#Islamic calendar days full#

They gathered to decide a start date for the calendar and came to a consensus that the migration of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him from Mecca to Medina was the best start date. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, the Islamic empire expanded, and the Muslims recognized that they needed a calendar. For example, they had the year of the elephant in which an army from Yemen riding elephants attacked Mecca to destroy the Kaba. Before the Islamic empire expanded, early Muslims used major events to determine years. The Islamic calendar is called the Hijri calendar because it is based on the Hijra (migration) of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him from Mecca to Medina. There are no leap days intercalated, so that the Islamic months do not remain in the same seasons but retrogress through the Gregorian calendar over a period of about 32.5 years.

#Islamic calendar days full#

Each year it will keep shifting until it makes a full cycle. For example, if Ramadan starts on April 10 this year, the following year it will start on April 1 st.

As a result, the months shift about 10 days every year in comparison to the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, the Islamic calendar year has less days than the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, the months are either 29 or 30 days. Understanding the Lunar-Based Shiftsīecause the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar system, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. The names of these months are Muḥarram, Ṣafar, Rabīʿ al-Awwal, Rabīʿ al-Thānī, Jumādā al-Awwal, Jumādā al-Thānī, Rajab, Shaʿbān, Ramadan ( the month of fasting), Shawwāl, Dhū al-Qaʿdah, and Dhū al-Ḥijjah. The Islamic calendar is based on 12 months and follows the lunar system. The Islamic calendar, also called the Hijri calendar, is used in many parts of the Muslim world either in replace of or along with the Gregorian calendar.