Islamic New Year holiday for UAE private sector announced

UAE Private-Sector Workers to Get Public Holiday for Islamic New Year

Private-sector workers in the UAE will be granted a public holiday on Sunday to mark the Islamic New Year, as announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. This holiday allows employees in the private sector to observe the start of the Islamic year with a day off.

The status of the public holiday for federal government employees is still pending confirmation. However, it is customary for public sector employees to have weekends off, which typically aligns with the timing of the Islamic New Year.

Generally, both public and private sector employees are given an equal number of holidays throughout the year, ensuring fairness in time off.

The Islamic New Year, also known as Hijri New Year, marks the beginning of Muharram, which is the first month in the Islamic lunar calendar. The observance of this day is scheduled to take place across the Emirates on Sunday, signaling the start of a new Islamic year.

The date of Muharram, and thus the Islamic New Year, fluctuates annually due to the lunar cycle, which affects the Islamic calendar differently than the Gregorian calendar.

Unlike the major Islamic holidays of Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, which involve specific religious celebrations and rituals, the Islamic New Year does not have prescribed religious observances. Instead, it is generally considered a day for personal reflection rather than public celebration.