Baháʼí Calendar Converter

The Baháʼí calendar, also called the Badíʼ calendar, is the official calendar of the Baháʼí Faith. It consists of 19 months of 19 days each (361 days), plus 4 or 5 intercalary days called Ayyám-i-Há. The year begins at Naw-Rúz, the vernal equinox, typically falling on March 20 or 21 in the Gregorian calendar.

The Baháʼí New Year, called Naw-Rúz, begins at the vernal equinox. In the Gregorian calendar this falls between March 19 and 22, though it was traditionally observed on March 21 in western Baháʼí communities prior to year 172 B.E. Since then, the date has been astronomically determined.

The Baháʼí Era (B.E.) began in 1844 CE, the year the Báb declared his mission. To find the approximate Baháʼí year, subtract 1844 from the current Gregorian year and add 1. For example, 2024 CE corresponds approximately to year 181 B.E. (after Naw-Rúz in March).

A Váḥid is a 19-year cycle in the Baháʼí calendar. Nineteen Váḥids make up a Kull-i-Shay, a grand cycle of 361 years. The year within each Váḥid has its own name — for instance, year 1 is Alif, year 2 is Bá, and so on through 19 names.

Ayyám-i-Há (Days of Há) are the intercalary days inserted before the final month of ʻAláʼ to keep the Baháʼí calendar aligned with the solar year. There are 4 such days in a regular year and 5 in a leap year. They are a period of charity, hospitality, and gift-giving.

ʻAláʼ (Loftiness) is the 19th and final month of the Baháʼí year, typically beginning around March 2. It is the month of fasting — Baháʼís abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset for all 19 days of this month.

Each day of the Baháʼí week also has a name rooted in Arabic. The Baháʼí week has 7 days beginning on Saturday. The day names are: Jalál (Saturday), Jamál (Sunday), Kamál (Monday), Fiḍál (Tuesday), ʻIdál (Wednesday), Istijlál (Thursday), and Istiqlál (Friday).

Before year 172 B.E. (2015 CE), most western Baháʼí communities observed Naw-Rúz on March 21 regardless of the actual equinox. Some Middle Eastern records used the true equinox. Since 2015, the Universal House of Justice standardised the calendar using astronomical calculations based on Tehran as the reference meridian.