Today's Hijri date
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The Islamic day begins at sunset, so after sunset the Hijri date may already be one day ahead in some places. Convert any other date with our Hijri to Gregorian converter.
See today's Islamic date on its own page, with a Hijri to Gregorian converter.
The 12 Islamic months in order
The Islamic calendar has twelve months, each beginning with the new crescent moon. A month lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on when the moon is seen or calculated. The table below lists the months in order, with the Arabic name, the meaning usually given for the name, and what each month is best known for.
| No. | Month | Arabic | Meaning of the name | Days | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muharram | مُحَرَّم | Forbidden or sacred | 29 or 30 | Islamic New Year on the 1st and the Day of Ashura on the 10th. A sacred month. |
| 2 | Safar | صَفَر | Empty or yellow | 29 or 30 | No fixed observance. |
| 3 | Rabi' al-Awwal | رَبِيع الأَوَّل | First spring | 29 or 30 | The month in which the Prophet's birth is traditionally placed. Many Muslims commemorate it, others do not. |
| 4 | Rabi' al-Thani | رَبِيع الثَّانِي | Second spring | 29 or 30 | No fixed observance. |
| 5 | Jumada al-Ula | جُمَادَىٰ الأُولَىٰ | First of the dry season | 29 or 30 | No fixed observance. |
| 6 | Jumada al-Thani | جُمَادَىٰ الآخِرَة | Second of the dry season | 29 or 30 | No fixed observance. |
| 7 | Rajab | رَجَب | To revere | 29 or 30 | A sacred month. Many Muslims remember the Night Journey and Ascension (Isra and Mi'raj) in this month. |
| 8 | Sha'ban | شَعْبَان | To spread out | 29 or 30 | The month before Ramadan, when many Muslims fast extra voluntary days. |
| 9 | Ramadan | رَمَضَان | Scorching heat | 29 or 30 | The month of fasting, and of Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power. |
| 10 | Shawwal | شَوَّال | To lift | 29 or 30 | Eid al-Fitr on the 1st. Many Muslims fast six extra days after Eid. |
| 11 | Dhul Qi'dah | ذُو القَعْدَة | The one of rest | 29 or 30 | A sacred month, just before the Hajj season. |
| 12 | Dhul Hijjah | ذُو الحِجَّة | The one of pilgrimage | 29 or 30 | The Hajj, the Day of Arafah on the 9th and Eid al-Adha on the 10th. A sacred month. |
The four sacred months
Four of the twelve months are known as the sacred months: Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qi'dah and Dhul Hijjah. The Qur'an mentions the four sacred months in Surat at-Tawbah, and they were already respected as months of peace before Islam. Muslims honour them by taking extra care to avoid wrongdoing, and many choose to increase their worship, fasting and charity in these months.
Islamic Calendar 2026: When Each Month Begins
This table shows when each Islamic month begins in 2026, calculated with the Umm al-Qura calendar. A Hijri year does not match a Gregorian year, so the list can cover two Hijri years. Real start dates depend on moon sighting and can differ by a day. For today's date, see our Islamic date today page.
| Islamic month | First day | Days in the month |
|---|---|---|
| Sha'ban 1447 | Tuesday, 20 January 2026 | 29 |
| Ramadan 1447 | Wednesday, 18 February 2026 | 30 |
| Shawwal 1447 | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 29 |
| Dhul Qi'dah 1447 | Saturday, 18 April 2026 | 30 |
| Dhul Hijjah 1447 | Monday, 18 May 2026 | 29 |
| Muharram 1448 | Tuesday, 16 June 2026 | 29 |
| Safar 1448 | Wednesday, 15 July 2026 | 30 |
| Rabi' al-Awwal 1448 | Friday, 14 August 2026 | 29 |
| Rabi' al-Thani 1448 | Saturday, 12 September 2026 | 30 |
| Jumada al-Ula 1448 | Monday, 12 October 2026 | 30 |
| Jumada al-Thani 1448 | Wednesday, 11 November 2026 | 29 |
| Rajab 1448 | Thursday, 10 December 2026 | 30 |
Key dates in the Islamic year
These are the key dates in the Islamic year, based on the lunar Hijri calendar. They shift about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year. For their expected Gregorian dates this year and next, see the Islamic holidays guide.
