New Delhi, India, December 31, 2025
Muslim communities worldwide are preparing for important religious observances in January 2026, according to the Islamic lunar calendar (Hijri year 1447).
The month features voluntary fasts known as Ayyamul Bidh, the significant night of Lailat al-Miraj (also called Shab-e-Meraj or Isra and Mi’raj), and the beginning of the month of Sha’ban.
Here is the list of key dates and events in January 2026:
- January 2–4, 2026: Ayyamul Bidh (White Days) voluntary fasts, corresponding to the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Rajab
- January 16, 2026 (Friday): Lailat al-Miraj (Shab-e-Meraj), commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey and Ascension
- January 20, 2026 (approximate): Start of Sha’ban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar
Islamic dates are determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, so actual observances may shift by a day depending on local moon sightings.
The next major observance, Shab-e-Barat (Laylat al-Bara’ah), is expected in early February 2026.
These dates follow widely referenced global Hijri calculations and are observed by Muslim communities in India and internationally.
