The Hijri (Islamic) calendar is a lunar calendar used across the Muslim world for religious observances, cultural events, and historical records. This guide explains how it works and how to convert dates using ToolWeb's free Hijri Date Converter.
🌙 What is the Hijri Calendar?
The Hijri calendar marks its year 1 from the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is a purely lunar calendar:
- 12 months in each year
- 354 or 355 days per year (10–11 days shorter than the Gregorian year)
- Each month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon
- Months alternate between 29 and 30 days
📅 The 12 Months of the Hijri Calendar
- Muharram — the sacred month, marks the Islamic New Year
- Safar
- Rabi al-Awwal — birth month of the Prophet Muhammad
- Rabi al-Thani
- Jumada al-Awwal
- Jumada al-Thani
- Rajab — one of the four sacred months
- Sha'ban — the month before Ramadan
- Ramadan — the month of fasting, the holiest month
- Shawwal — begins with Eid al-Fitr
- Dhu al-Qi'dah — another sacred month
- Dhu al-Hijjah — the month of Hajj, ends with Eid al-Adha
🔄 Hijri vs. Gregorian Calendar
Key differences between the two calendar systems:
- Year length: Hijri year = ~354 days, Gregorian = 365.25 days
- Drift: The Hijri calendar drifts about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year
- Result: Ramadan, Eid, and Hajj rotate through all seasons over a 33-year cycle
- Current year: 2026 CE = 1447–1448 AH (Anno Hegirae)
💡 Tip: Because of the 11-day annual drift, Ramadan moves earlier by about 11 days each year on the Gregorian calendar.
🕌 Key Islamic Dates in 2026 (1447–1448 AH)
- Ramadan 2026: Expected to begin around February 17, 2026 (exact date depends on moon sighting)
- Eid al-Fitr 2026: Around March 19–20, 2026
- Eid al-Adha 2026: Around May 27, 2026
- Islamic New Year 1448 AH: Around June 26, 2026
⚠️ Note: These dates are estimates based on astronomical calculations. Official dates depend on the actual moon sighting in each country.
🌍 Which Countries Use the Hijri Calendar?
The Hijri calendar is used for religious purposes in all Muslim-majority countries. It is the official civil calendar in:
- Saudi Arabia (alongside the Gregorian calendar in business)
- Iran uses the Solar Hijri calendar (a different system)
- Afghanistan (Solar Hijri)
All other Muslim-majority countries use the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes while using the Hijri calendar for religious observations.
🔢 How to Convert Hijri to Gregorian Dates
Manual conversion is complex due to the leap year rules and the varying start of each month. The easiest way is to use ToolWeb's Hijri Date Converter — simply enter any date in either calendar and get the instant equivalent.
For reference, the approximate formula is:
- Gregorian year ≈ Hijri year × 0.97 + 622
- Hijri year ≈ (Gregorian year − 622) × 1.031
🌙 Convert Hijri Dates Instantly
Use ToolWeb's free Hijri Date Converter — convert any date between the Islamic Hijri calendar and the Gregorian calendar instantly. No sign-up needed.
🌙 Open Hijri Converter