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Saudi Arabia Switches From Islamic Calendar to Jesus Birth Date-Based Gregorian
Christian Post ^ | December 17, 2016 | ANUGRAH KUMAR

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.


TOPICS: Catholic; Islam; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: calendar; christendom; energy; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; gregoriancalendar; hydrocarbons; maga; mohammedbinsalman; muslimworld; opec; saudiarabia
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1 posted on 12/18/2016 2:56:48 PM PST by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...

Catholic ping!


2 posted on 12/18/2016 2:57:46 PM PST by NYer (Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them. Mt 6:19)
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To: NYer

Must be a trick.


3 posted on 12/18/2016 2:58:03 PM PST by Scrambler Bob (LOTS of /s)
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To: NYer
Allah forbids it!"

4 posted on 12/18/2016 3:00:53 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: NYer

Trying to curry favor with Trump? Buzz off, Saudis!


5 posted on 12/18/2016 3:01:13 PM PST by miss marmelstein
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To: NYer

The true “god” of Saudi Arabia is not Allah, but the almighty Dollar.


6 posted on 12/18/2016 3:01:30 PM PST by SolidWood
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To: BenLurkin

Not this time.


7 posted on 12/18/2016 3:02:27 PM PST by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: NYer

The rags will still kill us. Long live the Crusades.


8 posted on 12/18/2016 3:02:57 PM PST by max americana (For the 9th time FIRED LIBERALS from our company at this election, and every election since 2008)
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To: NYer

fewer paid holidays from work? the workers will revolt.


9 posted on 12/18/2016 3:03:17 PM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: NYer

I’m not getting tired of winning.


10 posted on 12/18/2016 3:03:40 PM PST by Celerity
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To: NYer

Ahhhhh too bad....reality bites doesn’t it?


11 posted on 12/18/2016 3:06:11 PM PST by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: NYer

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.


12 posted on 12/18/2016 3:08:26 PM PST by House Atreides (Send BOTH Hillary & Bill to prison.)
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To: NYer

Is this an admission that they are officially 2016.9 years behind the rest of civilization?


13 posted on 12/18/2016 3:24:30 PM PST by Delta 21 (Patiently waiting for the jack booted kick at my door.)
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To: NYer

Had we nuked Mecca and Medina on 9/12/01, their calendar would only be in its 16th year.


14 posted on 12/18/2016 3:27:59 PM PST by exit82 (Making America Great Again begins with........me.)
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To: BenLurkin

ROFL!!! Thanks, I needed a good laugh today.


15 posted on 12/18/2016 3:30:09 PM PST by NYer (Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them. Mt 6:19)
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To: NYer

Creepy, sneaky Wahhabists trying to improve their image with the hated kaffir.


16 posted on 12/18/2016 3:47:54 PM PST by Helvan
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To: NYer

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.


17 posted on 12/18/2016 3:57:35 PM PST by Parmy (II don't know how to past the images.)
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To: NYer

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.


18 posted on 12/18/2016 4:05:34 PM PST by jmcenanly ("The more corrupt the state, the more laws." Tacitus, Publius Cornelius)
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To: House Atreides

I’ll bet that they wish that they had back all the money which they contributed to the Clinton Foundation, eh?


19 posted on 12/18/2016 4:12:20 PM PST by Vigilanteman (ObaMao: Fake America, Fake Messiah, Fake Black man. How many fakes can you fit into one Zer0?)
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To: GreyFriar

The workersvwill prolly emmigrate to germany or france & never worry about working again.


20 posted on 12/18/2016 4:24:10 PM PST by thinden
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