![]() ![]() Postponement ( NasÄ«â) of one ritual in a particular circumstance does not imply alteration of the sequence of months, and scholars agree that this did not happen. Some sources say that the Arabs followed the Jewish practice and intercalated seven months over nineteen years, or else that they intercalated nine months over 24 years there is, however, no consensus among scholars on this issue. The Jewish Nasi was the official who decided when to intercalate the Jewish calendar. The Arabs, according to one explanation mentioned by Abu Ma'shar, learned of this type of intercalation from the Jews. This interpretation considers NasÄ«â to be a synonym to the Arabic word for 'intercalation' ( kabÄ«sa). This interpretation was first proposed by the medieval Muslim astrologer and astronomer Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi, and later by al-Biruni, al-Mas'udi, and some western scholars. Others concur that it was originally a lunar calendar, but suggest that about 200 years before the Hijra it was transformed into a lunisolar calendar containing an intercalary month added from time to time to keep the pilgrimage within the season of the year when merchandise was most abundant.
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