About the Hijri calendar
The Hijri (Islamic) calendar is a lunar calendar of 12 months. Its years are counted from the Hijra, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, and are written with "AH" (anno Hegirae). Each month begins with a new crescent moon and lasts 29 or 30 days, so a Hijri year has 354 or 355 days, about 11 days fewer than a solar year. That is why Ramadan moves earlier through the seasons by roughly 11 days every year.
The twelve months
| # | Month | # | Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muharram | 7 | Rajab |
| 2 | Safar | 8 | Shaʻban |
| 3 | Rabiʻ al-Awwal | 9 | Ramadan |
| 4 | Rabiʻ al-Thani | 10 | Shawwal |
| 5 | Jumada al-Ula | 11 | Dhu al-Qaʻdah |
| 6 | Jumada al-Akhirah | 12 | Dhu al-Hijjah |
Which calculation does this converter use?
This converter uses the Umm al-Qura calendar, the official calendar of Saudi Arabia, which is calculated from astronomical data and published in advance. It is widely used for planning, and it is the calendar built into most modern browsers and operating systems.
For religious purposes, many communities start Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha on the basis of an actual moon sighting or their own national calendar. The real start of a month can therefore differ by a day (occasionally two) from the calculated date here. Follow the announcement of your local religious authority.
Worked examples
- 5 October 2026 = 24 Rabiʻ al-Thani 1448 AH.
- 1 Ramadan 1448 AH falls on 8 February 2027 in the Umm al-Qura calendar, and 1 Shawwal 1448 (Eid al-Fitr) on 9 March 2027.
- 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH (Eid al-Adha) was 27 May 2026.
Converting by hand: a rough rule
Because 33 Hijri years are almost exactly 32 solar years, a quick estimate is:
Gregorian year ≈ Hijri year × 0.970224 + 621.57
Hijri year ≈ (Gregorian year − 621.57) ÷ 0.970224
This only gives the year approximately; for the exact day, use the converter.
Practical uses
- Planning for Ramadan, Eid and Hajj, and for fasting days such as Ayyam al-Bid (13th–15th of each month).
- Dates in Islamic finance, zakat (due after one Hijri year, the haul) and inheritance documents.
- Reading historical documents and official papers that use Hijri dates.
Key dates in 1448 AH (Umm al-Qura)
| Occasion | Hijri date | Gregorian date |
|---|---|---|
| Islamic New Year | 1 Muharram 1448 | 16 June 2026 |
| Mawlid (observed by many) | 12 Rabiʻ al-Awwal 1448 | 25 August 2026 |
| Isra and Miʻraj (commonly observed) | 27 Rajab 1448 | 5 January 2027 |
| First day of Ramadan | 1 Ramadan 1448 | 8 February 2027 |
| 27th night of Ramadan (begins the evening before) | 27 Ramadan 1448 | 6 March 2027 |
| Eid al-Fitr | 1 Shawwal 1448 | 9 March 2027 |
| Day of ʻArafah | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 | 15 May 2027 |
| Eid al-Adha | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 | 16 May 2027 |
| Islamic New Year 1449 | 1 Muharram 1449 | 6 June 2027 |
These are calculated Umm al-Qura dates. The dates actually observed in your country may be one day earlier or later, depending on the local moon-sighting decision.
When does an Islamic day begin?
In the Islamic calendar a new day begins at sunset, not at midnight. The night before a date belongs to that date: the first tarawih prayer of Ramadan is held on the evening before the first fast, and "the night of the 27th" begins on the evening of the 26th. Converters, including this one, show the daytime Gregorian date.
Ayyam al-Bid (the white days)
Many Muslims fast voluntarily on the 13th, 14th and 15th of each Hijri month, when the moon is full. Convert those three dates of the month you want to know to find the Gregorian days.
Frequently asked questions
What is today's Hijri date?
Open the converter: it starts with today's date and shows the Umm al-Qura Hijri date. Your local moon-sighting authority may differ by a day.
Why is a Hijri year shorter?
It follows 12 lunar months of 29 or 30 days, about 354 days in total, 11 fewer than the solar year.
When is Ramadan 2027?
By the Umm al-Qura calendar, 1 Ramadan 1448 AH is 8 February 2027, but the actual start depends on the moon sighting announced locally.
Why can my local Islamic calendar be one day different?
Calculated calendars like Umm al-Qura and actual crescent sightings in different countries can start a month on different days.
When is Eid al-Adha 2027?
By the Umm al-Qura calendar, 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 is 16 May 2027. Local announcements can differ by a day.
When does a Hijri day start?
At sunset. The evening before a Gregorian date already belongs to the next Hijri day.
What is the current Hijri year?
1448 AH began on 16 June 2026 and 1449 AH begins on 6 June 2027 (Umm al-Qura).
Sources
- Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia (as implemented in the Unicode CLDR / ECMAScript Intl 'islamic-umalqura' calendar).
- Unicode Common Locale Data Repository (CLDR): calendar data for the Islamic calendars.
Last reviewed 5 October 2026. Results are estimates; see our disclaimer.