Hijri Calendar Converter — Free Online Date Conversion Tool

How to Use the Hijri Calendar Converter

1. Choose the conversion direction: The toggle switch at the top lets you choose between two modes. When the toggle is off (default), the converter takes a Gregorian date and produces the Hijri equivalent. When the toggle is on, it accepts a Hijri date and converts it to Gregorian. The label updates to show the current mode so you always know which calendar system you are entering.
2. Select the month: Use the dropdown to choose the month. In Gregorian mode, you see January through December with their standard numbering. In Hijri mode, you see all 12 Islamic months by their Arabic names: Muharram, Safar, Rabi al-Awwal, Rabi al-Thani, Jumada al-Ula, Jumada al-Thani, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qadah, and Dhul Hijjah.
3. Enter the day and year: Type the day of the month in the Day field. Gregorian months have up to 31 days, while Hijri months alternate between 29 and 30 days. Enter the year in the Year field. For Gregorian dates, any year from 622 CE onward is valid. For Hijri dates, enter the year in AH (Anno Hegirae), with 1447-1448 AH corresponding to most of 2026 CE.
4. View the converted date: The results panel on the right immediately displays both the Gregorian and Hijri dates side by side. The Hijri date includes the full month name, day number, year, and the AH suffix. Below the main display, you can see the individual components (Hijri day, month name and number, year) for easy reference.

This converter uses the Tabular Islamic Calendar algorithm, a widely accepted computational method. Actual observed Hijri dates based on moon sighting may differ by 1-2 days. For religious observances, confirm dates with your local Islamic authority.

How the Hijri Calendar Conversion Works

The conversion between Gregorian and Hijri dates uses a three-step process: converting the source date to a Julian Day Number (JDN), then converting the JDN to the target calendar system. The Julian Day Number serves as a universal intermediary that allows precise conversion between any two calendar systems.

Key Concepts Explained

• Julian Day Number (JDN): A continuous count of days since the beginning of the Julian Period on January 1, 4713 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar. It provides a unique integer for every day in history, making it an ideal intermediary for calendar conversions. The JDN for January 1, 2000 CE is 2,451,545.
• Tabular Islamic Calendar: A mathematical calendar where odd-numbered months have 30 days and even-numbered months have 29 days, with the 12th month (Dhul Hijjah) having 30 days in leap years. The leap year cycle follows a 30-year pattern with 11 leap years. This produces a predictable and computable calendar, unlike the observational calendar which depends on actual moon sighting.
• Hijri Epoch: The Islamic calendar begins on 1 Muharram 1 AH, which corresponds to approximately July 16, 622 CE in the Gregorian calendar (proleptic). This date marks the Hijra, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Makkah to Madinah, one of the most significant events in Islamic history.
• Lunar vs Solar Year: The Hijri year is purely lunar, based on 12 lunar months averaging 29.53 days each, totaling approximately 354.37 days. The Gregorian year is solar, based on Earth's orbit around the Sun at approximately 365.25 days. This difference of about 10.875 days per year causes Hijri dates to "drift" earlier through the Gregorian calendar, completing a full cycle every 33 Gregorian years.

Step-by-Step Example

Convert February 20, 2026 CE to the Hijri calendar:

1. Calculate the Julian Day Number for February 20, 2026: Using the Gregorian-to-JDN formula, JDN = 2,461,427 (approximately)
2. Apply the JDN-to-Hijri conversion: Using the tabular algorithm with the JDN
3. Extract Hijri date components: Year = 1447 AH, Month = 8 (Shaban), Day = approximately 22
4. Format the result: 22 Shaban 1447 AH

So February 20, 2026 CE corresponds to approximately 22 Shaban 1447 AH in the Tabular Islamic Calendar. The actual observed date may differ by 1-2 days depending on moon sighting in your region. Shaban is the 8th month of the Islamic calendar, the month preceding Ramadan.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Amina Planning for Ramadan 2026

Amina wants to know when Ramadan 1447 begins on the Gregorian calendar to plan her work schedule and meal preparation. She switches the converter to Hijri-to-Gregorian mode and enters 1 Ramadan 1447:

• Input: Hijri-to-Gregorian mode
• Hijri month: Ramadan (9th month)
• Hijri day: 1
• Hijri year: 1447 AH
• Result: Approximately late February / early March 2026 CE

Amina now knows the approximate start of Ramadan and can request time off work for the first few days, plan her grocery shopping for suhoor and iftar ingredients, and notify her employer about potential schedule adjustments. She notes that the exact start date will depend on moon sighting in her region, so she keeps 2-3 days flexible in her planning.

Example 2: Khalid Recording His Child's Birth in Both Calendars

Khalid's daughter was born on March 15, 2026 and he wants to record her birthdate in the Hijri calendar as well. He enters the Gregorian date in the converter:

• Input: Gregorian-to-Hijri mode
• Gregorian month: March
• Gregorian day: 15
• Gregorian year: 2026
• Result: The corresponding Hijri date with month name and year in AH

Khalid records both dates in his family records. He plans to celebrate her birthday on both calendars, noting that the Hijri birthday will fall on a different Gregorian date each year because the Hijri calendar shifts approximately 11 days earlier annually. By the time his daughter turns 33 Hijri years old, her Hijri birthday will have cycled through all Gregorian months once.

