AmalKit
Browse tools

Islamic calendar

The 12 Islamic months, names, meanings and dates

The Hijri months in order, in Arabic and transliteration, with the meaning of each name and why it was given, the four sacred months, the key days in each, and the start dates for this year and next.

Today's Hijri date1448 AH

The current month is marked in the table below.

#MonthArabicMeaningStarts in 1448Starts in 1449
1Muharram SacredمُحَرَّمMade sacred, forbiddenTue 16 Jun 2026Sun 6 Jun 2027
2SafarصَفَرEmpty, or yellowWed 15 Jul 2026Mon 5 Jul 2027
3Rabi al-Awwalرَبِيع الأَوَّلThe first springFri 14 Aug 2026Tue 3 Aug 2027
4Rabi al-Thaniرَبِيع الآخِرThe second springSat 12 Sep 2026Thu 2 Sep 2027
5Jumada al-Ulaجُمَادَى الأُولَىThe first of the dry or frozen monthsMon 12 Oct 2026Fri 1 Oct 2027
6Jumada al-Akhirahجُمَادَى الآخِرَةThe last of the dry or frozen monthsWed 11 Nov 2026Sun 31 Oct 2027
7Rajab SacredرَجَبHonoured, reveredThu 10 Dec 2026Mon 29 Nov 2027
8ShabanشَعْبَانBranching out, spreadingSat 9 Jan 2027Wed 29 Dec 2027
9RamadanرَمَضَانIntense heatMon 8 Feb 2027Fri 28 Jan 2028
10ShawwalشَوَّالLifting, raisingTue 9 Mar 2027Sat 26 Feb 2028
11Dhul Qadah Sacredذُو القَعْدَةThe month of sittingThu 8 Apr 2027Mon 27 Mar 2028
12Dhul Hijjah Sacredذُو الحِجَّةThe month of HajjFri 7 May 2027Wed 26 Apr 2028

1448 AH runs from Tue 16 Jun 2026 to Sat 5 Jun 2027, and 1449 AH from Sun 6 Jun 2027 to Wed 24 May 2028. Dates follow the Umm al-Qura calendar. Local moon sighting can move a date by a day, so check with your masjid.

Month by month

Why each month has its name

01Muharram

مُحَرَّم

al-Muḥarram · also written Moharram

Made sacred, forbidden. Fighting was forbidden in it, as one of the four sacred months. The Prophet ﷺ called it "Allah's month, al-Muharram" and said its fasting is the best after Ramadan.

Sacred month

1448: Tue 16 Jun 2026 to Tue 14 Jul 2026, 29 days
1449: Sun 6 Jun 2027 to Sun 4 Jul 2027, 29 days

Source: Sahih Muslim 1163.

02Safar

صَفَر

Ṣafar · also written Safar ul Muzaffar

Empty, or yellow. Most say it is from sifr, empty: after the sacred months the houses emptied as people went out to travel and raid. Others link it to the yellowing of the land. The belief that Safar brings bad luck has no basis: the Prophet ﷺ said "there is no Safar".

1448: Wed 15 Jul 2026 to Thu 13 Aug 2026, 30 days
1449: Mon 5 Jul 2027 to Mon 2 Aug 2027, 29 days

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5757; Sahih Muslim 2220.

03Rabi al-Awwal

رَبِيع الأَوَّل

Rabīʿ al-Awwal · also written Rabi ul Awwal

The first spring. Named when it fell in spring, the season of grazing (rabi). The Prophet ﷺ was born in it, on a Monday, reached Madinah on the Hijrah in it, and passed away in it.

1448: Fri 14 Aug 2026 to Fri 11 Sep 2026, 29 days
1449: Tue 3 Aug 2027 to Wed 1 Sep 2027, 30 days

Source: Sahih Muslim 1162; Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah.

04Rabi al-Thani

رَبِيع الآخِر

Rabīʿ al-Thānī · also written Rabi al-Akhir, Rabi us Sani

The second spring. The second month of the spring season, when the name was given. It is also called Rabi al-Akhir, the last spring.

