Hijri Date Converter

Today's Islamic date, two-way Hijri ↔ Gregorian conversion, and a live countdown to Ramadan — based on the Umm al-Qura calendar.

How the Islamic calendar works

The Hijri calendar is purely lunar: 12 months of 29 or 30 days, about 354 days per year — 11 days shorter than the solar year. That's why Ramadan, Eid and Hajj arrive roughly 11 days earlier on the Gregorian calendar every year, cycling through all seasons over about 33 years. Years are counted from the Hijrah, the Prophet's ﷺ migration from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE.

This converter uses the Umm al-Qura calendar (the calculated calendar of Saudi Arabia) built into your browser. Traditional months begin with actual moon sighting, so local announcements can differ by ±1 day — always follow your local authority for religious observances.

Why Islamic dates shift each year

The Hijri calendar is purely lunar, with 12 months totalling about 354 days — roughly 11 days shorter than the 365-day solar year. That is why Ramadan, Eid and Hajj fall about 11 days earlier on the Gregorian calendar each year, gradually moving through all four seasons over a cycle of about 33 years.

Key dates in the Islamic year

Major dates include 1 Muharram (Islamic New Year), 10 Muharram (Ashura), 12 Rabi al-Awwal (Mawlid), the month of Ramadan (fasting), 1 Shawwal (Eid al-Fitr), and 10 Dhu al-Hijjah (Eid al-Adha, during Hajj). Use the converter above to find the Gregorian date of any of these for a given Hijri year.

Why two sources can show different Hijri dates

It is common to see calendars disagree by a day, and it is not an error — it reflects a genuine difference in method. Calculated calendars such as Umm al-Qura (used by Saudi Arabia and by this converter) determine months astronomically in advance, which makes them predictable and printable. Sighting-based calendars begin each month only when the new crescent is physically observed, so the date is confirmed on the evening itself.

Because a lunar month is about 29.53 days, months run either 29 or 30 days, and whether the crescent is visible depends on your longitude, the weather and how low the moon sits after sunset. Some countries follow local sighting, some follow Saudi announcements, and some use calculation. A one-day spread across regions is normal, particularly for Ramadan and the two Eids.

The practical rule: use a calculated date for planning, and your local mosque or authority for confirming when a month actually begins.

Converting between the calendars by hand

The Hijri year has roughly 354 days against the Gregorian 365, so the two drift by about 11 days a year — which is why Islamic dates move earlier through the seasons and complete a full cycle every 33 years.

A rough conversion: Hijri ≈ (Gregorian − 622) × 33 ÷ 32, and back the other way Gregorian ≈ Hijri × 32 ÷ 33 + 622. So 2026 CE is approximately 1448 AH. This is fine for identifying a year but not for a specific day, since it ignores where in the year you are — for exact dates use the converter above, which applies the Umm al-Qura tables.

Where Hijri dates matter in practice

Beyond religious observance, the Hijri calendar governs a number of everyday matters. Zakat is due after one full lunar year of holding wealth above the nisab — 354 days, not 365, so anyone using the Gregorian year pays slightly late. Many Gulf countries issue official documents, contracts and visas in Hijri dates, and some employment terms are counted in lunar years.

The 33-year cycle also has a quiet effect worth noting: because Ramadan moves through the seasons, fasting hours vary enormously over a lifetime — a summer Ramadan at high latitude can mean nineteen-hour fasts, while a winter one may be under ten. Someone who fasts for decades will experience both extremes.

Frequently asked questions