jumada al-thani
LowFormal, Religious, Academic
Definition
Meaning
The sixth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar.
It is a month in the Islamic lunar calendar, traditionally associated with dry, parched earth, following Jumada al-Awwal. In pre-Islamic times, the name referenced the hardness of the ground during this season. It has no specific religious events like Ramadan or Hajj.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in Islamic contexts. Often appears in historical, religious, or diplomatic documents. The month's name is fixed and does not carry metaphorical meaning in English.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference. Both varieties use the term in identical contexts (Islamic calendar, historical texts).
Connotations
Neutral, purely referential to a time period within a specific cultural/religious system.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, encountered only in specialized contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The treaty was signed IN [Jumada al-Thani].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. May appear in contracts or communications with parties using the Hijri calendar.
Academic
Used in historical, religious studies, and Middle Eastern studies texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used in general conversation outside Muslim communities discussing Islamic dates.
Technical
Used in astronomy for lunar calendar calculations and in religious scholarship.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The Jumada al-Thani dates correspond to late spring this year.
American English
- The document bears a Jumada al-Thani date.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The event is in Jumada al-Thani.
- According to the Hijri calendar, Ramadan is followed by Shawwal, Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar, Rabi' al-Awwal, Rabi' al-Thani, Jumada al-Awwal, and then Jumada al-Thani.
- The peace accord, dated 15 Jumada al-Thani 1342 AH, was a turning point in the region's modern history.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'JUNE is often dry, and Jumada is the dry month.' Both start with 'Ju'. Jumada al-Thani is the second of the two 'dry' months.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CYCLE (part of a recurring lunar calendar); DRYNESS/ HARSHNESS (etymological link to frozen or dry ground).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'Июнь' (June). It is a lunar month that shifts through the Gregorian seasons.
- Avoid interpreting 'al-Thani' (the second) as relating to a sequence of events; it means 'the second Jumada'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'Jumada al-Thani' or 'Jumada al-Tani'.
- Capitalizing incorrectly, e.g., 'jumada Al-thani'.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'two Jumadas').
Practice
Quiz
What is Jumada al-Thani?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not among the sacred months (Muharram, Rajab, Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah) in Islam and has no specific mandated religious observances.
'al-' is like 'ull' in 'dull'. 'Thani' is pronounced 'THAH-nee', with the 'TH' as in 'think' and the stress on the first syllable.
It derives from an Arabic root related to freezing or dryness, referring to the time of year when water would freeze or the ground was hard and dry in the pre-Islamic Arabian context.
As a lunar month, its Gregorian dates vary each year. In 2025, it is projected to begin around November 29th, but this is subject to the sighting of the moon.