | True |
Only statement 3 is correct. The Islamic calendar is lunar, begins in AD 622 and is about 10-11 days shorter than the solar year.
Answer: (d) 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The difference is about 11 days, not 12.
- (b) Incorrect. The Islamic calendar began in AD 622, not 632.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 1 is wrong because the difference is about 11 days.
- (d) CORRECT. Only statement 3 is correct.
Key point
Hijri year: 354 days; Gregorian: 365 days; Hijri era from 622 AD.
Remember
The Islamic calendar began in AD 622 and is lunar.
Common mistakes
- Mixing the year of the Hijra (622) with the Prophet's death (632).
- Quoting the difference as twelve days.
- Forgetting that the Gregorian calendar is solar.
Exam tip
Islamic calendar is lunar; the year starts from the Hijra of 622 AD.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition (Brill) — Ta'rikh: the Hijra calendar
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Islamic calendar