Islamic Calendar, Hijri Monthly View with Key Dates
Interactive Islamic (Hijri) calendar with monthly view, Gregorian equivalents, and key Islamic dates including Ramadan, Eid, Hajj, and Ashura.
The Islamic (Hijri) calendar has 12 lunar months: Muharram, Safar, Rabi al-Awwal, Rabi al-Thani, Jumada al-Awwal, Jumada al-Thani, Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhu al-Qi'dah, and Dhu al-Hijjah. Four months, Muharram, Rajab, Dhu al-Qi'dah, and Dhu al-Hijjah, are sacred.
Browse the current Hijri year alongside Gregorian equivalents below.
Islamic Calendar, Dhul-Qa'dah 1447 AH
Dhul-Qa'dah 1447 AH
April 2026 – May 2026
Today's Hijri date
4 Dhul-Qa'dah 1447 AH
19 April 2026
How the Islamic Calendar Works
Most calendars you use, Gregorian, Chinese, Hindu, are either solar (tracking the earth around the sun) or lunisolar (adjusting a lunar calendar to match solar seasons). The Islamic calendar is purely lunar. No adjustment. No leap months. It follows the moon and lets the seasons drift.
Each month starts when the new crescent moon (hilal) is sighted after a new moon. That makes months either 29 or 30 days. Twelve months total 354 or 355 days, about 10-11 days shorter than a solar year. This is why Ramadan, Hajj, and every Islamic observance migrates through the Gregorian calendar, arriving roughly 10 days earlier each year.
This isn't a flaw, it's a feature. The Prophet (peace be upon him) received revelation in a desert environment where the moon was the most reliable timekeeping reference. And the drift means that Ramadan fasting passes through every season: long summer fasts in the UK (18+ hours) and short winter fasts (8-9 hours). Over a lifetime, every Muslim experiences both. That's equity built into the calendar itself.
The 12 Islamic Months
| # | Month | Arabic | Meaning | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muharram | مُحَرَّم | Forbidden | Sacred month. Ashura (10th), fasting expiates previous year's sins. Islamic New Year (1st). |
| 2 | Safar | صَفَر | Void / Empty | Pre-Islamic Arabs considered it unlucky; Islam rejects this superstition. Normal month. |
| 3 | Rabi al-Awwal | رَبِيع الأَوَّل | First Spring | Birth month of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (12th, most common view). Mawlid celebrations. |
| 4 | Rabi al-Thani | رَبِيع الثَّانِي | Second Spring | No major events. Good period for regular voluntary fasting. |
| 5 | Jumada al-Ula | جُمَادَى الأُولَى | First Freeze | Named for the winter season when it was first used. No specific observances. |
| 6 | Jumada al-Thani | جُمَادَى الثَّانِيَة | Second Freeze | No specific observances. Regular month. |
| 7 | Rajab | رَجَب | Respect / Honour | Sacred month. Isra and Mi'raj (27th), the Night Journey. Increased worship recommended. |
| 8 | Sha'ban | شَعْبَان | Scattered / Spread | Month before Ramadan. Prophet ﷺ fasted frequently. Shab-e-Barat (15th, observed by some). |
| 9 | Ramadan | رَمَضَان | Burning Heat | Month of obligatory fasting. Quran first revealed. Laylat al-Qadr in last 10 nights. |
| 10 | Shawwal | شَوَّال | Raised / Lifted | Eid al-Fitr (1st). Six voluntary fasts in Shawwal = reward of fasting the whole year. |
| 11 | Dhul-Qa'dah | ذُو القَعْدَة | The Sitting | Sacred month. One of the three consecutive sacred months. Preparation for Hajj. |
| 12 | Dhul-Hijjah | ذُو الحِجَّة | The Pilgrimage | Sacred month. Hajj (8th-12th). Day of Arafah (9th). Eid al-Adha (10th). Best 10 days of the year. |
Purple rows are the four sacred months (Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah). Green is Ramadan. The most spiritually intense period is the last 10 days of Ramadan through the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah, this stretch contains Laylat al-Qadr and the Day of Arafah, arguably the two most important days in the Islamic year.
Key Islamic Dates, Quick Reference
Islamic New Year
First day of the Hijri calendar. Not celebrated like Gregorian New Year, but a time for reflection and intention-setting.
Day of Ashura
Fasting recommended (9th + 10th or 10th + 11th). The Prophet ﷺ fasted this day. Expiates previous year's minor sins.
Mawlid al-Nabi
Birth of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Celebrated in many Muslim communities; some scholars consider celebrations a later innovation.
