Birthdays in Islam: What Muslims Should Know About Hijri Birthdays

"Do Muslims celebrate birthdays?" is one of the most common questions new Muslims, parents and curious friends ask. The honest answer is that Muslims hold different views, and practice varies between families, schools of thought and communities. This guide sets out those views plainly, explains what a Hijri birthday is, and shows how many families mark it.

This article is general information, not a religious ruling. For guidance on your own practice, ask a scholar or the leaders of your community.

What is a Hijri birthday?

Your Hijri birthday is the date you were born in the Islamic (lunar) calendar, for example 17 Shawwal 1410. Because the Hijri year is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, your Hijri birthday falls on a different Gregorian date every year and moves through all the seasons over about 33 years.

You can find yours in seconds with the Hijri Birthday Calculator.

The different views among Muslims

View 1: Birthday celebrations should be avoided

Some scholars hold that annual birthday celebrations are not part of the Sunnah and resemble customs taken from other traditions. Families who follow this view usually do not hold parties or exchange birthday gifts, on either calendar.

View 2: A birthday is a custom, and is allowed within limits

Other scholars see a birthday as a cultural custom ('urf) rather than an act of worship. In this view, marking the day is permissible as long as it involves nothing prohibited and is not treated as a religious obligation. Families who follow this view may share a meal, give a small gift or simply enjoy the day together.

View 3: Marking the day with gratitude and dua

Many families, including communities with long-standing traditions of observing the Hijri birthday, use the day for worship and reflection rather than celebration in the Western sense. Common practices include:

- Making dua for the person whose birthday it is, and for their parents

- Giving sadaqah (charity) in gratitude for another year of life

- Reciting Quran or attending a gathering of remembrance

- Reflecting on the year that has passed and intentions for the next

Some communities, such as the Dawoodi Bohras, observe the Hijri birthday (often called waras or salgirah) as a family occasion, alongside other Hijri anniversaries such as the barsi or urs of a departed relative.

Why the Hijri calendar matters for birthdays

Whatever your view on celebration, the Hijri calendar is the calendar of Islamic life. Ramadan, the two Eids, the Day of Arafah and Ashura all follow it. Religious rulings that depend on age are also counted in lunar years, which is why many families like to know their children's age in Hijri years.

Remembering the dates that matter

The hardest part of keeping Hijri dates is simply remembering them. Because they move every year, a normal calendar reminder set for a fixed date is wrong the following year.

HijriMinder solves this by adding Hijri birthdays, anniversaries and remembrance days to Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook. It recalculates the Gregorian date every year using your community's calculation method and sends a reminder before the day, so there is time to prepare a dua, give charity or call family.

Frequently asked questions

Is it haram to celebrate a birthday in Islam?

Scholars differ. Some consider birthday celebrations impermissible, others permit them as a custom within Islamic limits. Follow the guidance of the scholars you trust.

What is the difference between a Hijri birthday and a Gregorian birthday?

They mark the same day of birth in two calendars. The Gregorian birthday is on the same date every year; the Hijri birthday moves about 11 days earlier each year.

How do I find my Hijri birthday?

Enter your date of birth in the Hijri Birthday Calculator. If you were born after sunset, tick the after-Maghrib option, because the Islamic day begins at sunset.