Today's Islamic Date in Pakistan | Hijri Calendar 2026

Today's Islamic date in Pakistan is 14 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1447 AH, corresponding to Friday, May 1, 2026. This date is confirmed by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee — Pakistan's official government body that announces the start of each new Islamic month after physical moon sighting.

Today's Islamic date in Lahore is 14 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1447 AH. Lahore follows the national moon sighting decision made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee. The committee collects testimony from observers in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, and other cities before issuing its announcement. The Islamic date in Lahore matches the rest of Pakistan unless a regional difference is formally declared — which is rare.

Chand ki Tarikh (moon date) today in Pakistan is 14 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1447 AH. "Chand ki Tarikh" is the Urdu term for the Islamic or Hijri date, used widely across Pakistan. It refers to the lunar calendar date confirmed by the Government of Pakistan through the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee's official moon sighting process.

In the Islamic calendar, a new day begins at Maghrib (sunset) — not at midnight. After the Maghrib prayer each evening, the Hijri date has already advanced to the next day, even though the Gregorian date has not changed yet. A practical example: if tonight is 29 Shawwal in Hijri terms, after Maghrib it immediately becomes 1 Dhul Qadah — even if the clock reads 6:45 PM. This is why the night before Eid is itself considered part of Eid in Islamic practice.

The Hijri (Islamic) calendar is lunar — 354 to 355 days per year, based on the moon's orbit. The Gregorian calendar is solar — 365 days per year, based on the Earth's orbit around the sun. The Hijri calendar is 10–11 days shorter, which is why Ramadan moves roughly 10 days earlier each Gregorian year. In Pakistan, the Gregorian calendar governs official government, business, and school schedules. The Hijri calendar governs all Islamic religious observances — fasting, Eid, Hajj, and Islamic New Year.

Pakistan uses observational Hijri — the new Islamic month only starts after the crescent moon is physically sighted by witnesses inside Pakistan. Saudi Arabia uses the Umm al-Qura calendar, which is based on astronomical calculations and is published years in advance without requiring actual moon sighting. Because of this difference, Pakistan's Eid or Ramadan start can fall one day later than Saudi Arabia's. Both approaches are valid — different madhabs (schools of Islamic jurisprudence) accept both methods.

Ramadan 2026 in Pakistan is expected to begin on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, subject to the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee's official moon sighting announcement. It will last either 29 or 30 days depending on when Shawwal's crescent is sighted. Eid ul-Fitr 2026 is expected on either March 19 or March 20, 2026. Ramadan 2026 falls in winter — fasting hours in Pakistan will run approximately 13 to 14 hours per day, shorter than summer Ramadhans. Lahore and Islamabad will have slightly longer fasting hours than Karachi due to their more northerly latitude.

Eid ul-Adha 2026 in Pakistan is expected on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 (10 Dhul Hijjah 1447 AH), subject to moon sighting. Pakistan observes it as a 3-day public holiday covering May 27, 28, and 29. The Day of Arafat (9 Dhul Hijjah), observed by pilgrims performing Hajj, falls one day earlier on May 26, 2026.

The Islamic New Year 2026 — 1 Muharram 1448 AH — is expected on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Pakistan, subject to moon sighting. It is a public holiday. The Islamic New Year marks the anniversary of the Hijrah: Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ migration from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, which became the founding event of the Islamic calendar.

The four sacred months (Haram months) in Islam are Dhul Qadah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. Three are consecutive (Dhul Qadah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram), and Rajab stands alone in the middle of the Islamic year. Starting a conflict during these months is prohibited in Islamic law, and acts of worship carry extra reward. In 2026, these sacred months fall approximately as: Rajab 1447 → January 2026; Dhul Qadah 1447 → April–May 2026; Dhul Hijjah 1447 → May–June 2026; Muharram 1448 → June–July 2026.

The Hijri year is 10–11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. Each year, Ramadan shifts roughly 10 days earlier on the Gregorian calendar. Over a 33-year cycle, Ramadan completes a full rotation through all four Gregorian seasons — summer, autumn, winter, and spring. In 2026, Ramadan falls in February and March — winter in Pakistan, which means shorter fasting hours. By the early 2030s, Ramadan will move into January. By the mid-2030s, it will fall in winter again approaching December.

Pakistan observes 3 public holidays for Eid ul-Fitr (expected March 20–22, 2026) and 3 public holidays for Eid ul-Adha (expected May 27–29, 2026). The Government of Pakistan confirms exact dates via official gazette notification after each moon sighting. Private sector employees may receive additional leave at their employer's discretion.

No complete double Ramadan within a single Gregorian year is mathematically possible. However, because the Hijri year is shorter, parts of two different Ramadhans can appear in the same Gregorian year — one beginning in January and another beginning in late December of the same year. The next time this occurs will be in the late 2030s.

Some communities — particularly in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) — follow independent local moon sightings rather than the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee's national announcement. This means Eid or Ramadan can start one day earlier or later in those areas compared to the rest of Pakistan. For official purposes — government holidays, banks, and courts — the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee's date is the authoritative source. This page displays that date.