UAE Islamic New Year 2025 holiday announced
Private and public sector workers will enjoy a bumper three-day long weekend between Friday June 27 and Sunday June 29.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) revealed that Friday June 27 will be the official Islamic New Year holiday for private sector workers.
And the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources also revealed that Friday June 27 will be the official holiday for government workers.
Last year, the Islamic New Year fell on a weekend –which, for most people in the UAE, is already a weekend – and this year it looks like we're set for a day off.
The Islamic New Year marks the start of the Hijri calendar and the first day of the month of Muharram.
While the public holiday marking the start of the new Islamic year has been announced, we won't know when the Hijri month begins until the evening of Wednesday June 25.
Current predictions indicate that the celebration will fall on Thursday June 26, but there is a chance it could fall on Friday June 27, if Dhu Al Hijjah is a 30-day month.
According to the UAE Public Holiday law introduced at the start of 2025, official holidays can be moved to the beginning or end of the week by cabinet decision.
It's the first time since the law was introduced that the cabinet has used this power to move the holiday to ensure a long weekend.
What is Islamic New Year?
The Islamic New Year marks the beginning of every year in the Hijri calendar and falls on the first day of Muharram.
Also referred to as Hijra or Al Hijri, the occasion is celebrated like any other public holiday in Dubai with big fireworks displays, dining deals and more.
During Muharram, particularly on the 10th day known as Ashura, Muslims commemorate various historical events, including the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, in the Battle of Karbala.
This day holds profound significance, especially for Shia Muslims, who participate in mourning rituals and processions.
Why the Islamic New Year holiday date changes every year
The upcoming holiday is one of four public holidays in the UAE that rely on the Islamic calendar to determine when it begins.
Also known as the Hijri calendar, the Islamic calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, unlike the more widely used Gregorian calendar, which is based on the sun.
In the Islamic calendar, a new month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon. This can sometimes lead to slight variations in the start of months between different regions due to differences in moon sighting. (This also explains why Ramadan and Eid start on different days in different countries).
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