Umm al-Qura · Official Saudi Arabia Calendar
Hijri ↔ Gregorian
Date Converter · Saudi Arabia
Convert between Hijri and Gregorian dates using the official Umm al-Qura calendar — the calendar used on all Saudi government documents, Iqama, visas, and official correspondence.
Today · Hijri (Umm al-Qura)
Loading…
Today · Gregorian
—
—
Hijri Year
—
Anno Hegirae (AH)
Current Hijri Month
—
—
📅 Hijri ↔ Gregorian Date Converter
Umm al-Qura calendar · Official Saudi Arabia standard
🗓️ Enter Gregorian Date
Day
Month
Year
⚠️ Please enter a valid date in all three fields.
Converted Date
—
—
—
Day
—
—
Month
—
—
Year
—
—
The 12 Months of the Hijri Calendar
🗓️ Hijri Month Names, Meanings & Significance
1447–1448 AH
| # | Arabic | Name | Sacred? | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | محرم | Muharram | Sacred | Islamic New Year · Day of Ashura (10th) – recommended fasting |
| 2 | صفر | Safar | — | Second month of the Hijri calendar |
| 3 | ربيع الأول | Rabi' al-Awwal | — | Third month of the Hijri calendar |
| 4 | ربيع الثاني | Rabi' al-Thani | — | Fourth month of the Hijri calendar |
| 5 | جمادى الأولى | Jumada al-Ula | — | Fifth month — part of 'frozen' winter months |
| 6 | جمادى الآخرة | Jumada al-Akhirah | — | Sixth month — end of winter period |
| 7 | رجب | Rajab | Sacred | One of the four sacred months |
| 8 | شعبان | Sha'ban | — | Month preceding Ramadan |
| 9 | رمضان | Ramadan | — | Holy month of fasting · Laylat al-Qadr |
| 10 | شوال | Shawwal | — | Eid al-Fitr · Six days fasting (Sunnah) |
| 11 | ذو القعدة | Dhu al-Qi'dah | Sacred | Sacred month · Traditional pilgrimage travel period |
| 12 | ذو الحجة | Dhu al-Hijjah | Sacred | Hajj (8–12) · Day of Arafah (9) · Eid al-Adha (10) |
Key Islamic Dates · 2026 (1447–1448 AH)
📌 Important Hijri Dates & Gregorian Equivalents
* Moon-sighted dates may differ by 1 day
| Event | Hijri Date | Gregorian | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramadan begins (1447 AH) | 1 Ramadan 1447 | 19 Feb 2026* | Fasting |
| Eid al-Fitr | 1 Shawwal 1447 | 20 Mar 2026* | Public Holiday |
| Day of Arafath | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 | 26 May 2026* | Hajj |
| Eid al-Adha | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 | 27 May 2026* | Public Holiday |
| Islamic New Year (1448 AH) | 1 Muharram 1448 | 16 Jun 2026 | Religious |
| Day of Ashura | 10 Muharram 1448 | 25 Jun 2026 | Fasting |
* Dates marked with * are subject to official moon sighting confirmation by Saudi religious authorities and may differ by 1 day from Umm al-Qura calculations. All other dates are based on the Umm al-Qura astronomical calendar.
About the Umm al-Qura Calendar
Saudi Arabia's Official Calendar
The Umm al-Qura calendar is the official civil Hijri calendar used by the Saudi government for all legal documents, payroll, school schedules, and administrative purposes.
Astronomically Calculated
Unlike observational Islamic calendars, Umm al-Qura uses pre-calculated astronomical data centred on Mecca. Month starts are determined in advance — no physical moon sighting is required for civil purposes.
Used On Official Documents
Iqama (residence permit) issue and expiry dates, employment contracts, court documents, government letters, and Ministry communications all use Umm al-Qura Hijri dates.
