How the Hijri calendar works
The Islamic (Hijri) calendar is lunar. It has 12 months of 29 or 30 days, starting with Muharram and including Ramadan, the month of fasting, so a year is about 354 days. The count starts from the Hijra in 622 CE. Because it is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, Ramadan and Eid move earlier each year.
This converter uses the Umm al-Qura calendar built into your browser. In countries that follow local moon sighting, such as Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, the month usually begins a day after Saudi Arabia. Choose Local sighting, one day later to shift all dates by one day as a typical estimate.
Tips
- Treat future Ramadan and Eid dates as estimates until the moon is sighted.
- Pick your Zakat date on a fixed Hijri day, such as 1 Ramadan, and use the Zakat calculator.
- Check daily prayer times for your city.
Frequently asked questions
Why can the Hijri date in my country differ from Saudi Arabia?
Hijri months start with the sighting of the new moon. Some countries rely on their own moon sighting, which often happens a day after Saudi Arabia's announcement, so their dates are frequently one day behind. Others follow Saudi Arabia or astronomical calculation.
How many days are in a Hijri month?
Either 29 or 30, depending on when the new crescent is seen. A Hijri year is about 354 days, roughly 11 days shorter than a Gregorian year.
How accurate is the converter?
It is accurate for the Umm al-Qura calendar. Use the one-day-later option to approximate a local moon sighting, and confirm Ramadan and Eid dates with the official announcement.
Can I convert a Hijri date to Gregorian?
Yes. Use the second converter, choose the Hijri year, month and day, and it shows the matching Gregorian date and weekday.