Hijri Calendar - Home Page | TJ Islamic Studies

The Hijri calendar is the calendar that Muslims use.

It is a lunar based calendar.

In this post you'll find some basic facts about the Hijri calendar

as well as printables to help teach your kids/students (or yourself)

about the calendar.

Browse all Hijri Calendar resources here

or view by topics below

Hijri Calendar Fast Facts

The Hijri calendar starts with the year that the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) made hijrah from Makkah to Madinah.

The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar
Unlike the Gregorian calendar that is used in the West, the Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar, that is, it is based upon the moon and its phases. Islamic months only have 29 or 30 days and the beginning of each month is based upon the sighting of a new crescent moon.

There are 12 Hijri months

There are 12 months in the Hijri calendar. These months do not typically coincide with the Gregorian calendar (i.e. The first day of the first month of the Hijri calendar could be the 21st day of September)

The 12 Islamic months are:

Muharram
Safar
Rabee' Al Awwal
Rabee' Ath Thaani
Jumadaa Al Awwal
Jumadaa Ath Thaani
Rajab
Shabaan offsite (at TJ Ramadan)
Ramadan (for resources visit TJ Ramadan)
Shawwaal (at TJ Ramadan)
Dhul Qa'dah
Dhul Hijjah

Of the 12 Hijri months, there are 4 Sacred Months

Muharram
Rajab
Dhul Qa'dah
Dhul Hijjah

“The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumadah and Sha’ban.” [Reported by al-Bukhari, 2958]

There are 7 days of the week on the Hijri Calendar

Yawmul Ahad (Sunday)
Yawmul Ithneyn (Monday)
Yawmul Thulaathaa (Tuesday)
Yawmul Arbiaa (Wednesday)
Yawmul Khamees (Thursday)
Yawmul Jumuah (Friday; "jumuah" comes from word for gathering; Muslims gather for the Jumuah prayer on Friday)
Yawmul Sabt (Saturday)

The word for "week" in Arabic is "usbuu"

There are 4 seasons in Arabic

Ar-Rabee (Spring)
As- Sayf (Summer)
Al-Khareef (Fall/Autumn)
Ash-Shitaa (Winter)

(And with all those Allah's Grace and Protections for their taming, We cause) the (Quraish) caravans to set forth safe in winter (to the south), and in summer (to the north without Many fear).(106:2)

The word for season in Arabic is "fasl" (the plural is "fusool")

Important Dates in the Islamic Calendar

Muharram 10 - Yawmul Asharah (Day of Ashurah) (commemorates the escape of Musa and Bani Israil from Firaun) it is from the sunnah to fast)
White Days - 13th, 14th, and 15th of each month (from the sunnah to fast)
Shawwaal 1 - Eidul Fitr (the eid of celebration after the end of Ramadan)
Hajj (Dhul Hijjah 8 - 10)

Dhul Hijjah 9 - Yawmul Arafah
Dhul Hijjah 10 - Eidul Adhaa

General Calendar Resources

Yearly Hijri Calendar - Use as a reference chart or use as an actual calendar. New 2020!

Help your students learn and review the basics of the hijri calendar with this free 3 chart reference set! Great addition for your Islamic Studies notebook.

Download Hijri Calendar Reference Pack

Printable Calendar Wall Display/Bulletin Board Sets

Hijri Calendar Templates for Wall Display - simple blank calendar templates that can be used for wall displays

Perpetual Hijri Calendars - printable calendar templates to use for any year!