Islamic Holiday · 2026 · All Years Guide
Day of Arafah 2026
The most blessed day in the Islamic calendar, the climax of Hajj.
In 2026, Day of Arafah falls on Monday, May 25, 2026, corresponding to 9 Dhul Hijjah 1447 in the Islamic Hijri calendar. The exact start may shift by one day in either direction based on regional moon-sighting committee announcements — countries that follow the Saudi Umm al-Qura calculation typically align with the date listed here, while South Asian moon-sighting traditions occasionally observe the festival one day later.
Significance of Day of Arafah
The Day of Arafah, known in Arabic as Yawm Arafah, falls on the ninth day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah and represents the most sacred day in the Islamic calendar. It is the central rite of the Hajj pilgrimage, when over two million pilgrims gather on the Plain of Arafah and the slopes of Mount Arafah (Jabal al-Rahmah) outside Mecca for an afternoon of unbroken supplication called the Wuquf. Hadith literature reports that on this day Allah descends to the lowest heaven and forgives the sins of those who stand in earnest prayer. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ delivered his final sermon on this plain, declaring the perfection of Islam in the verse "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you" (Qur'an 5:3).
Traditions and Observances
For pilgrims, the day involves traveling from the tent city of Mina to Arafah after Fajr, listening to the khutbah delivered from Masjid al-Namirah, and standing in prayer until sunset before moving to Muzdalifah for the night. For Muslims not on Hajj, voluntary fasting on the Day of Arafah is among the most strongly recommended acts in Islam, with the Prophet ﷺ teaching that the fast expiates the sins of the previous year and the year to come. The day is filled with the takbirat of Tashreeq — short formulas of glorification — recited audibly after every prayer from Fajr of 9 Dhul Hijjah through Asr of 13 Dhul Hijjah.
Day of Arafah 2026 — At a Glance
If you are planning travel, scheduling community events, requesting time off work, or simply marking your family calendar for 2026, the table below summarises every key detail for Day of Arafah this year, alongside the surrounding observances on either side of the festival in the Hijri calendar.
| Detail | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Gregorian date | May 25, 2026 |
| Day of week | Monday |
| Hijri date | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1447 |
| Tradition | Islam (Sunni & Shia observance noted where they differ) |
Regional Observance
Saudi authorities deploy tens of thousands of personnel and millions of liters of cold drinking water across Arafah's tents and walkways. Indonesian, Malaysian, and Brunei pilgrims often gather under their national flags for collective dua sessions. Many mosques in non-pilgrim countries host all-night vigils called Qiyam Arafah. In Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria, families distribute meat, bread, and dates to neighbors as a symbolic preparation for Eid al-Adha the following morning.
Day of Arafah Across the Years 2024–2030
The Islamic Hijri calendar is a purely lunar calendar of approximately 354 days, so its observances drift forward by roughly 10–11 days each Gregorian year. The Hindu lunar calendar uses periodic intercalary months (adhik maas) that keep festivals broadly anchored to the seasons. The table below shows the Gregorian date of Day of Arafah across every year HijriHub covers, allowing you to plan multi-year commemorations, anniversaries, or research at a glance.
| Year | Gregorian date | Hijri date | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | June 15, 2024 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1445 | Saturday |
| 2025 | June 5, 2025 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1446 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 25, 2026 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1447 | Monday |
| 2027 | May 15, 2027 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1448 | Saturday |
| 2028 | May 3, 2028 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1449 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | April 22, 2029 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1450 | Sunday |
| 2030 | April 12, 2030 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1451 | Friday |
How HijriHub calculates Day of Arafah 2026
Our Hijri-to-Gregorian conversions follow the calculation methodology used by the Aladhan Islamic Calendar API, which itself draws from the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia for religious observances. For festivals tied to lunar crescent observation — particularly the start of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Hijri New Year — the actual observed date in any given country may differ by one day based on local moon-sighting committee determinations. We list the most widely observed Sunni date here; Shia communities typically follow Ja'fari calculation methodology that may differ by a day. Always confirm with your local masjid or central religious authority before finalising community plans.
Other Years
- Day of Arafah 2024 Jun 15, 2024
- Day of Arafah 2025 Jun 5, 2025
- Day of Arafah 2027 May 15, 2027
- Day of Arafah 2028 May 3, 2028
- Day of Arafah 2029 Apr 22, 2029
- Day of Arafah 2030 Apr 12, 2030
Other Holidays in May 2026
- Eid al-Adha 2026 May 26, 2026