When Does the Hijri Day Begin? At Sunset, Not Midnight
In the Gregorian calendar the day begins at midnight. In the Hijri calendar it begins at sunset: the night comes before the day. This simple rule explains expressions we use every week, such as “Friday eve”, and avoids common mistakes with the dates of Ramadan and the Eids.
The rule by example
Wednesday 25 November 2026 is, according to Umm al-Qura, 15 Jumada al-Thani 1448 AH. At sunset on that Wednesday, 16 Jumada al-Thani begins, lasting until sunset on Thursday 26 November. So the Hijri date on Wednesday evening is the date of Thursday.
Friday eve
“Friday eve” (laylat al-jumu'ah) is the night before Friday, that is, Thursday evening after sunset. That is why people send Friday eve greetings on Thursday evening, not on Friday evening. On the Greeting cards page, we suggest Friday eve cards automatically on Thursday evening, and Friday cards from Friday morning.
The nights of Ramadan and Eid
- The first night of Ramadan: begins at sunset on the last day of Sha'ban, and the first tarawih prayer takes place that night. In 1448 AH, Ramadan begins on Monday 8 February 2027 according to Umm al-Qura, so the first night is the evening of Sunday 7 February.
- The 27th night of Ramadan: begins at sunset on the 26th. In 1448 AH that is the evening of Friday 5 March 2027, and its day is Saturday 6 March. The other odd nights are listed in The last ten nights of Ramadan 1448 AH.
- The night of Eid: begins at sunset on the last day of Ramadan. In 1448 AH that is the evening of Monday 8 March 2027, and Eid falls on Tuesday 9 March.
Why does the site’s date change at midnight?
Your browser and phone clock work with the civil day, which starts at midnight, and do not know the sunset time in your city, which varies with place and season. So hijriGO shows the Hijri date matching the whole Gregorian day, and it changes at midnight by your device’s clock. If it is after sunset and you want the Hijri date of that night in the religious sense, look at tomorrow’s date on the site. We mention this under the date on the home page.
In practice: converting correctly
If someone was born after sunset, or an event took place at night, and you want its Hijri date, ask yourself: was it after sunset? If so, the Hijri date is that of the next Gregorian day. Try it in the date converter by entering the next Gregorian day.
A reminder
Besides the question of sunset, the start of the month itself can differ by one day between Umm al-Qura and your country’s announcement. Details in the date accuracy disclaimer.
Common questions
Is the site’s date wrong after sunset?
No: it is the Hijri date matching the whole Gregorian day, as in most printed calendars and apps. But if you want the date of the night in the religious sense after sunset, take the next day’s date.
When does the night of the middle of a Hijri month begin?
At sunset on the 14th. For example, the night of 15 Jumada al-Thani 1448 AH begins at sunset on Tuesday 24 November 2026, because 14 Jumada al-Thani falls on that Tuesday according to Umm al-Qura.
And the Day of Arafah and its night?
The night of Arafah begins at sunset on 8 Dhu al-Hijjah, and the day of Arafah is the 9th. In 1448 AH the night of Arafah is the evening of Friday 14 May 2027, and the day is Saturday 15 May. Details in Day of Arafah 1448 AH.
If the day begins at sunset, does the fast begin at sunset too?
No. Sunset marks the start of the day in the Hijri calendar, but the fast begins at dawn and ends at sunset. To fast the Day of Arafah, for example, you have the pre-dawn meal before dawn on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah and break the fast at sunset that day, even though the night of Arafah began on the evening of the 8th.
In short
- The Hijri night comes before its day and begins at sunset.
- “The night of a given day” = the evening of the previous Gregorian day.
- The site’s date changes at midnight: after sunset, take tomorrow’s date.