1448: Sat 12 Sep 2026 to Sun 11 Oct 2026, 30 days
1449: Thu 2 Sep 2027 to Thu 30 Sep 2027, 29 days

05Jumada al-Ula

جُمَادَى الأُولَى

Jumādā al-Ūlā · also written Jamadi ul Awwal

The first of the dry or frozen months. From jamad, to freeze or harden: it was named in a winter season when water froze, or when the land was dry and hard.

1448: Mon 12 Oct 2026 to Tue 10 Nov 2026, 30 days
1449: Fri 1 Oct 2027 to Sat 30 Oct 2027, 30 days

06Jumada al-Akhirah

جُمَادَى الآخِرَة

Jumādā al-Ākhirah · also written Jumada al-Thaniyah, Jamadi us Sani

The last of the dry or frozen months. The second of the two Jumada months, for the same reason as the first.

1448: Wed 11 Nov 2026 to Wed 9 Dec 2026, 29 days
1449: Sun 31 Oct 2027 to Sun 28 Nov 2027, 29 days

07Rajab

رَجَب

Rajab · also written Rajab ul Murajjab

Honoured, revered. From tarjib, to honour. The Arabs held it in awe and put down their weapons in it. It is the sacred month that stands alone, "Rajab of Mudar, between Jumada and Shaban".

Sacred month

1448: Thu 10 Dec 2026 to Fri 8 Jan 2027, 30 days
1449: Mon 29 Nov 2027 to Tue 28 Dec 2027, 30 days

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 4662.

08Shaban

شَعْبَان

Shaʿbān · also written Shaban ul Muazzam

Branching out, spreading. From tashaub, to spread out: after Rajab the tribes went their ways to look for water or to raid. The Prophet ﷺ fasted more in Shaban than in any month other than Ramadan.

1448: Sat 9 Jan 2027 to Sun 7 Feb 2027, 30 days
1449: Wed 29 Dec 2027 to Thu 27 Jan 2028, 30 days

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1969.

09Ramadan

رَمَضَان

Ramaḍān · also written Ramazan

Intense heat. From ramad, scorching heat: it was named when it fell in the hottest season. It is the only month named in the Quran, the month the Quran was sent down and the month of fasting.

1448: Mon 8 Feb 2027 to Mon 8 Mar 2027, 29 days
1449: Fri 28 Jan 2028 to Fri 25 Feb 2028, 29 days

Source: Quran 2:185.

10Shawwal

شَوَّال

Shawwāl · also written Shawal

Lifting, raising. From shala, to lift: it was the season when she-camels lifted their tails, carrying young and giving no milk. Some Arabs thought it unlucky for weddings; Aishah said the Prophet ﷺ married her in Shawwal, and asked which wife was dearer to him than she was.

1448: Tue 9 Mar 2027 to Wed 7 Apr 2027, 30 days
1449: Sat 26 Feb 2028 to Sun 26 Mar 2028, 30 days

Source: Sahih Muslim 1423.

11Dhul Qadah

ذُو القَعْدَة

Dhū al-Qaʿdah · also written Zil Qad, Dhul Qadah

The month of sitting. From qud, sitting: the Arabs sat at home, staying away from war and travel, as it is a sacred month. All the Prophet's ﷺ Umrahs were in Dhul Qadah except the one joined to his Hajj.

Sacred month

1448: Thu 8 Apr 2027 to Thu 6 May 2027, 29 days
1449: Mon 27 Mar 2028 to Tue 25 Apr 2028, 30 days

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1778.

12Dhul Hijjah

ذُو الحِجَّة

Dhū al-Ḥijjah · also written Zil Hajj, Dhul Hijjah

The month of Hajj. The month of the pilgrimage, and the last of the three sacred months in a row. Its first ten days are the best days of the year.

