Ummul Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia: A Short Introduction
Ummul Qura Calendar is a civil islamic calendrical system used in Saudi Arabia. But this hijri calendar is used and referenced by many more muslim countries.
In the past, there had been controversies regarding this calendar. Many of them centraled on the discrepancy of the beginning of the month and the calculated position of the crescent (or new moon) at sunset in Makkah. It was not uncommon that the new month begins although astronomically the moon already sets before the sun sets. Another source of the controversy was the obscure nature of the rules used to design or to determine the dates in the calendar.
Such noted problems were becoming global muslim community concerns especially during the determination of religiously important dates for Eids, Ramadan and Hajj. And many astronomers
Since recently, however, the authority behind the Ummul Qura Calendar had proposed a new rule in determining the beginning of islamic hijri months. This new rule is regarded as astronomically sound in making sure that after conjunction the moon is above the horizon and sets after the sun as seen from Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
However, for the determination of the beginning of religiously related months such as Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhulqaida, the government of Saudi Arabia often changes the date according to moon sighting reports (or claims).
Islamic calendar and important dates based on Ummul Qura system:
The Ummul Qura Calendar is a unique lunar calendar that derives its dates from the calculated position of the crescent moon above Makkah, the holy city in Saudi Arabia. While the calendar is primarily based on calculations, it does incorporate actual moon sighting results for three specific months: Ramadan, Shawwal, and Dhul-Hijja.
For these three crucial months, the Ummul Qura Calendar relies on the visual confirmation of the moon sighting in Saudi Arabia. This ensures that the start of Ramadan, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr (at the end of Ramadan), and the observance of Eid al-Adha (during Dhul-Hijja) align with the actual sighting of the crescent moon.
The rest of the months in the Ummul Qura Calendar are determined through calculations based on the expected position of the moon above Makkah. These calculations enable the calendar to provide consistent dates for planning religious activities, events, and personal milestones throughout the year.
However, it's important to note that slight variations may occur between the Ummul Qura Calendar and other Hijri calendars based on local moon sightings in different regions. These differences are a result of diverse methodologies and interpretations employed by various communities to determine the start and end of Islamic months.
At our website, we offer a reliable and accurate Hijri calendar based on the Ummul Qura Calendar system used in Saudi Arabia. Our date conversions reflect the calculated positions of the moon above Makkah and adhere to the official calendar followed in the country.
Join us on this journey as we provide you with a comprehensive Islamic calendar experience, incorporating the Ummul Qura Calendar's unique combination of calculated dates and actual moon sightings. Explore the dates according to the Ummul Qura Calendar and stay connected to the religious practices observed in Saudi Arabia, while understanding the significance of moon sightings for Ramadan, Shawwal, and Dhul-Hijja.
Discover the power of connecting with the Islamic calendar based on the Ummul Qura Calendar, embracing its calculated nature while honoring the traditional aspect of moon sighting for key months. We are committed to providing you with the tools you need to navigate the Hijri calendar, plan your religious activities, and commemorate important occasions in alignment with the practices observed in Saudi Arabia.
You may also download the calendar from the pages linked above. If available, the PDFs of the calendar can be downloaded or printed.
Arabic Umm-ul-Qura Islamic Calendars
We also have prepared the Ummul Qura calendar in arabic numbers. Please follow the links below for arabic calendars. Calendar for the current year is: 2024 Arabic Calendar.
Other arabic hijri calendar are available below:
