---
title: "What is Hijri calendar? | IslamicOpenFinance™"
description: "The Islamic lunar calendar of twelve months, used for religious dates, zakat and, in some markets, official and business dates."
url: https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/hijri-calendar/
lang: en-GB
source: "IslamicOpenFinance"
---

[Glossary](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/) / [Calendar, settlement and markets](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/#calendar)

Calendar, settlement and markets

# Hijri calendar

The Islamic lunar calendar of twelve months, used for religious dates, zakat and, in some markets, official and business dates.

The Hijri calendar is the Islamic lunar calendar, counted from the Prophet's migration from Mecca to Medina, with twelve months of twenty-nine or thirty days. A Hijri year is about eleven days shorter than a Gregorian year, so Hijri dates move through the seasons. Some countries use a calculated calendar, such as Saudi Arabia's Umm al-Qura calendar, while others begin months by moon sighting, which affects holidays and business days.

This entry explains a term; it is not a Shariah ruling. Approving a product is for each institution's own Shariah board and regulator.

## Related terms

[**Lunar month** A month that begins with the new crescent moon and lasts twenty-nine or thirty days; the unit of the Hijri calendar.](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/lunar-month/) [**Moon sighting** Observing the new crescent moon to determine the start of a Hijri month; it decides the dates of Ramadan and the Eid holidays.](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/moon-sighting/) [**Hawl** The full lunar year for which qualifying wealth must be held above the nisab before zakat becomes due on it.](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/hawl/) [**Business day** A day on which banks, markets or payment systems in a given place are open; the unit for due dates and settlement.](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/business-day/)

**Calendar, settlement and markets**

1. [Lunar month](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/lunar-month/)
2. [Hawl](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/hawl/)
3. [Moon sighting](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/moon-sighting/)
4. [Business day](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/business-day/)
5. [Value date](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/value-date/)
6. [Settlement finality](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/settlement-finality/)
7. [T+n settlement](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/t-plus-n/)
8. [Delivery versus payment](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/delivery-versus-payment/)

[All 221 terms](https://islamicopenfinance.com/glossary/)