UAE holiday: Hijri holiday to fall on August 23

Dubai: The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) has announced that Sunday August 23 will be the first day of Muḥarram for Islamic year 1442.

Accordingly, Sunday will be the Hijri New Year's holiday for federal goverment, and work to resume on Monday 24.

The UAE has already declared Muharram 1 as a public holiday for 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.

Hijri is derived from Arabic word Hijrah, which means migration

The solemn occasion marks 1,442 years since the migration of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and his companions from Makkah to Madinah, Islam’s holiest cities in Saudi Arabia.