Hijri New Year 2025: UAE announces Islamic New Year holiday for public sector

The UAE has announced a one-day holiday for the Hijri New Year on Friday, June 27.

The announcement for the public sector holiday was made by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has also announced a similar holiday for the private sector.

The Islamic New Year, also known as Hijri New Year, commemorates the migration (Hijrah) of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, an event that marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar. Though the occasion is not typically celebrated with the same scale as Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha, it remains an important date in the Islamic world and is recognized as a public holiday in the UAE.

In addition to the Islamic New Year, the next religious holiday on the horizon will be Mawlid Al Nabawi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, expected to be observed on Thursday, September 4, 2025. As with all Islamic holidays, the exact date will depend on the official moon-sighting and confirmation by relevant religious authorities in the UAE.

Looking ahead to 2026, the Islamic calendar is set to align key observances with the cooler winter and spring months. Ramadan, the sacred month of fasting, prayer, and reflection, is expected to begin on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, although this too will depend on the sighting of the crescent moon.

Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, is likely to fall on Friday, March 20, 2026, providing what could be a three-day weekend for UAE residents. Meanwhile, Eid Al Adha, the most significant of the Islamic festivals, is expected around Tuesday, May 26, 2026, based on the anticipated sighting of the Dhul Hijjah moon on May 17.