What is the Islamic Calendar?
The Islamic calendar, known as the Hijri calendar (Arabic: التقويم الهجري, At-Taqwim Al-Hijri), is a purely lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is the official calendar of Islam and is used by Muslims worldwide to determine the dates of religious observances, including Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the Day of Ashura, and the Islamic New Year.
Unlike the Gregorian solar calendar which tracks the Earth’s orbit around the sun, the Islamic calendar is based on the phases of the moon. Each new month begins with the sighting of the crescent moon (hilal), making the Islamic calendar approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar each year.
“They ask you about the new moons. Say: They are measurements of time for the people
and for Hajj.” – Quran 2:189
Islamic Hijri Calendar
A complete Islamic calendar showing the current Hijri date, Islamic months, important occasions, sacred months and the significance of the Hijri calendar in Muslim life.
Hijri Monthly Calendar
The current Hijri month and today's Hijri date are automatically highlighted.
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The 12 Islamic Months
The Hijri calendar contains twelve lunar months.
What is the Hijri Calendar?
🌙 Lunar Calendar
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar based on the cycles of the moon. A Hijri year normally has 354 or 355 days.
🕌 Religious Dates
Muslims use the Hijri calendar to determine important religious occasions including Ramadan, Eid, Hajj, Ashura and the Islamic New Year.
📅 Twelve Months
The Islamic year consists of twelve months. Some months have 29 days and others have 30 days.
Surah Al-Baqarah — 2:189
اسلامی ہجری کیلنڈر
ہجری کیلنڈر مسلمانوں کے لیے کیوں اہم ہے؟
اسلامی یا ہجری کیلنڈر مسلمانوں کی مذہبی زندگی میں ایک اہم مقام رکھتا ہے۔ یہ چاند کی گردش پر مبنی قمری کیلنڈر ہے جس میں بارہ اسلامی مہینے شامل ہیں۔
رمضان المبارک، عید الفطر، حج، عید الاضحیٰ، عاشورہ، محرم الحرام اور دیگر اہم اسلامی مواقع کی تاریخیں ہجری کیلنڈر کے مطابق معلوم کی جاتی ہیں۔
ہر اسلامی مہینے کا آغاز نئے چاند کی رویت سے متعلق ہوتا ہے۔ اسی وجہ سے مختلف علاقوں میں مقامی چاند دیکھنے کے طریقے کے مطابق تاریخ میں ایک دن کا فرق ہو سکتا ہے۔
The Four Sacred Months
Islam gives special status to four months of the Hijri year.
Muharram
The first month of the Islamic year and one of the four sacred months.
Rajab
The seventh month of the Islamic calendar and one of the four sacred months.
Dhul-Qadah
The eleventh month and one of the sacred months.
Dhul-Hijjah
The twelfth month, containing the major days of Hajj and Eid al-Adha.
Important Islamic Occasions
Ramadan
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the month in which Muslims observe fasting.
Eid al-Fitr
Celebrated on the first day of Shawwal after the completion of Ramadan.
Hajj
The major pilgrimage takes place during the month of Dhul-Hijjah.
Eid al-Adha
Celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah.
Ashura
Observed on the 10th of Muharram.
Islamic New Year
Begins with the first day of Muharram.
History of the Hijri Calendar
The Hijri era takes its starting point from the Hijrah, the migration of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions from Makkah to Madinah.
During the caliphate of Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه, the Hijri era was adopted as the basis for Islamic dating and administration.
The Hijri calendar therefore connects Islamic dates with an important event in the history of the Muslim community.
How Does the Hijri Calendar Work?
1. Moon
Islamic months are connected with the lunar cycle.
2. New Month
A new Hijri month is traditionally associated with the sighting of the new crescent.
3. 29 or 30 Days
A lunar month generally consists of 29 or 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the date update automatically?
Yes. The JavaScript reads the current date automatically, so you do not need to change the date manually every day.
Is the calendar using Pakistan time?
Yes. The code uses the Asia/Karachi timezone so the displayed date is based on Pakistan time.
Why can the Hijri date be one day different?
Hijri dates can vary between calculated calendars and local moon-sighting decisions. This calendar provides a calculated Hijri reference.
Which calendar calculation is used?
Modern browsers can provide the Islamic Umm al-Qura calendar through JavaScript's internationalization API. The code uses that as its calculated reference.
This online calendar provides a calculated Hijri date for reference. Islamic dates may differ by one day depending on local moon sighting and official religious announcements. For fasting, Eid, Hajj-related dates and other acts of worship, Muslims should follow the relevant local or official moon-sighting announcement.