Muslims are celebrating the Islamic New Year, or Amon Jadid, on Tuesday January 31, 2006, which marks the start of Muharram 1, 1427 in the Islamic lunar calendar.

Muslims around the world are celebrating the new year with fasting, prayers, thanksgiving, food donations and accounting of earning during the past year to give out Zakat, or alms, to the poor.

Young Muslims exchanged text messages with New Years greetings for peace and prosperity, and many Islamic countries announced an official holiday to let Muslims celebrate with their family and friends.

The Islamic calendar turned to year 1427 when the new moon crescent appeared yesterday morning, marking the first day of Muharam.

The lunar calendar is called Hijrah, referring to the migration of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and other faithful Muslims from Medina to Mecca towards the end of the 6th century.

Enemies of Islam, mostly from the Quraysh tribe, had planned to kill the Prophet (PBUH) as he slept in his house, but he learnt of the plan and escaped the same night.

Muharram, which signifies the month when the holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), is the last of four months highly regarded in the Islamic calendar. The other three are Rajab, Dhul Kaada and Dhul Hijja.

No war was allowed to take place during the four months. Even if there was war, Muslims declared a truce in these months to prepare themselves to go to the holy city of Mecca to perform the Hajj, or the annual pilgrimage.

On the 10th of Muharram, many Sufi and Shia Muslims mourn the death of the Prophets grandson, Imam Hussein, who was killed at the Iraqi city of Karbala during a succession war after the death of his father.

The Islamic calendar was decreed by the Second Caliph and one of the companions of Omar bin Khattab.