New Bahraini Hijri calendar 1438 issued

Manama, Oct. 5 (BNA): The Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments has issued the annual Bahraini Calendar for the new Hijri year 1438. The move is in line with the directive of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as well as the directives of the government led by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier. Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry Undersecretary Dr. Farid bin Yaqoob Al Meftah said the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah Al Khalifa had directed to print the Bahraini calendar (parietal, desktop and notebook) which is issued annually at the outset of the new Hijri year, in line with the directives of HM the King who has accorded special care to Hijri timings and months since his accession to the throne in 1999. Dr. Al Meftah added that the royal directive to adopt the Bahraini calendar aim to ensure accuracy of prayer times and lunar months. As a matter of fact, he noted, a High Committee for Bahraini Calendar was set up under the chairmanship of President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Shaikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Khalifa. The committee comprises in its membership a number of specialised religious clerics from the Sunni and Jafari endowments as well as specialised teachers in astronomy from the University of Bahrain. The Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry Undersecretary pointed out that the committee had relied in its work on the unified Islamic calendar criteria endorsed at the meeting of the Muslim World League which convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He affirmed that the issuance of the Bahraini calendar is a new achievement for HM the King as it put an end to differences found in other calendars concerning prayer times.