What is the Hijri date?
The Hijri date comes from the Islamic lunar calendar, which starts from the Prophet's migration from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE. A Hijri year has twelve lunar months, and each month begins with the new crescent.
Muslims use it to set Ramadan, Hajj and the two Eids, and Saudi Arabia uses it in official procedures alongside the Gregorian calendar.
How to read the Hijri calendar
In the calendar above, the large number is the Hijri day and the small one underneath is the matching Gregorian day. Today is highlighted in green and the Friday column has its own colour. Use the arrows to move through any month between 1318 and 1500 AH.
The Hijri months in order
These are the twelve Hijri months from the start of the year. The four sacred months are Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.
- 1. Muharram
- 2. Safar
- 3. Rabi' al-Awwal
- 4. Rabi' al-Thani
- 5. Jumada al-Awwal
- 6. Jumada al-Thani
- 7. Rajab
- 8. Sha'ban
- 9. Ramadan
- 10. Shawwal
- 11. Dhu al-Qi'dah
- 12. Dhu al-Hijjah
How many days are in a Hijri month?
A Hijri month has 29 or 30 days. In the Umm al-Qura calendar the length of each month is fixed in advance by astronomical calculation, which is why some months in the calendar above end on 29 and others on 30.
When does the Hijri day begin?
In religious terms the Hijri day begins at sunset. For civil and official use the date changes at midnight Saudi time, and that is the date this page shows.
Well-known Hijri occasions
These fall on fixed Hijri dates. Their Gregorian dates change every year:
- Islamic New Year: 1 Muharram
- Day of Ashura: 10 Muharram
- Start of Ramadan: 1 Ramadan
- Eid al-Fitr: 1 Shawwal
- Day of Arafah: 9 Dhu al-Hijjah
- Eid al-Adha: 10 Dhu al-Hijjah
Umm al-Qura vs. moon sighting
Umm al-Qura is calculated astronomically and known years ahead, while moon sighting depends on looking for the crescent on the evening of the 29th. That is why Ramadan, Shawwal or Dhu al-Hijjah can be announced a day apart from the calendar. For an exact religious date, rely on the official announcement.