Isra and Mi'raj
Night Journey from Makkah to Jerusalem and ascension through the heavens. The five daily prayers were prescribed.
Start of Ramadan
Beginning of the obligatory month-long fast from dawn to sunset. Increased prayer, Quran recitation, and charity.
Laylat al-Qadr
Night of Power, better than 1,000 months. Seek it on odd nights (21, 23, 25, 27, 29). I'tikaf (retreat) in the mosque.
Eid al-Fitr
Festival marking end of Ramadan. Eid prayer, zakat al-fitr, family gatherings, gifts. Fasting is haram on this day.
Best 10 Days
The Prophet ﷺ said no good deeds are more beloved to Allah than in these days. Extra fasting, dhikr, and charity.
Day of Arafah
The greatest day of the year. Fasting expiates sins of previous AND coming year. Hajj pilgrims stand at Arafah.
Eid al-Adha
Festival of Sacrifice. Eid prayer, Qurbani (animal sacrifice), distributing meat to poor and neighbours.
Moon Sighting vs Astronomical Calculation
This is the single biggest source of confusion in the Muslim community every Ramadan. "Why does my mosque start Ramadan on a different day to my neighbour's?" The answer lies in two different, and both valid, approaches to determining the start of each month.
Moon Sighting (Ru'yah)
The traditional method. The new month begins when a reliable witness physically sees the crescent moon after sunset. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it" (Bukhari 1909). This can result in different start dates for different cities or countries, since cloud cover, latitude, and atmospheric conditions affect visibility.
Used by: HMC (UK), many local mosques, some countries
Astronomical Calculation (Hisab)
Uses mathematical models to predict exactly when the new crescent moon will be visible. Provides consistent, advance dates. Supporters argue this is more practical and that the Prophet's instruction assumed sighting was the best available method, calculation is now more accurate. The Umm al-Qura calendar (Saudi Arabia's official calendar) uses this method.
Used by: Saudi Arabia (Umm al-Qura), ISNA, many organisations
Neither side is "wrong." The disagreement is a scholarly one with legitimate evidence on both sides. This calendar uses the Umm al-Qura algorithm, but actual dates in your community may differ by 1-2 days. For important dates (start/end of Ramadan, Eid), always confirm with your local mosque or Islamic authority.
Practical Tips for Using the Islamic Calendar
Set zakat reminders by Hijri date
Your zakat is due on the same Hijri date each year (one lunar year after your wealth first exceeded nisab). Use this calendar to track the exact date rather than approximating with Gregorian dates.
Plan Ramadan a year ahead
Since Ramadan moves ~10 days earlier each Gregorian year, you can predict the approximate dates well in advance. Useful for booking annual leave from work in the UK, US, Canada, or Australia.
Mark the voluntary fasting days
Monday and Thursday every week, 13th/14th/15th of each Hijri month (Ayyam al-Bid), 6 days of Shawwal, Day of Arafah, Day of Ashura. This calendar helps you track them.
Use both calendars simultaneously
Most Muslim-majority countries publish dual calendars. In the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, keeping both on your phone ensures you never miss an Islamic date while staying on top of work and school schedules.
Related Islamic Tools
Hijri Date Converter
Convert any date between Hijri and Gregorian calendars
Prayer Time Calculator
Accurate salah times for your location
Ramadan Timetable
Full month Suhoor and Iftar times for Ramadan
Dua Collection
Authentic duas for every occasion in the Islamic year
Zakat Calculator
Calculate your annual zakat, track due dates with the Hijri calendar
99 Names of Allah
Learn the divine names, perfect for the sacred months
Sources
- Quran 9:36, "Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months"
- Sahih Bukhari 1909, "Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it"
- Sahih Muslim 1162, Fasting on the Day of Ashura
- Sahih Muslim 1348, The virtue of the Day of Arafah
- Umm al-Qura Calendar, Official calendar of Saudi Arabia
- Kuwaiti algorithm, Mathematical Hijri-Gregorian conversion
How to use this tool
View the current Hijri month with Gregorian date equivalents for each day
Navigate between months to plan ahead for Ramadan, Eid, Hajj, and other key dates
Check the events panel to see important Islamic dates in the current month
Common uses
- Tracking Ramadan start and end dates
- Planning for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
- Identifying fasting days (Ashura, Arafah, Monday/Thursday)
- Hajj date planning
- Zakat due date tracking (annual Hijri anniversary)
- Understanding the Islamic lunar calendar system
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