About the Umm al-Qura calendar
The Umm al-Qura calendar is the Hijri calendar used in Saudi Arabia for official business, such as contracts, iqamas and government appointments. It is calculated astronomically, so the start of each month is known in advance, and each month has 29 or 30 days.
The start of Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhu al-Hijjah is announced after the new moon is sighted, and can differ from the calculated calendar by one day. For fasting and Eid dates, follow the official announcement.
Many official Saudi documents, such as older iqamas and contracts, show Hijri dates. Convert them here before using the end-of-service calculator, which uses Gregorian dates.
The Hijri months
| No. | Hijri month | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muharram | محرم |
| 2 | Safar | صفر |
| 3 | Rabi’ al-Awwal | ربيع الأول |
| 4 | Rabi’ al-Akhir | ربيع الآخر |
| 5 | Jumada al-Ula | جمادى الأولى |
| 6 | Jumada al-Akhirah | جمادى الآخرة |
| 7 | Rajab | رجب |
| 8 | Sha’ban | شعبان |
| 9 | Ramadan | رمضان |
| 10 | Shawwal | شوال |
| 11 | Dhu al-Qa’dah | ذو القعدة |
| 12 | Dhu al-Hijjah | ذو الحجة |
A Hijri year has 354 or 355 days, about 11 days shorter than a Gregorian year, so Hijri dates move earlier every year.
Examples
1 Ramadan 1446 AH
Saturday 1 March 2025 in the Umm al-Qura calendar.
1 Muharram 1448 AH
The start of Hijri year 1448: Tuesday 16 June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Hijri date one day different on some websites?
Some websites use a simple arithmetic Hijri calendar, or the calendar of another country, and some follow moon sighting. This tool uses the Umm al-Qura calendar only.
Which calendar is on my iqama and contract?
Many Saudi documents, especially older iqamas and contracts, show Hijri dates in the Umm al-Qura calendar. This converter uses the same calendar, so you can check the matching Gregorian date.
How many days are in a Hijri year?
354 or 355 days, about 11 days shorter than a Gregorian year.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Conversion uses the Umm al-Qura tables built into your browser. For fasting and Eid dates, follow the official announcement.
This page was translated from Arabic. If something is unclear or wrong, please tell us.