Eid & Ramadan Exception
For religious observances like Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha, Saudi Arabia follows official moon sighting announcements — which may differ by 1 day from the Umm al-Qura pre-calculation.
How the Hijri Calendar Works
The Islamic Hijri calendar is a purely lunar calendar. Each month begins with the new lunar cycle and lasts either 29 or 30 days. A Hijri year has 354 or 355 days — approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar year. This is why Islamic months and seasons gradually shift through the Gregorian calendar: Ramadan, for example, falls about 10–11 days earlier each year.
When Hijri Dates Are Used for Expats in Saudi Arabia
- Iqama (residence permit) — issue date, expiry date, and renewal dates are all in Hijri
- Employment contracts — start and end dates may be recorded in Hijri
- Government letters & correspondence — all Saudi official letters are dated in Hijri
- Jawazat (Immigration) — all visa and entry/exit stamps reference Hijri dates
- Court documents — Saudi courts date all proceedings in Hijri
- Payroll — some employers calculate monthly pay cycles on the Hijri month
- End of Service Benefit (ESB) — service duration may be calculated in Hijri years by some employers
Hijri vs Gregorian — Key Differences
- Hijri year = 354–355 days (lunar) · Gregorian year = 365–366 days (solar)
- 1 Hijri century ≈ 97 Gregorian years
- The calendar began with the Prophet's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE
- Current Hijri year (2026 CE) = 1447–1448 AH
- Rough conversion: Gregorian year ≈ Hijri year × 0.97 + 622
Why Your App May Show a Different Hijri Date
There are multiple Hijri calendar systems in use globally — observational calendars (moon sighting), the Umm al-Qura system, the Diyanet system used in Turkey, and others. They can differ by 1–2 days. For Saudi Arabia official documents, always use the Umm al-Qura system — which is what this converter uses exclusively.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Umm al-Qura calendar is the official Hijri calendar used by the Saudi government for civil and administrative purposes. Unlike traditional Islamic calendars that rely on physical moon sighting, it uses pre-calculated astronomical data centred on Mecca. This makes dates predictable and consistent for planning, legal documents, and official correspondence.
Your Iqama uses the Umm al-Qura Hijri system — the official Saudi standard. Other calendar apps may use different Hijri methods (such as observational sighting calendars or the Diyanet system), which can result in a 1–2 day difference. Always use the Umm al-Qura system specifically when verifying Saudi official documents.
Not necessarily. The official start of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha in Saudi Arabia are confirmed by Saudi supreme court after physical moon sighting, which may differ by 1 day from the Umm al-Qura astronomical calculation. For civil documents, use Umm al-Qura. For religious observance, follow the official Saudi announcement.
Switch to "Hijri → Gregorian" mode, enter the day, month, and year shown on your Iqama, then click Convert. The result gives you the correct Gregorian date. Make sure you read the Hijri date correctly — day comes first, then month name, then year (AH).
A standard Hijri year has 354 days (12 lunar months of 29–30 days each). Some years have 355 days. This makes the Hijri year about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, which is why Islamic occasions shift backward through the Gregorian calendar each year.
In early 2026 (Gregorian), we are in Hijri year 1447 AH. The Islamic New Year 1448 AH begins on approximately 16 June 2026. The Hijri year count started from the Prophet's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE.
Yes. This converter uses the official Umm al-Qura system, which is the same system used by Saudi government offices including the Ministry of Human Resources (HRSD), Jawazat, and Qiwa. The converted dates are reliable for cross-referencing employment contracts, Iqama validity, and visa documents.
Disclaimer: This converter uses the Umm al-Qura calendar — the official civil Hijri calendar of Saudi Arabia — implemented via the browser's built-in Islamic calendar (Intl API). Results are accurate for dates between 1356 AH (1937 CE) and 1500 AH (2077 CE). For Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha, always follow official announcements by Saudi religious authorities, which may differ by 1 day. KSA Expats is not responsible for discrepancies in individual official documents.