Islamic Dates

Please Note: Dates are subject to local sightings of the new moon.

About the Islamic Calendar:

The Islamic calendar (or Hijri calendar) is a purely lunar calendar. It contains 12 months that are based on the motion of the moon, and because 12 synodic months is only 12 x 29.53=354.36 days, the Islamic calendar is consistently shorter than a typical year, and therefore it shifts approximately 10 to 12 days every year with respect to the Gregorian calendar. The calendar is based on the Quran (Chapter IX, 36-37) and its proper observance is a sacred duty for Muslims.

Ramadan (Islamic month of Fasting)

Ramadan is an Islamic month during which Muslims (believers in Islam) fast daily from dawn to sunset as part of an effort towards self-purification and moral excellence. Ramadan is believed to be the month, in which, the first verses of the Quran (divine Scripture & Final Testament) were revealed by God to Prophet Mohammad between 610 and 633 CE.

Eid ul-Fitr (Festival of the Breaking of the Fast)

Holiday occurring after the completion of Ramadan, lasting three days during which Muslims celebrate with special prayers followed by community celebrations.

Hajj (Annual Pilgrimage to Mecca)

The Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Mecca, consists of several ceremonies meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, such as submission, brotherhood, and unity, and to commemorate the trials of the Prophet Abraham and his family. Required once in a Muslim’s lifetime, over two million Muslims perform the pilgrimage annually.

Eid-ul-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)

Holiday occurring on the third day of the Hajj, lasting four days. It commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, who was replaced by a lamb.

Islamic New Year (1428 A.H.*)

Marks the beginning of a New Year in the Islamic calendar. There are an estimated 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, making Muslims one of the world's largest religious group in the United States. There are an estimated 6-8 million Muslims in America, making Muslims the second largest religious group in the United States. While the majority of American Muslims were born in this country, they are from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds: African-American, South Asian, Arab, African, Persian, and the remaining are European, Southeast Asian and Turkish.