Islamic New Year
1 Muharram
Day of Ashura
10 Muharram
Mawlid an-Nabi (Prophet's Birthday)
12 Rabi' al-Awwal
Isra and Mi'raj (Night Journey)
27 Rajab
Laylat al-Bara'ah (Night of Forgiveness)
15 Sha'ban
Beginning of Ramadan
1 Ramadan
Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree)
Last 10 Nights of Ramadan
Eid al-Fitr
1 Shawwal
Day of Arafah
9 Dhul Hijjah
Eid al-Adha
10 Dhul Hijjah
How the Hijri calendar works
Lunar-based system
The Islamic calendar follows the moon's phases. Each month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon (hilal), making it approximately 354 or 355 days per year, about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar calendar.
Zakat on savings also follows the lunar year: it becomes due once wealth above the nisab has been held for a full Hijri year, which you can work out with our zakat calculator.
Year one, the Hijra
The calendar begins from the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE. This event was chosen by the Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab as the starting point because it marked the birth of the first Muslim community.
Moon sighting vs calculation
There is scholarly discussion on whether months should begin based on physical moon sighting or astronomical calculation. Both methods have classical support. This is why Ramadan and Eid dates sometimes differ by a day between communities. To turn any Gregorian date into a Hijri date, use our Islamic date today page, which includes a converter.
Islamic Calendar FAQ
What are the Islamic months in order?
The 12 Islamic months in order are Muharram, Safar, Rabi' al-Awwal, Rabi' al-Thani, Jumada al-Ula, Jumada al-Thani, Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qi'dah and Dhul Hijjah. Each begins with the new crescent moon and lasts 29 or 30 days. Muharram is the first month and Dhul Hijjah is the last.
Which Islamic months are sacred?
Four months are known as sacred: Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qi'dah and Dhul Hijjah. The Qur'an mentions them, and fighting was traditionally forbidden in them. Many Muslims take extra care to avoid wrongdoing in these months and choose to increase worship, fasting and charity, although the months have no fixed ritual of their own.
How many days are in an Islamic month and year?
An Islamic month has 29 or 30 days, depending on when the new moon is sighted or calculated. Twelve months make a year of about 354 or 355 days. This is roughly 11 days shorter than a Gregorian year, so the Islamic months move earlier through the seasons each year.
What is the first month of the Islamic calendar?
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar, and the Islamic New Year falls on its first day. The calendar counts from the Hijra, the Prophet's migration to Madinah. The new year has no fixed rituals, and many Muslims mark it quietly with reflection, prayer and, on the tenth day, voluntary fasting.
How do I find out which Islamic month it is now?
The quickest way is to check today's date on our Islamic date today page, which shows the current Hijri day, month and year and updates automatically. Remember that moon sighting can make the start of a month differ by a day between countries and mosques, so follow your own community's announcement for worship.
How many months are in the Islamic calendar?
The Islamic calendar has 12 months, from Muharram to Dhul Hijjah, as the Qur'an states in Surah at-Tawbah (9:36). Each month begins with the new crescent moon and lasts 29 or 30 days. The table of the 12 Hijri months in order above lists every month with its Arabic name and meaning.
Which Islamic month is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, coming after Sha'ban and before Shawwal. Muslims fast from dawn to sunset throughout the month, and it ends with Eid al-Fitr on 1 Shawwal. Because the calendar is lunar, Ramadan starts about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year; the month start dates table shows when it begins.
Why does the Islamic calendar have only 354 or 355 days?
Each Islamic month follows one cycle of the moon, which takes about 29.5 days, so months last either 29 or 30 days. Twelve of them add up to 354 or 355 days. The calendar does not add an extra month to keep pace with the sun, so it runs about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year.
Which are the four sacred months?
The four sacred months are Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qi'dah and Dhul Hijjah. The Qur'an (9:36) says four months are sacred, and the Prophet named them in a hadith reported by al-Bukhari. Fighting was forbidden in them, and many scholars teach that good deeds carry greater reward and wrongdoing is graver during these months.
What is the difference between the Hijri and Gregorian calendars?
The Gregorian calendar is solar: its 365 or 366 days follow the earth's orbit around the sun, so each date stays in the same season. The Hijri calendar is lunar, with 354 or 355 days, and counts its years from the Hijra in 622 CE. As a result, Hijri dates move through the seasons, falling about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year.
Is the Islamic calendar the same in every country?
No. Every country uses the same 12 months, but the start of each month can differ by a day or more. Saudi Arabia's Umm al-Qura calendar is calculated in advance, while many countries and mosques wait for a local sighting of the crescent moon or follow another country's announcement. For Ramadan and Eid, check with your local mosque.
"Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the register of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred." Qur'an 9:36
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