Jumada al-Ula 2026 runs from approximately 12 October to 10 November 2026 (1448 AH), subject to moon sighting. It is the fifth month of the Islamic calendar — a quiet month with no obligatory observances, remembered for the Battle of Mu'tah and used for steady voluntary worship and charity.
Key Takeaways
- Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH begins on approximately Monday 12 October 2026 and ends around 10 November 2026, subject to local moon sighting — see the full Islamic calendar for 2026.
- The name comes from the Arabic jamad — "arid, dry or cold" — with some scholars linking it to water freezing in the pre-Islamic Arabian winter (Wikipedia). It is the 5th month, also written Jumada al-Awwal or Jumada I.
- The Battle of Mu'tah took place on 1 Jumada al-Ula 8 AH (629 CE), where three beloved companions — Zayd ibn Haritha, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and Abdullah ibn Rawaha — were martyred (Wikipedia).
- The White Days (13th–15th) fall on approximately 24–26 October 2026. The Prophet ﷺ said fasting them "is like keeping perpetual fast" (Sunan Abi Dawud 2449, sahih).
- The Prophet ﷺ taught that "Sadaqah (charity) extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 614, hasan).
- Around 3.9 million Muslims in England and Wales (ONS Census 2021) will mark the month — many with voluntary fasts and sadaqah.
When is Jumada al-Ula 2026?
Jumada al-Ula 2026 begins on approximately Monday 12 October 2026, which corresponds to 1 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH in calculated Hijri calendars such as AlAdhan and IslamicFinder. Because Islamic days start at sunset, the month actually enters on the evening of Sunday 11 October.
The month runs for 29 or 30 days, ending on approximately 10 November 2026, when Jumada al-Akhira begins. As with every Hijri month, the exact start and end depend on the sighting of the new crescent moon, so dates can shift by a day between countries — and even between mosques in the same UK city.
| Date (Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH) | Expected Gregorian date | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Monday 12 October 2026 | Jumada al-Ula 2026 begins (evening of 11 October) |
| 1st (8 AH) | — | Anniversary of the Battle of Mu'tah |
| 13th–15th | 24–26 October 2026 | The White Days — recommended voluntary fasts |
| 29th/30th | c. 10 November 2026 | Month ends; Jumada al-Akhira begins |
All dates are subject to moon sighting and may vary by location and community.
All the key dates at a glance — each subject to moon sighting.
What does Jumada al-Ula mean?
Jumada al-Ula (جمادى الأولى) means "the first Jumada", from the Arabic root jamad — arid, dry or cold. Some early philologists connected it to water freezing, placing the month in the pre-Islamic Arabian winter; the fifth and sixth months form a pair, with Jumada al-Akhira ("the last Jumada") following it (Wikipedia).
You will also see the month written as Jumada al-Awwal, Jumada I or, in South Asian usage, Jumadi-ul-Awwal — all the same month. It is the fifth month of the Hijri calendar, following Rabi al-Thani and the two spring months named after the grazing season.
Because the lunar Hijri year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, the months drift through the seasons — and in 2026 the "cold month" actually lands in the British autumn, four months after the Islamic New Year in June. Like Safar before it, it is a month with no obligatory observances at all.
What happened in Jumada al-Ula?
The defining event of the month is the Battle of Mu'tah, fought on 1 Jumada al-Ula 8 AH (629 CE) near the Dead Sea in present-day Jordan, when a Muslim force of some three thousand met a vastly larger Byzantine-allied army. Three commanders the Prophet ﷺ had appointed fell one after another: Zayd ibn Haritha — the only companion named in the Qur'an — then Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's ﷺ cousin, then the poet Abdullah ibn Rawaha. Khalid ibn al-Walid took command and brought the army home (Wikipedia).
The month holds other notable dates. Ottoman chronicles record the conquest of Constantinople by Mehmed II on 20 Jumada al-Ula 857 AH (1453 CE). Shia Muslims additionally mark the birth of Zaynab bint Ali on the 5th and of Ali ibn Husayn (Zayn al-Abidin) on the 15th, and — according to some narrations — the passing of Fatimah, the Prophet's ﷺ daughter, on the 10th of this month in 11 AH, though other accounts place it elsewhere in the year.
For most Sunni communities in the UK, none of these dates carries a prescribed observance — the month passes quietly, which is precisely its character.
How do Muslims observe Jumada al-Ula 2026?
There are no acts of worship specific to this month. Its value lies in keeping the ordinary sunnah devotions going — the steady deeds the Prophet ﷺ praised as the most beloved to Allah, "the most regular and constant even if it were little" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464).
Common observances this month include:
- Fasting the White Days — the 13th, 14th and 15th of the Hijri month, falling on approximately 24–26 October 2026. The Prophet ﷺ said of them: "This is like keeping perpetual fast" (Sunan Abi Dawud 2449, graded sahih). With UK daylight shortening in late October, these are among the easiest voluntary fasts of the year.
- Fasting Mondays and Thursdays — "Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 747, hasan).
- A steady Qur'an and dhikr portion — a daily amount that survives the school run and the workday.
- Remembering the martyrs of Mu'tah — many teachers use the month to study the lives of Zayd, Ja'far and Abdullah ibn Rawaha with children and study circles.
- Giving charity — including sadaqah and zakat, with winter appeals beginning as UK nights draw in.
The four steady practices of a quiet month.
Why is a quiet month valuable?
It is easy to worship in Ramadan, when the whole community moves together. The quieter months test what remains. A believer who keeps three fasts, a daily page of Qur'an and a weekly act of charity through Jumada al-Ula has built something Ramadan alone cannot give — a habit that outlasts the month.
The sacrifice remembered at Mu'tah points the same way. Zayd, Ja'far and Abdullah ibn Rawaha gave everything in a month with no festival attached to it — a reminder that devotion is not seasonal. Their legacy also illustrates the logic of sadaqah jariyah: deeds whose benefit continues long after the person is gone.
Why give charity in Jumada al-Ula?
The Prophet ﷺ taught: "Sadaqah (charity) extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 614, graded hasan) — a hadith that takes on a pleasing literalness when the charity in question is clean water. At HNCO, a UK non-profit organisation, donations most often go towards clean water projects and masjid construction in Pakistan — both classic forms of sadaqah jariyah, and both zakat-eligible.
Extinguish Sins as Water Extinguishes Fire
Honour the quiet month with charity that keeps giving — a water well, a masjid, or an ongoing forever donation.
Donate Now Build a Water WellHow is the start of the month decided?
Like every Hijri month, it begins with the new crescent moon. Two approaches exist side by side: Saudi Arabia's Umm al-Qura calendar fixes dates in advance by astronomical calculation, while many communities — including many UK mosques — wait for a verified local or regional sighting.
In practice this means the dates in this guide, drawn from calculated calendars such as AlAdhan's 1448 AH tables, may differ by a day from your mosque's announcement. When the precise date matters — for example, planning the White Days fasts — always confirm with your local mosque or Islamic authority.
Jumada al-Ula 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions
When does Jumada al-Ula 2026 start?
Jumada al-Ula 2026 starts on approximately Monday 12 October 2026 (1 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH), entering from sunset on Sunday 11 October. The exact date depends on the sighting of the new crescent moon.
Is Jumada al-Ula the same as Jumada al-Awwal?
Yes. Jumada al-Ula, Jumada al-Awwal, Jumada I and Jumadi-ul-Awwal are all names for the same month — the fifth month of the Islamic calendar.
What does Jumada mean?
The name comes from the Arabic root jamad, meaning arid, dry or cold. Some early scholars linked it to water freezing, as the two Jumada months coincided with winter when the calendar names were fixed in pre-Islamic Arabia.
Is fasting required in Jumada al-Ula?
No — there are no obligatory fasts in the fifth month. Recommended voluntary fasts include the White Days (13th–15th, approximately 24–26 October 2026) and Mondays and Thursdays.
What are the White Days in Jumada al-Ula 2026?
The White Days are the 13th, 14th and 15th of every Hijri month, when the moon is fullest. In Jumada al-Ula 1448 they fall on approximately 24–26 October 2026. The Prophet ﷺ described fasting them as being like keeping a perpetual fast (Sunan Abi Dawud 2449).
What happened in the Battle of Mu'tah?
On 1 Jumada al-Ula 8 AH (629 CE), a Muslim force met a far larger Byzantine-allied army at Mu'tah in present-day Jordan. The three appointed commanders — Zayd ibn Haritha, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and Abdullah ibn Rawaha — were martyred in succession, before Khalid ibn al-Walid withdrew the army safely.
What month comes after Jumada al-Ula 2026?
Jumada al-Akhira ("the last Jumada"), the sixth month of the Islamic calendar, begins on approximately 11 November 2026, subject to moon sighting.
What is the best charity to give in Jumada al-Ula?
Any sincere charity is rewarded, but sadaqah jariyah — ongoing charity such as a water well or a masjid — carries reward that continues for years. HNCO water wells in Pakistan start from £150, and all water projects are zakat-eligible.