The 12 Islamic Months
The months of the Hijri calendar in order, with their meanings and significance.
Month 1 of 12
MuharramForbidden, sacredMonth 2 of 12
SafarEmpty, vacantMonth 3 of 12
Rabi' al-AwwalThe first springMonth 4 of 12
Rabi' al-ThaniThe second springMonth 5 of 12
Jumada al-AwwalThe first dry monthMonth 6 of 12
Jumada al-ThaniThe second dry monthMonth 7 of 12
RajabTo respect, to honourMonth 8 of 12
Sha'banTo spread out, to disperseMonth 9 of 12
RamadanIntense heatMonth 10 of 12
ShawwalTo lift, to raiseMonth 11 of 12
Dhu al-QadahThe month of restMonth 12 of 12
Dhu al-HijjahThe month of pilgrimage
The months of the Islamic year
The Islamic year has twelve months. The Quran states this directly: "Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the register of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred" (Surah at-Tawbah 9:36).
The names of the months are older than Islam. The Arabs were already using them, and several names describe the season or custom the month was linked to when it was named. Since the calendar is purely lunar, the months no longer line up with those seasons.
The four sacred months
Four months are singled out as sacred: Dhu al-Qadah, Dhu al-Hijjah and Muharram, which come one after another, and Rajab, which stands alone between Jumada al-Thani and Sha'ban. Fighting was traditionally forbidden in these months, and Muslims are urged to be especially careful to avoid wrongdoing during them.
More tools and guides
- Hijri to GregorianEnter a Hijri date and get the matching Gregorian date and weekday straight away.
- Hijri CalendarEvery month of the current and coming Islamic year with its Gregorian dates.
- Islamic EventsThe main occasions of the Islamic year and when they fall in the Gregorian calendar.
- Calendar GuideA plain explanation of the Hijri calendar and how its dates are converted to Gregorian.
