The 12 months of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar are:
1. Al-Muharram (المُحَرَّم) — a sacred month
2. Safar (صَفَر)
3. Rabi' Al-Awwal (رَبِيع الأوَّل)
4. Rabi' Ath-Thani (رَبِيع الثَّانِي)
5. Jumada Al-Ula (جُمَادَى الأُولَى)
6. Jumada Ath-Thaniyah (جُمَادَى الثَّانِيَة)
7. Rajab (رَجَب) — a sacred month
8. Sha'ban (شَعْبَان)
9. Ramadan (رَمَضَان)
10. Shawwal (شَوَّال)
11. Dhul Qa'dah (ذُو القَعْدَة) — a sacred month
12. Dhul Hijjah (ذُو الحِجَّة) — a sacred month
The four sacred months are especially important. Three of them come one after another — Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah, and Al-Muharram — and the fourth is Rajab, which falls between Jumada and Sha'ban.
Allah says in the Quran:
> "Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them." [Coran, Sourate At-Tawba:36]
The Prophet ﷺ confirmed this in his Farewell Sermon, saying:
> "Time has completed its cycle and has returned to its state when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year consists of twelve months, of which four are sacred; three of them are consecutive: Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumada and Sha'ban." [Sahih Bukhari & Muslim]
Why are the sacred months special? During these months, fighting was traditionally forbidden, and the Arabs would travel safely for Hajj and Umrah. Allah made them sacred so that people could journey to His Sacred House in peace. This is part of the wisdom behind these blessed months.
A practical note: The Islamic calendar is lunar, so each month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon. This is why Ramadan and other months shift about 10–11 days earlier each solar year. To follow the current Islamic date and the start of each month, you can check the Islamic calendar in your Al Muslim Plus app — it will help you stay aware of the sacred months and prepare for Ramadan, Hajj, and other important occasions.