Hello everybody,
Just now I noticed something strange on the Libyan coins from 2001/2004/2009 which also has the dates 1369/1372/1377 on them, I guess this must be 1422/1425/1430??
Do I overlook something on a dumb way, or is this a mistake or what. Any explanation will be highly appreciated.
Yvon
Krause indicates that Libya is now using an "MD" calendar system, but does not explain what the MD stands for, or the basis of the calendar. Since the date is approximately 632 less than the AD date, it appears to be a solar calendar, but not counting from Mohammed's Flight to Medina (622 AD).
Let’s take another look at that date “1369”. Not mentioned by the Libyan bank’s site is the text adjacent to the date digits “1369” on the obverse of the coin. That short piece of Arabic text reads as min wafat ar-rasul, which translates as “from the death of the prophet”. Libya has recently moved away from using the “AH” (Anno Hegirae) dating as used in most of the Arab world and as seen on many coins of those countries. Libya now uses a dating system that is solar years since the death of the prophet Mohammed (8th June 632AD), where as the “AH” system is lunar years since the prophet Mohammed fled from Mecca. In Libya’s new dating system the year “1369” as seen on this new coin equates to the year 2001/2002AD (having started in June 2001AD).
Quote: "halfdisme"Note that it is a solar calendar; AH is a lunar calendar.
It might just as well be a lunar calendar, couldn't it?
Ole
At least so far as the AH (lunar) calendar is concerned, there are fewer days in the year (354 vs. 365 1/4). That is why "New Year's Day" (so to speak) is on a different day (of the AD calendar) each year.
yes, I know the principles of that, but how do you connect that to Mohammed's death year and a solar calendar? You might just as well use lunar years from then on.....
Ole
Quote: "Sjoelund"Hi,
yes, I know the principles of that, but how do you connect that to Mohammed's death year and a solar calendar? You might just as well use lunar years from then on.....
Ole
Because the difference in the AD and MD dates was exactly 632 years, and the 632 was identified as the year of Mohammed's death, then both had to be on solar years.
