UAE announced the public holiday date for the Islamic New Year

The Government of the UAE has announced a public holiday on Friday, June 27, 2025, for the Islamic New Year (1 Muharram 1447 AH). It is a holiday for government and federal employees and extends their regular three-day weekend beginning with Friday and ending with the usual Saturday–Sunday weekend.

This holiday is in keeping with regulations allowing for customary moon‑sighting instead of purely astronomical data to determine the start of the Islamic calendar year. Even though a few days ago there were many groups who indicated that Thursday, June 26 was the date they were expecting, the UAE authorities confirmed on their official social media pages that the official holiday is June 27.

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar and indicates a time for spiritual reflection and cultural observance. The Hijri New Year celebrates the Prophet Muhammad’s migration (Hijra) from Makkah (Mecca) to Madinah (Medina) in the year 622 CE.

What does this mean for citizens and businesses:

• Workers: Public paid holiday and holiday for three days.
• Businesses: Most offices will be closed and many shops will close on Friday.
• Travel & leisure: Best time to book a getaway, plan family gatherings, or visit your cultural spots.

Looking ahead, the next official holidays could be a little later in September for the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday and in December for Commemoration Day & National Day.

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