Example 3: Fatima Determining Her Zakat Anniversary

Fatima needs to know her zakat hawl (anniversary) date. She first became nisab-eligible on October 10, 2025 CE and wants to find the Hijri date to track her lunar year. She converts October 10, 2025 to Hijri:

• Input: Gregorian-to-Hijri mode
• Gregorian month: October, Day: 10, Year: 2025
• Result: The corresponding Hijri date in 1447 AH

Fatima now knows her Hijri zakat start date. To find when her hawl completes, she enters the same Hijri day and month but with the year incremented by one in the Hijri-to-Gregorian converter. This gives her the Gregorian date when her zakat becomes due. She can then use the zakat calculator on that date to compute her exact obligation.

Example 4: Yusuf Planning Hajj Travel

Yusuf wants to plan his Hajj trip and needs to know the Gregorian dates for the core Hajj days in 1448 AH (8-12 Dhul Hijjah). He converts each date:

• 8 Dhul Hijjah 1448 AH (Day of Tarwiyah): Converted Gregorian date
• 9 Dhul Hijjah 1448 AH (Day of Arafah): Converted Gregorian date
• 10 Dhul Hijjah 1448 AH (Eid al-Adha): Converted Gregorian date
• 12 Dhul Hijjah 1448 AH (Last day of Hajj rites): Converted Gregorian date

With the Gregorian dates in hand, Yusuf books his flights to arrive in Makkah at least 5 days before the start of Hajj and depart 3 days after its conclusion. He remembers that the tabular dates are approximate, and the official Hajj dates will be announced by Saudi authorities based on moon sighting of Dhul Hijjah. He builds a 2-day buffer into his travel plans to accommodate any calendar adjustments.

Hijri Calendar Reference Table

Day counts follow the Tabular Islamic Calendar (odd months = 30 days, even months = 29 days). Dhul Hijjah has 30 days in leap years (11 leap years per 30-year cycle).

Tips and Complete Guide

Understanding the Tabular vs Observational Calendar

The Islamic calendar exists in two forms: the tabular (computational) calendar and the observational (sighting-based) calendar. The tabular calendar, used by this converter, follows a fixed mathematical rule where months alternate between 30 and 29 days with a predictable leap year cycle. The observational calendar, used for religious purposes in most Muslim countries, determines the start of each month by the actual sighting of the crescent moon (hilal). Because moon visibility depends on atmospheric conditions, altitude, and geographic location, different countries may begin the same Hijri month on different Gregorian dates. Saudi Arabia, for example, uses its own sighting committee, while some countries follow astronomical calculations. Our converter provides the tabular date, which serves as an excellent planning tool, but always confirm dates for religious observances with your local mosque or Islamic authority.

Using the Converter for Islamic Event Planning

The Hijri calendar converter is invaluable for planning around major Islamic events. Convert the Hijri dates of key events to Gregorian to integrate them with your work and school schedules. Major events to plan for include: 1 Ramadan (start of fasting), 27 Ramadan (approximate Laylat al-Qadr), 1 Shawwal (Eid al-Fitr), 8-12 Dhul Hijjah (Hajj), 10 Dhul Hijjah (Eid al-Adha), 1 Muharram (Islamic New Year), 10 Muharram (Day of Ashura), and 12 Rabi al-Awwal (Mawlid an-Nabi). By converting these dates months in advance, you can request time off work, plan travel, and coordinate family gatherings. Remember to check with local authorities as actual dates may shift by a day or two from the tabular calendar.

Historical and Academic Uses

Historians and scholars frequently need to convert between Hijri and Gregorian dates when studying Islamic history and civilization. For example, the Battle of Badr took place on 17 Ramadan 2 AH (approximately March 13, 624 CE), the conquest of Makkah on 20 Ramadan 8 AH (approximately January 11, 630 CE), and the fall of Constantinople on 20 Jumada al-Ula 857 AH (May 29, 1453 CE). Our converter helps researchers, students, and writers accurately place these events in the Gregorian timeline. For academic work, note that the tabular calendar is widely accepted for computational purposes, though specialized historical databases may use more refined algorithms for dates in the distant past.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating tabular dates as exact religious dates: The tabular calendar is a mathematical approximation. For starting or ending Ramadan, Eid celebrations, and Hajj timing, always follow the announcement of your local Islamic authority based on actual moon sighting. Use the converter for planning, not as a definitive religious ruling.
• Forgetting the Gregorian-Hijri year drift: Because the Hijri year is about 11 days shorter, a Hijri date that corresponds to June this year will correspond to approximately late May next year. Do not assume the same Hijri date falls in the same Gregorian month from year to year.
• Entering the wrong conversion direction: Make sure the toggle switch matches your intent. If you want to convert a Gregorian date to Hijri, the toggle should show "Gregorian to Hijri." Entering a Hijri month number (like 9 for Ramadan) in Gregorian mode would interpret it as September, producing an incorrect result.
• Exceeding valid day ranges: Hijri months have a maximum of 30 days, and the 12th month (Dhul Hijjah) has 29 days in non-leap years. Entering day 31 for a Hijri month will produce an inaccurate result. Similarly, some Gregorian months have 28 or 30 days, so entering day 31 for February or April will be invalid.
• Ignoring leap year effects: The Hijri leap year cycle adds one day to the 12th month (Dhul Hijjah) in 11 out of every 30 years. This means a conversion for 30 Dhul Hijjah may or may not be valid depending on whether that particular Hijri year is a leap year in the tabular cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions