The 12 Months of the Islamic (Hijri) Calendar
The Hijri calendar is the lunar calendar of Islam. Here are its 12 months in order, what makes four of them sacred, and why it differs from the Gregorian year.
What is the Hijri calendar?
The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar of 12 months totaling about 354 days — roughly 11 days shorter than the solar Gregorian year. It began with the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Makkah to Madinah.
The 12 months in order
1) Muharram, 2) Safar, 3) Rabi al-Awwal, 4) Rabi al-Thani, 5) Jumada al-Awwal, 6) Jumada al-Thani, 7) Rajab, 8) Sha'ban, 9) Ramadan, 10) Shawwal, 11) Dhul-Qadah, 12) Dhul-Hijjah. Ramadan is the month of fasting; Dhul-Hijjah is the month of Hajj.
The four sacred months
Four months are considered sacred: Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qadah, and Dhul-Hijjah. Fighting was traditionally forbidden in them, and good deeds carry special weight.