Monday, June 15, will be a public holiday across the UAE, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced on Tuesday.
The holiday marks the Islamic New Year, 1 Muharram 1447, and applies to federal government bodies and the private sector alike.
The announcement was made via the UAE Government Media Office on X on June 3.
What is Islamic New Year?
The Islamic New Year (Al-Hijra) marks the start of the Islamic lunar calendar, falling on the first day of Muharram.
This year, the UAE government has announced the public holiday will be on Monday, June 15, 2026 – about 12 days away – with work resuming on Tuesday, June 16.
It commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, and is generally a quiet, reflective occasion rather than a big celebration. The date shifts about 11 days earlier each year because the Islamic calendar is lunar, making it shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
