Islamic calendar 2026–2027 UK: 1448–1449 AH dates

This UK Islamic calendar for 1448–1449 AH gives the expected UK dates from October 2026 to September 2027, calculated by the Umm al-Qura calendar used in Saudi Arabia. The key dates: Ramadan starts Monday 8 February 2027, Eid al-Fitr is Tuesday 9 March 2027, Eid al-Adha is Sunday 16 May 2027 and the Islamic New Year 1449 is Sunday 6 June 2027. These are calculated dates, not announcements. UK mosques decide each month in their own way, so your mosque’s date may be a day earlier or later. None of these days is a UK bank holiday.

Use this page to plan leave, school absence, zakat and family events across the Islamic year. It does not give religious rulings, and where Muslims differ in practice, it says so rather than taking a side. For rulings, ask your mosque or a scholar you trust.

Islamic calendar 1448–1449 in the UK: all dates

All dates are Umm al-Qura dates converted to the UK calendar.

Islamic date	Occasion	Expected UK date
1 Jumada al-Ula 1448	Start of Jumada al-Ula	Monday 12 October 2026
1 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448	Start of Jumada al-Akhirah	Wednesday 11 November 2026
1 Rajab 1448	Start of Rajab	Thursday 10 December 2026
27 Rajab 1448	Isra and Mi’raj (observed by many Muslims)	Tuesday 5 January 2027
1 Sha’ban 1448	Start of Sha’ban	Saturday 9 January 2027
15 Sha’ban 1448	Mid-Sha’ban (observed by many Muslims)	Saturday 23 January 2027
1 Ramadan 1448	Start of Ramadan	Monday 8 February 2027
27 Ramadan 1448	27th of Ramadan (observed by many Muslims)	Saturday 6 March 2027
1 Shawwal 1448	Eid al-Fitr	Tuesday 9 March 2027
1 Dhu al-Qa’dah 1448	Start of Dhu al-Qa’dah	Thursday 8 April 2027
1 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448	Start of Dhu al-Hijjah	Friday 7 May 2027
9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448	Day of Arafah	Saturday 15 May 2027
10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448	Eid al-Adha	Sunday 16 May 2027
1 Muharram 1449	Islamic New Year	Sunday 6 June 2027
10 Muharram 1449	Ashura	Tuesday 15 June 2027
1 Safar 1449	Start of Safar	Monday 5 July 2027
1 Rabi al-Awwal 1449	Start of Rabi al-Awwal	Tuesday 3 August 2027
12 Rabi al-Awwal 1449	Mawlid (observed by many Muslims)	Saturday 14 August 2027
1 Rabi al-Akhir 1449	Start of Rabi al-Akhir	Thursday 2 September 2027

Why your mosque’s date may differ by a day

Islamic months follow the moon, and there is no single body that sets the start of each month for all Muslims in Britain. UK mosques broadly take one of three approaches:

Following Saudi Arabia’s announcement, or another country’s.
Local moon sighting in the UK or a nearby country.
Astronomical calculation, with dates published in advance.

The Umm al-Qura dates on this page are calculated in advance, so they work well for planning. But a mosque that waits for a sighting may start a month a day later, and two mosques in the same city may mark Ramadan or Eid on different days. For any date that matters to you, follow your own mosque’s announcement. You can find yours in our mosques and Islamic centres directory.

Ramadan 1448 and Eid al-Fitr 2027

Ramadan is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027. By Umm al-Qura the month lasts 29 days, so Eid al-Fitr falls on Tuesday 9 March 2027. The 27th of Ramadan, which many Muslims observe, falls on Saturday 6 March. The clocks go forward on 28 March 2027, after Eid, so there is no clock change during the month.

For fasting hours, work arrangements and NHS health advice, read our Ramadan 2027 UK guide. Daily timetables are on the prayer times page, including Ramadan timetables for London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Dhu al-Hijjah, the Day of Arafah and Eid al-Adha

Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 is expected to begin on Friday 7 May 2027. The Day of Arafah falls on Saturday 15 May and Eid al-Adha on Sunday 16 May 2027. Because Eid al-Adha is expected on a Sunday, many people may not need leave for the first day; if your mosque announces Eid for Monday 17 May, you will. Our Eid 2027 UK guide covers leave, school absence, Eid prayers in parks and the rules on Qurbani.

Islamic New Year 1449 and Ashura

The Islamic New Year, 1 Muharram 1449, is expected on Sunday 6 June 2027, and Ashura, 10 Muharram, on Tuesday 15 June 2027. Ashura is marked by many Muslims, and the way it is observed differs between communities. Ask your mosque about any events it holds.

Isra and Mi’raj, mid-Sha’ban and Mawlid

Three dates in this calendar are observed by many Muslims, while others do not mark them in a special way:

Isra and Mi’raj: 27 Rajab, expected on Tuesday 5 January 2027.
Mid-Sha’ban: 15 Sha’ban, expected on Saturday 23 January 2027.
Mawlid: 12 Rabi al-Awwal, expected on Saturday 14 August 2027.

We list these dates so you can plan. Whether and how to observe them is a matter for you and your mosque or scholar.

None of these dates is a UK bank holiday

Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the Islamic New Year and the other dates here are not bank holidays in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Your employer does not have to give you the day off on top of your normal leave. Our UK bank holidays tool shows the official bank holiday dates, so you can see whether a bank holiday or weekend falls close to an Islamic date you want to mark.

How to ask for time off work or school

At work: religious days come out of your annual leave. GOV.UK says the general notice period is at least twice the length of the leave you want, plus 1 day, so three days’ notice for one day off, unless your contract says otherwise. Your employer can refuse the timing with proper notice. Acas guidance on religion or belief discrimination says employers should try to allow time off for important religious festivals, and suggests booking early. Because the exact day may move, ask for the expected day and agree in advance what happens if it changes. Check how much leave you have with our holiday entitlement calculator, and read our guide to working in the UK.

At school in England: the Department for Education attendance guidance says the school records absence as authorised, under code R, when the day is exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the parents belong. Extra days are at the school’s discretion. Write to the school in advance. Rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different. See our schools guide.

Zakat and the Islamic year

Some Muslims pay zakat in Ramadan, and others on a fixed Islamic date each year. This calendar helps you find that date in 2027. Our zakat calculator works out the amount, and the gold price in pounds helps you check the nisab on the day. For questions about what is due, ask a scholar.

Frequently asked questions

When does Ramadan 2027 start in the UK?

Monday 8 February 2027 by the Umm al-Qura calendar. Your mosque may start a day earlier or later.

When is Eid al-Fitr 2027?

Expected on Tuesday 9 March 2027. Confirm with your mosque’s announcement.

When is Eid al-Adha 2027?

Expected on Sunday 16 May 2027, with the Day of Arafah on Saturday 15 May.

When is the Islamic New Year 1449?

1 Muharram 1449 is expected on Sunday 6 June 2027, and Ashura on Tuesday 15 June 2027.

Why do UK mosques celebrate Eid on different days?

Some follow Saudi Arabia, some rely on local moon sighting and some use calculation. There is no single body that announces dates for all UK Muslims.

Are Islamic holidays bank holidays in the UK?

No. You need to book annual leave for them. Check official dates in our bank holidays tool.

Can my child miss school for Eid?

In England, a day set apart for religious observance by the parents’ religious body is recorded as authorised absence under code R. Tell the school in advance.

When is Mawlid 2027?

12 Rabi al-Awwal 1449 is expected on Saturday 14 August 2027. It is observed by many Muslims, and practice differs.

Sources

Next step

Note the dates that matter to you, then confirm them with your mosque. Start with the Ramadan 2027 guide, and book Eid leave early using the holiday entitlement calculator.

Reviewed 7 October 2026.