Checking your phone to see if today is a Muslim holiday can honestly be a bit of a headache. You might see one date on your Google Calendar and a totally different one on a flyer at the local community center. This isn't because someone messed up. It's because Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar, which relies on the cycles of the moon rather than the fixed 365 days of the Gregorian year.
Today is Friday, January 16, 2026.
Looking at the current Islamic year of 1447 AH, we are sitting right in the middle of the month of Rajab. Specifically, today is roughly Rajab 27. Why does that matter? Well, for many Muslims around the world, today actually marks a significant observance: Isra' mi'raj.
The Shift of the Moon
The Hijri calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. This means holidays "drift" backward through the seasons. If Ramadan was in the heat of July ten years ago, it’ll eventually end up in the snow of January. It’s a constant cycle.
Because a new month only begins when the thin crescent of the new moon is sighted, things get local. If it’s cloudy in London but clear in Riyadh, different communities might actually start their holiday on different days. It’s a bit chaotic if you’re trying to book a day off work, but it’s part of the tradition's organic nature.
Is Today a Muslim Holiday for Everyone?
While January 16, 2026, aligns with Isra' mi'raj, not every single Muslim observes it as a formal "holiday" in the way we think of Christmas or Thanksgiving. In countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, or Turkey, you might find banks closed or massive communal prayers. In the U.S. or UK, it’s usually more of a personal spiritual night.
Isra' mi'raj commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s two-part journey: the night trip from Mecca to Jerusalem (Isra') and his subsequent ascension to heaven (Mi'raj).
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It’s a night of deep prayer. People stay up late. They tell stories. They reflect on the "gift" of the five daily prayers, which tradition says was established during this event. It’s less about presents and more about the soul.
The Big Two: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
If you were actually looking for the "Big Eids," those are still a few months away in 2026.
Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is expected to fall around March 20, 2026. Again, that "expected" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Astronomers can predict it with 99% accuracy, but the religious authorities in various countries still wait for that physical moon sighting.
Then you have Eid al-Adha, the "Festival of Sacrifice." That one should land around May 27, 2026. That’s the big one involving the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. If you are planning travel or business meetings in the Middle East around late May, basically expect everything to come to a grinding halt for about four days.
Why the Date Changes Every Year
The Gregorian calendar—the one on your iPhone—is solar. It tracks the Earth's orbit around the sun. The Hijri calendar is purely lunar.
There are 12 months, but they alternate between 29 and 30 days. No leap years to fix the math. This 11-day gap is why your Muslim neighbors might be fasting in the spring this year, but a decade from now, they'll be doing it in the dead of winter. It ensures that the experience of the holiday changes over a person’s lifetime. You experience the long, hot fasts of summer and the short, easy fasts of winter. It’s a built-in variety.
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Misconceptions About "Holidays"
People often assume every "important" day on the Islamic calendar means a day off. Not really.
Take Ashura. It’s incredibly important, especially for Shia Muslims who mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali. For others, it’s a day of fasting to celebrate Moses. But in many places, business carries on as usual.
Then there’s the Islamic New Year (Maal Hijra). It’s a time for reflection, but you won't see fireworks or ball drops. It’s quiet.
How to Check for Sure
If you need to know for a specific reason—like you’re a manager wondering if an employee needs time off—the best bet is to check a "Global Moon Sighting" tracker or just ask. Honestly, most Muslims are happy to explain the "maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after" nature of their calendar.
Websites like Moonsighting.com are the gold standard for this stuff. They provide visibility curves that show where in the world the moon will actually be visible to the naked eye. It’s a mix of ancient tradition and high-level astrophysics.
Key Dates for 1447 AH (2025-2026)
Since we are looking at the 2026 window, here is a rough timeline of what to expect for the rest of the year. Keep in mind these can shift by 24 hours.
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The month of Ramadan should start around February 18, 2026. This is the month of fasting from dawn until sunset. It’s the most visible part of the Islamic year for non-Muslims.
Laylat al-Qadr, the "Night of Power," usually falls on one of the odd-numbered nights in the last ten days of Ramadan. Most people mark the 27th night, which would be around March 16, 2026. It's considered the holiest night of the year.
After Eid al-Adha in May, the next major milestone is the Islamic New Year for 1448 AH, which will likely arrive in mid-June 2026.
Making Sense of Today
So, is today a Muslim holiday? Yes, for millions observing Isra' mi'raj, today is a day of profound religious significance. It’s a moment of connection between the earthly and the divine.
Even if the shops aren't closed and there aren't parades in the street, for a significant portion of the global population, today is a day out of the ordinary. It’s a day for the spirit.
If you are trying to be respectful of colleagues or friends, just acknowledging the day goes a long way. You don't need to be an expert on the lunar cycles. Just knowing that the calendar is fluid helps.
The best way to stay ahead of these dates is to download a Hijri calendar app that uses your specific location. Since the moon is seen at different times in different longitudes, your local mosque's app is going to be way more accurate than a generic wall calendar you bought at the grocery store. Check for updates on the 29th day of every Islamic month; that’s when the "official" word usually comes out.
Prepare for the upcoming month of Ramadan by noting that it begins approximately 33 days from today. If you have Muslim clients or employees, mid-February is when you’ll want to start adjusting meeting schedules to avoid late-afternoon slumps or sunset dinner conflicts.