The Hijri calendar is the Islamic lunar calendar used by Muslims around the world to determine the dates of Ramadan, Eid, Hajj and other acts of worship.
It begins from the Hijrah, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE.
Allah says: “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” (At-Tawbah 9:36).
This guide explains the origin of the Hijri calendar, its twelve months and their significance, the four sacred months, how the lunar calendar works, moon sighting, why Islamic dates move through the seasons and how to use the calendar in daily life.
Origin of the Hijri Calendar
Before Islam, the Arabs used lunar months but did not have a unified year count. They often referred to years by major events, such as the Year of the Elephant.
During the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), around 17 years after the Hijrah, a need arose for official dates on letters and documents. Umar consulted the companions.
Suggestions included dating from the Prophet’s birth, the beginning of revelation or his death.
Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) suggested the Hijrah, and the companions agreed, because the Hijrah marked the separation between truth and falsehood and the establishment of the Muslim community.
They chose Muharram as the first month, because it was the month in which people returned from Hajj and because the decision to migrate followed the pledge of Aqabah at the end of Dhul-Hijjah.
Year 1 AH (Anno Hegirae, “in the year of the Hijrah”) began in 622 CE.
The Twelve Months
| No. | Month | Meaning / significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muharram | “Sacred”; the Day of Ashura on the 10th |
| 2 | Safar | Associated with emptiness; pre-Islamic superstitions about it were rejected |
| 3 | Rabi’ al-Awwal | “First spring”; the Prophet ﷺ was born and passed away in this month |
| 4 | Rabi’ ath-Thani | “Second spring” |
| 5 | Jumada al-Ula | First month of dryness |
| 6 | Jumada al-Akhirah | Second month of dryness |
| 7 | Rajab | Sacred month |
| 8 | Sha’ban | The Prophet ﷺ fasted much of it |
| 9 | Ramadan | Month of fasting and the Quran |
| 10 | Shawwal | Eid al-Fitr on the 1st; six days of fasting |
| 11 | Dhul-Qa’dah | Sacred month |
| 12 | Dhul-Hijjah | Sacred month of Hajj; Eid al-Adha on the 10th |
The Four Sacred Months
The sacred months are Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa’dah and Dhul-Hijjah.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive, Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab of Mudar, which comes between Jumada and Sha’ban” (Bukhari and Muslim).
Allah says: “So do not wrong yourselves during them” (9:36). Scholars explain that sins in these months are more serious and good deeds are more rewarded.
Fighting was forbidden in them except in self-defence.
Important Dates in the Hijri Year
- 1 Muharram: Islamic New Year.
- 10 Muharram (Ashura): The Prophet ﷺ fasted it, saying it expiates the sins of the previous year (Muslim), and recommended fasting the 9th as well.
- Ramadan: obligatory fasting; Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights.
- 1 Shawwal: Eid al-Fitr.
- 1-10 Dhul-Hijjah: the best days of the year: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days” (Bukhari).
- 9 Dhul-Hijjah: Day of Arafah; fasting it expiates two years of sins for non-pilgrims (Muslim).
- 10 Dhul-Hijjah: Eid al-Adha.
- 13, 14, 15 of every month: the “White Days” (Ayyam al-Bid), recommended for fasting.
How the Lunar Calendar Works
Each Hijri month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon (hilal) after sunset. A lunar month is about 29.5 days, so months are either 29 or 30 days.
A Hijri year has about 354 or 355 days, roughly 11 days shorter than the solar Gregorian year of 365 days.
Allah says: “They ask you about the new moons. Say: They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj” (Al-Baqarah 2:189).
No intercalation
Before Islam, some Arabs added or shifted months (nasi’) to manipulate the sacred months. The Quran forbade this: “Indeed, the postponing is an increase in disbelief” (9:37).
In his Farewell Sermon, the Prophet ﷺ declared that time had returned to its original form.
Why Islamic Dates Move Through the Seasons
Because the Hijri year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan and other dates move earlier each Gregorian year by about 11 days.
Over approximately 33 years, Ramadan passes through every season.
This has wisdom: Muslims in every part of the world experience fasting in long summer days and short winter days over their lifetimes, so no region is permanently favoured or burdened.
Moon Sighting
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Fast when you see it (the crescent) and break your fast when you see it. If it is hidden from you, complete the count of Sha’ban as thirty days” (Bukhari and Muslim).
Different approaches today
- Local sighting: each region follows its own sighting.
- Global or regional sighting: following a reliable sighting anywhere, or in a particular region.
- Following Saudi Arabia or another authority.
- Astronomical calculation: some use calculations to determine when the crescent is visible.
Scholars have differed on these issues, and Muslims are encouraged to follow their local scholarly authority and maintain unity in their community.
Converting Between Hijri and Gregorian
A rough formula to estimate the Gregorian year from a Hijri year:
Gregorian year ≈ (Hijri year × 0.97) + 622
For example, 1448 AH × 0.97 = 1404.6, plus 622 = 2026.6, so 1448 AH falls mostly in 2026-2027 CE.
For exact dates, use a reliable Hijri calendar or your local mosque’s timetable, as moon sighting can shift dates by a day.
The Hijrah: Why It Marks Time
The Hijrah was not only a journey from one city to another. It marked:
- The founding of the first Muslim state in Madinah.
- Brotherhood between the Muhajirun and Ansar.
- Freedom to practise Islam openly.
- The beginning of the spread of Islam beyond Arabia.
