Hijri Date Today
Today's date in the Islamic (Hijri) calendar plus a free Gregorian ↔ Hijri converter. Includes this month's grid with Hijri day numbers overlaid and all 12 Hijri months explained.
Live Hijri date converter
What is the Hijri calendar?
The Hijri calendar (also called the Islamic calendar) is a lunar calendar used by Muslims worldwide to date religious events , Ramadan, Eid, Hajj , and to mark the year. It has 12 lunar months and approximately 354 days, about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar year.
The calendar begins counting from the year of the Hijra , the migration of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. Years are marked with AH (Anno Hegirae / After Hijrah), the Islamic equivalent of AD/CE. So 1447 AH corresponds roughly to 2025-2026 CE.
Because the lunar year is shorter, Hijri dates shift ~11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar every year. Over a 33-year cycle, Ramadan moves through every season , you may fast in summer one decade and in winter the next.
The 12 Hijri Months
Each month is 29 or 30 days long. Four months , Muharram, Rajab, Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah , are considered sacred (al-Ashhur al-Hurum) in which warfare is traditionally forbidden.
Muharram“Forbidden”
One of the four sacred months. Includes the 10th , Ashura , historically the day Moses (Musa) and the Israelites were saved.
Safar“Empty / void”
Pre-Islamic Arabia: the month homes were left empty as people went on raids. Holds no specific Islamic ritual.
Rabi al-Awwal“The first spring”
Includes the 12th , observed by many as Mawlid an-Nabi, the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ birthday.
Rabi al-Thani“The second spring”
Also called Rabi al-Akhir. No specific Islamic observance.
Jumada al-Awwal“First of the frozen”
Named for the dry / frozen period in pre-Islamic Arabia. Also called Jumada al-Ula.
Jumada al-Thani“Second of the frozen”
Also called Jumada al-Akhirah.
Rajab“To respect”
Sacred month. The 27th night is observed by many as Laylat al-Mi'raj , the Prophet's ﷺ Night Journey.
Sha'ban“Scattered”
The 15th , Mid-Sha'ban , is observed by some Muslims as a night of prayer (Laylat al-Bara'ah).
Ramadan“Scorching heat”
The month of fasting. Includes Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree) in the last 10 nights.
Shawwal“Raised”
The 1st , Eid al-Fitr , celebrates the end of Ramadan fasting.
Dhu al-Qi'dah“The one of truce / sitting”
Sacred month. Pre-Islamic Arabs refrained from war during it.
Dhu al-Hijjah“The one of pilgrimage”
The month of Hajj. Includes 9 Dhu al-Hijjah (Day of Arafah) and 10 Dhu al-Hijjah (Eid al-Adha).
How Hijri month starts are determined
Traditionally, the start of each Hijri month is marked by the sighting of the new crescent moon (rūyat al-hilāl) after sunset. Because moon visibility depends on local atmospheric conditions and observer latitude, neighboring countries can begin the same month on different days. Two main approaches exist today:
- Sighting-based (Hilāl): A trusted council verifies the moon sighting and announces the new month. Used in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Morocco, and many local communities.
- Astronomical calculation (Umm al-Qura):Saudi Arabia's official method, also used in the UAE and broadly by Saudi-aligned institutions worldwide. Based on the predicted moon position over Mecca.
This converter uses Umm al-Quraby default because it's reproducible and widely accepted. If your local mosque announces a date differing by one day, that's normal , both are valid.
Major Islamic Dates Coming Up
| Event | Hijri | Gregorian (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| Islamic New Year (1 Muharram 1448) | 1 Muharram 1448 | ~June 26, 2026 |
| Day of Ashura | 10 Muharram 1448 | ~July 5, 2026 |
| Mawlid an-Nabi | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1448 | ~Aug 26, 2026 |
| Ramadan 2027 begins | 1 Ramadan 1448 | ~Feb 7, 2027 |
| Eid al-Fitr 2027 | 1 Shawwal 1448 | ~Mar 9, 2027 |
| Day of Arafah | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 | ~May 16, 2027 |
| Eid al-Adha 2027 | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 | ~May 17, 2027 |
All dates approximate , actual observance depends on moon sighting in your country.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is today's Hijri date?▼
Today's Hijri date is shown at the top of this page, calculated using the Umm al-Qura calendar (the official method of Saudi Arabia and widely used worldwide). The Hijri date is in the format DD Month YYYY AH (After Hijrah). Note that other countries may observe the date one day earlier or later based on local moon sighting.
What is the Hijri calendar?▼
The Hijri (or Islamic) calendar is a lunar calendar of 12 months and approximately 354 days, about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar year. It begins counting from 622 CE, the year of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina. Months begin with the sighting of the new crescent moon and are 29 or 30 days long.
Why does the Hijri date shift each year?▼
Because the lunar year (~354 days) is about 11 days shorter than the solar year (365.25 days), all Hijri dates shift earlier in the Gregorian calendar by ~11 days each year. This is why Ramadan, Eid, and Hajj cycle through every season over a ~33-year period instead of staying in a fixed Gregorian month.
What is AH?▼
AH stands for 'After Hijrah' (Latin: Anno Hegirae). It marks years since 1 Muharram in the year of the Prophet's ﷺ migration to Medina, which corresponds to July 622 CE. So 1447 AH ≈ 2025-2026 CE. The era is the Islamic equivalent of the Gregorian AD/CE.
Why is the Hijri date sometimes different in my country?▼
Two reasons. (1) The traditional method requires actual moon sighting (rūyat al-hilāl), which depends on local visibility and can shift the month start by one day. (2) Different calculation methods exist: Umm al-Qura (Saudi astronomical) vs ICOOP (Australia/Europe) vs local national committees. Saudi Arabia, the US, and most Gulf states use Umm al-Qura. Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India often rely on local sighting.
How are Hijri month names pronounced?▼
Approximate pronunciations: Muharram (moo-HAR-ram), Safar (SAH-far), Rabi al-Awwal (ra-BEE al-AH-wal), Rabi al-Thani (ra-BEE al-THAH-nee), Jumada al-Awwal (joo-MAH-da al-AH-wal), Jumada al-Thani, Rajab (RAH-jab), Sha'ban (SHAH-bahn), Ramadan (RAH-ma-dan), Shawwal (shah-WAHL), Dhu al-Qi'dah (zoo al-QEE-da), Dhu al-Hijjah (zoo al-HIJ-ja).
Are all Hijri months 30 days?▼
No. Hijri months alternate between 29 and 30 days based on the lunar cycle (the new moon appears every ~29.53 days). On average a Hijri year has 354 days, but in leap years (11 out of every 30) it has 355. Specific month lengths vary year to year.
When was 1 AH?▼
1 Muharram 1 AH corresponds to 16 July 622 CE (Julian), the year of the Hijra, the Prophet's ﷺ migration from Mecca to Medina. The Islamic calendar was formally established as a dating system about 17 years later by Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab.