Sheikh Mohamed wishes UAE people and Muslims worldwide a Happy Hijri New Year
He took to Twitter to commemorate the auspicious occasion
Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan extended warm wishes to the UAE people and Muslims worldwide on the Hijri New Year.
Taking to Twitter to commemorate the auspicious occasion, he expressed his hopes for the year ahead. "On the occasion of the Hijri New Year, I extend my warmest congratulations to the people of the UAE and to Muslims everywhere. We pray to God that the new year is filled with progress and stability, and that it brings a renewed commitment to peace and harmony around the world," tweeted His Highness.
The Hijri New Year, also known as Islamic New Year, holds great significance for Muslims as it represents the start of a new lunar calendar year. It commemorates the migration, or Hijra, of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers from Mecca to Medina in the year 622.
The Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, causing the Hijri New Year to fall on different dates of the Gregorian calendar each year, as the lunar year is approximately 11 days shorter than the solar year.
In line with this, the UAE has officially declared Friday, July 21, as a holiday to celebrate the New Islamic Hijri Year for all public and private sector employees.