By counting years from the Hijrah, Muslims remember each year that faith may require sacrifice and that Allah brings victory after hardship.
Using the Hijri Calendar in Daily Life
- Know the current Hijri date: many phone apps and mosque timetables show it.
- Fast the White Days each month.
- Plan worship around key seasons: the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, Ashura, Ramadan.
- Calculate zakat using a lunar year, as most scholars require.
- Observe the sacred months with extra care to avoid sins.
- Teach children the names of the months with songs and charts.
- Look for the crescent at the start of each month and say the du’a.
Du’a on seeing the new moon
“Allahumma ahillahu ‘alayna bil-yumni wal-iman, was-salamati wal-islam, rabbi wa rabbukallah” (O Allah, bring it upon us with blessing, faith, safety and Islam. My Lord and your Lord is Allah) (Tirmidhi).
A Month-by-Month Worship Guide
The Hijri calendar is not only a way of counting days; it is a map of worship. Here is how a believer can make use of each month:
Muharram
Called “the month of Allah” by the Prophet ﷺ: “The best fasting after Ramadan is the month of Allah, Muharram” (Muslim).
Fast Ashura on the 10th together with the 9th, and reflect on the story of Musa’s rescue from Pharaoh, which Ashura commemorates.
Safar
The Prophet ﷺ rejected the pre-Islamic belief that Safar was unlucky: “There is no contagion (without Allah’s will), no bad omen, no hamah and no Safar” (Bukhari).
Use this month to correct superstitions and strengthen tawakkul.
Rabi’ al-Awwal
The month of the Prophet’s birth and of the Hijrah’s arrival in Madinah.
It is a good time to study the seerah, increase salawat on the Prophet ﷺ and teach children about his life and character.
Rabi’ ath-Thani, Jumada al-Ula and Jumada al-Akhirah
Ordinary months that are ideal for building steady habits: daily Quran reading, the White Days fasts and Monday and Thursday fasting.
Rajab
A sacred month in which sins are graver. Avoid wrongdoing and begin preparing spiritually for Ramadan.
Sha’ban
Aisha (RA) said she never saw the Prophet ﷺ fast more in any month other than Ramadan than in Sha’ban (Bukhari). He explained that deeds are raised to Allah in this month.
Make up missed Ramadan fasts and increase voluntary fasting and Quran recitation.
Ramadan
The month of the Quran, fasting, night prayer, charity and Laylat al-Qadr. Plan your goals before it arrives.
Shawwal
Celebrate Eid al-Fitr, then fast six days: “Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted for a lifetime” (Muslim).
Dhul-Qa’dah
A sacred month in which pilgrims travel for Hajj and the Prophet ﷺ performed all his Umrahs except the one with his Hajj.
Dhul-Hijjah
The first ten days are the best days of the year. Increase takbir, tahlil and tahmid, fast the Day of Arafah, offer the udhiyah and celebrate Eid al-Adha.
The Islamic Day Begins at Maghrib
In the Hijri system, the day begins at sunset, not midnight.
This is why the first night of Ramadan’s Taraweeh is prayed on the evening before the first fast, and why Laylat al-Qadr is the night before the day of the odd date.
Understanding this prevents confusion when counting special nights.
Teaching the Hijri Months to Children
- Hang a wall chart showing both Hijri and Gregorian dates.
- Mark Islamic events with colours.
- Let children watch for the crescent at sunset with you.
- Teach a simple chant with the twelve month names.
- Connect each month to a story: Musa in Muharram, the Prophet’s birth in Rabi’ al-Awwal, Ramadan and the first revelation, Ibrahim in Dhul-Hijjah.
A Four-Week Plan to Apply What You Learned About hijri calendar
Knowledge sticks when it is turned into a routine. Here is a simple four-week plan to build on this guide.
- Week one: Re-read this article slowly and write down the three points that were newest to you. Share one of them with a family member, because explaining an idea is one of the best ways to understand it.
- Week two: Connect the topic to your daily Quran reading. Each day, look for one verse or phrase in your portion that relates to hijri calendar, and note it in a small notebook.
- Week three: Ask questions. Bring anything that is still unclear to a qualified teacher, and correct any misunderstanding before it becomes a habit.
- Week four: Review your notebook, choose one practical change and commit to it for the next month. Small, consistent actions are more beloved to Allah than large efforts that do not last.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are small.”
Apply that principle here, and this topic will become part of your life rather than something you read once and forgot.
A Reminder of Time
Each new crescent reminds the believer that life is passing month by month. Use the start of each Hijri month to review your goals and renew your intentions.
Many families keep a small notebook in which they write one spiritual goal for each Hijri month, such as completing a portion of the Quran, fasting the White Days or visiting a relative.
Reviewing it at the next crescent builds steady growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Hijri calendar begin?
It counts from the Hijrah in 622 CE and was officially adopted under Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA).
How many days are in a Hijri year?
About 354 or 355 days.
What are the sacred months?
Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa’dah and Dhul-Hijjah.
Why does Ramadan come earlier every year?
The lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year.
How does a new Islamic month begin?
With the sighting of the new crescent moon after sunset.
Final Thoughts
The Hijri calendar connects Muslims to the moon, to the seasons of worship and to the defining moment of the Hijrah.
Living by it keeps the heart aware of Ramadan, Hajj, the sacred months and the blessed days throughout the year.
Look up at the crescent at the start of the next month, say the du’a and plan one act of worship for the month ahead.
Plan a year of Quran learning.