UAE holidays: Private sector holiday announced for Islamic new year
Long weekend for Al Hijri holidays in UAE
Dubai:Private sector employees in the UAE will get a holiday for the Hijri New Year (Islamic New Year) on Sunday 23, the 1st of Muharram 1442, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) announced on Thursday.
Sunday will be the Hijri New Year's holiday also for federal goverment, and work to resume on Monday 24 according to the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR)
Earlier this year, UAE had announced that the holiday calendar would be unified for the public and private sectors.
The Islamic calendar depends on the movement of the moon. The beginning of each month is marked by the observance of a new moon seen for the first time. Visibility of the new moon depends on various factors, such as the weather.
What is Hijri New Year?
Hijri is derived from Arabic word Hijrah, which means migration
The solemn occasion marks 1442 years since the migration of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and his companions from Makkah to Madinah, Islam’s holiest cities in Saudi Arabia.