Sacred month

1448: Fri 7 May 2027 to Sat 5 Jun 2027, 30 days
1449: Wed 26 Apr 2028 to Wed 24 May 2028, 29 days

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 969.

Guide

The Islamic months, in short

The 12 Islamic (Hijri) months, in order, are Muharram, Safar, Rabi al-Awwal, Rabi al-Thani, Jumada al-Ula, Jumada al-Akhirah, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijjah. Each begins with the new crescent moon and lasts 29 or 30 days. Four of them are sacred: Dhul Qadah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًۭا فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌۭ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةًۭ كَمَا يُقَٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةًۭ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

Inna 'iddatash shuhoori 'indal laahis naa 'ashara shahran fee Kitaabil laahi yawma khalaqas samaawaati wal arda minhaaa arba'atun hurum; zaalikad deenul qaiyim; falaa tazlimoo feehinna anfusakum; wa qaatilul mushrikeena kaaaf fattan kamaa yuqaati loonakum kaaaffah; wa'lamooo annal laaha ma'al muttaqeen

"Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him]."

Quran 9:36, translation by Sahih International.

Where the names come from

The names are older than Islam. The Arabs gave them to the months, and most describe the season or what people did when the name was first given: spring for the two Rabi months, frozen or dry ground for the two Jumada months, scorching heat for Ramadan. Because the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, the months have long since moved away from those seasons, but the names stayed. Islam kept the names and the order, and kept the sacred months.

The four sacred months

Three come in a row, Dhul Qadah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram, around the Hajj, and one stands alone in the middle of the year, Rajab. The Prophet ﷺ named them in his sermon at the Farewell Hajj. Wrongdoing in them is graver and good deeds count for more. Read more in the four sacred months.

29 or 30 days, never 28 or 31

The Prophet ﷺ said: "The month is like this and like this", showing 29 days once and 30 the next.1 A month ends when the new crescent is seen after sunset on the 29th; if it is not seen, the month is completed as 30 days. That is why masjids that follow a local sighting can start a month a day after the Umm al-Qura calendar shown here.

Spelling and numbering

You will see many spellings, from the Arabic, Urdu and Turkish traditions: Rabi ul Awwal, Jamadi us Sani, Zil Hajj. They are the same months. The Hijri year counts from the Hijrah of the Prophet ﷺ to Madinah in 622 CE; the count was set under Umar ibn al-Khattab, who began the year with Muharram. For every day of the year with the Gregorian dates, see the Islamic calendar, and to convert one date, the Hijri date converter.

  1. Sahih al-Bukhari 1913, from Ibn Umar.
  2. Sahih al-Bukhari 969, 1778, 1969, 4662, 5757; Sahih Muslim 1162, 1163, 1423, 2220. Quran 2:185 and 9:36, translation by Sahih International.
  3. On the meanings of the names: Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-Arab; Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, on 9:36; al-Biruni, al-Athar al-Baqiyah. The reasons are what the lexicographers report, and some months have more than one explanation.
  4. Dates: the Umm al-Qura calendar, the same data as our Islamic calendar page.

Questions

Good to know

What are the 12 Islamic months in order?

Muharram, Safar, Rabi al-Awwal, Rabi al-Thani, Jumada al-Ula, Jumada al-Akhirah, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijjah.

Which are the four sacred months?

Dhul Qadah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab: the 11th, 12th, 1st and 7th months (Sahih al-Bukhari 4662).

How many days are in an Islamic month?

29 or 30, depending on when the new crescent is seen. A Hijri month is never 28 or 31 days.

What is the first month of the Islamic calendar?

Muharram. 1 Muharram 1449, the Islamic New Year, is expected on Sunday 6 June 2027 by the Umm al-Qura calendar.

What does Ramadan mean?

It comes from ramad, intense heat. The month was named when it fell in the hottest part of the year.

Why is it called the Hijri calendar?

Because the years are counted from the Hijrah, the Prophet's ﷺ emigration from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE.