When Is Ashura This Year? Muharram Dates 2027

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic Hijri calendar follows the cycles of the moon rather than the sun, and its year runs about 11 days shorter. That’s why the Gregorian date for Muharram and Ashura shifts roughly 11 days earlier each year compared to the year before. Like the rest of Noorjoo’s calendar content, this article is updated annually only in the dates above — the surrounding explanation stays the same from year to year.

The first ten days of Muharram mark a period of mourning for Shia Muslims — recalling the final days of Imam Husayn and his companions, from his journey toward Karbala to his death on the tenth day, Ashura. Across many cities, these ten days bring gatherings for mourning, sermons, and retellings of the story of Karbala.

These observances take different forms: home and mosque gatherings known as rawda-khani, where the story is recited aloud; public mourning processions in the streets; and a traditional passion-play called ta’zieh, which dramatizes the events of Karbala as a theatrical performance. The ninth and tenth nights of Muharram — Tasu’a and Ashura — are usually when these observances reach their peak.

The word Ashura comes from the Arabic ashara, meaning “ten,” and refers to the tenth day of Muharram — the day Imam Husayn was killed in the Battle of Karbala. According to this year’s calendar, that day falls on June 15, 2027.

It’s worth noting that Ashura was already a recognized day in Arab culture before the events of Karbala, and some accounts connect it to other, earlier occasions. But after 680 CE, this day became almost universally associated with the commemoration of Imam Husayn’s martyrdom.

Dates in the Hijri lunar calendar are officially determined by the sighting of the new moon, which means the date can shift by a day or two depending on the country or religious authority involved. The date given in this post is based on standard astronomical calculation; for planning mourning observances precisely, it’s best to confirm closer to the date with an announcement from your own trusted religious authority.

To understand the full story behind this date, see why Imam Husayn went to Karbala and how the martyrdom of Imam Husayn unfolded on the day of Ashura.