Posted on 12/18/2016 2:56:48 PM PST by NYer
The Islamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has switched from the lunar-based Islamic calendar, which starts with the emigration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, to the "Western" Gregorian calendar, named after Pope Gregory XIII and based on Jesus Christ's birth.
The decision, taken during a recent cabinet session chaired by King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, is an austerity measure to deal with its budget deficit, according to reports, which say the drop in crude oil prices beginning 2014 has hit the world's top oil exporter hard.
The Muslim calendar, also known as Hijri, loses some 11 days a year so that Islamic holy days rotate around the seasons every 32 years, according to Gulf News, which also said the move will lead to civil servants losing 11 days of payment with salary days being cut. Earlier, only the private sector used the Gregorian calendar of its oil customers to calculate salaries.
The measure, which involves many other cost cutting measures, came into effect in October.
The salaries of ministers have been cut by 20 percent, and those of Shura Council members by 15 percent. Government employees will not get annual bonus for a year, and the renewal or extension of existing contracts will not include any salary increases.
Further, annual holidays for ministers will also be reduced from 42 to 36 days.
About 75 percent of budget revenues and as much as 90 percent of export earnings in Saudi Arabia come from the oil industry. The kingdom is highly dependent on foreign work force with about 80 percent of those employed in the private sector being non-Saudi.
Saudi Arabia claims that all its citizens are Muslim, mostly Sunni. According to some estimates, about 1.5 million Christians, mostly foreigners, live in Saudi Arabia.
Wahhabism, which is described as "ultraconservative," is the dominant form of Islam adhered to in the kingdom.
Catholic ping!
Must be a trick.
Trying to curry favor with Trump? Buzz off, Saudis!
The true “god” of Saudi Arabia is not Allah, but the almighty Dollar.
Not this time.
The rags will still kill us. Long live the Crusades.
fewer paid holidays from work? the workers will revolt.
I’m not getting tired of winning.
Ahhhhh too bad....reality bites doesn’t it?
I guess the Saudis have their priorities... I see nothing in the article about the Saudis cutting back on the regular “gratuities” to John McCain, Little Lindsay Graham and their collection of ‘RAT compadres.
Is this an admission that they are officially 2016.9 years behind the rest of civilization?
Had we nuked Mecca and Medina on 9/12/01, their calendar would only be in its 16th year.
ROFL!!! Thanks, I needed a good laugh today.
Creepy, sneaky Wahhabists trying to improve their image with the hated kaffir.
Of course, we can now say loudly ‘Merry Christmas’. So, it should follow that the Saudis should get rid to the old, irrelevant calendar. The Trump ‘effect’ go on.
Most of the rest of the world uses either a solar calendar, or a lunar calendar that makes adjustments to a solar calendar. That is why Hannukah always arrives in December, Yom Kippur in the fall, while Ramadan can come at any time.
I’ll bet that they wish that they had back all the money which they contributed to the Clinton Foundation, eh?
The workersvwill prolly emmigrate to germany or france & never worry about working again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.