Today's Hijri Date
Gregorian: Oct 1, 2026
Islamic Year
1448 AH
Current Month
Rabiʻ II
Current Day
20
How the Islamic Calendar Works
The Hijri calendar, also known as the Islamic calendar, is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to determine the proper days of Islamic holidays and rituals, such as the annual period of fasting and the proper time for the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is solar-based, the Hijri calendar relies on the sighting of the moon to determine the start of a new month. Because a lunar year is about 11 days shorter than a solar year, Islamic holidays shift slightly each year relative to the Gregorian calendar.
The calendar began in 622 CE, the year of the Hijra—the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. Years are denoted by "AH" (Anno Hegirae), which means "in the year of the Hijra."
Months Comparison
| Gregorian Month | Hijri Month | Days | Approx. Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Muharram | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| February | Safar | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| March | Rabi' al-Awwal | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| April | Rabi' al-Thani | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| May | Jumada al-Awwal | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| June | Jumada al-Thani | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| July | Rajab | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| August | Sha'ban | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| September | Ramadan | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| October | Shawwal | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| November | Dhu al-Qi'dah | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
| December | Dhu al-Hijjah | 29 or 30 | Varies yearly |
Hijri Calendar FAQs
Today's Hijri date is displayed at the top of the page. The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar used in Islamic tradition. Today's date in the Islamic calendar is Hijri Date: 20 Rabiʻ II 1448. You can use the converter tool to check any Gregorian date's corresponding Hijri date.
The current Islamic year is 1448. The Islamic calendar started in 622 CE (Common Era) with the Hijra (migration of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina). Each Islamic year is approximately 354-355 days long, making it about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year.
Ramadan dates vary each year because the Islamic calendar is lunar-based. In 2026, Ramadan is expected to begin around late August or early September (Gregorian calendar). The exact date depends on the sighting of the new moon. Use our Hijri calendar converter to check the precise dates for any year.
The Hijri calendar is a purely lunar calendar with 12 months of 29 or 30 days each. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, it doesn't account for the solar year, so Islamic dates shift approximately 11 days earlier each Gregorian year. This means Ramadan and other Islamic holidays occur at different times each year in the Gregorian calendar.
The Gregorian calendar is solar-based (365.25 days per year), while the Hijri calendar is lunar-based (354-355 days per year). The Gregorian calendar is used internationally for civil purposes, while the Hijri calendar is used for Islamic religious observances and in some Muslim-majority countries. The Hijri year is about 11 days shorter, causing Islamic holidays to shift earlier each Gregorian year.