The Islamic, or Hijri, calendar is based on lunar months, and the New Year begins on the first day of Muharram, the calendar’s first month
The UAE’s Federal Authority for Government Human Resources and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation have announced that Monday, June 15, 2026, will be an official holiday for federal government entities and private sector companies on the occasion of the Hijri New Year 1448.
The date was confirmed in line with the approved list of official holidays for 2026, issued by the UAE Cabinet. Normal working hours will resume on Tuesday, June 16. As the holiday falls on a Monday, employees who get a Saturday-Sunday weekend will enjoy a three-day break.
For some residents, the holiday will result in an even longer weekend. Government employees and school students in Sharjah, who follow a four-day workweek with Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays off, will benefit from a four-day break with the addition of a Monday public holiday.
The announcement comes on the heels of the UAE’s longest public holiday of the year for Eid Al Adha, when government employees received a 9-day cumulative break, and private employees got a 6-day holiday.
The Islamic New Year, also known as the Hijri New Year, marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar. It falls on the first day of Muharram, the opening month of the Hijri calendar, and is determined by official moon-sighting observations.
Source: Khaleejtimes
