Islamic New Year 2026: When Is Next Public Holiday In UAE?

After Eid Al Adha gave UAE residents a much-awaited long break, the community is on the look out for the next holiday. For those preparing to travel, planning staycations, or just looking for a time to unwind, the country lists out holidays in advance.

This helps residents plan ahead, make the most of the breaks, and often serves as something to look forward to. So when is the next leave? It is expected to fall in mid-June, on the occasion of Islamic New Year.

Here's a guide on what Hijri New Year is, how it is calculated, and if the leave is transferable or not:

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. What is Islamic New Year?

Islamic New Year, also called Hijri News Year, marks the beginning of a new Islamic year, which follows the lunar calendar, and is subject to official moon sightings. It falls on the start of the month of Muharram, which is the first month of the Hijri calendar.

Islamic months are subject to moon sightings, which happens on 29th of every Hijri month. On 29 Dhul Hijjah, which is June 15, if the moon is sighted, then the new month of Muharram will start the following day - June 16, Tuesday.

If the moon is not sighted on June 15, then Dhul Hijjah will complete 30 days, and June 17, Wednesday, will be Muharram 1.

According to a Cabinet Resolution that came into effect in 2025, public holidays, except for Eid, can be transferred to the end or the beginning of the week.

This means that if Hijri New Year falls on June 16, Tuesday, or June 17, Wednesday, it could be transferred to Monday or Friday, giving UAE residents a 3- or 4-day break, depending on the sector and emirate, when combined with the weekend.

If the holiday is transferred to Monday, Sharjah government employees and Sharjah schools would get a 4-day break. If the holiday is transferred to Friday, UAE residents across the country would get a 3-day long weekend.

After Islamic New Year, UAE residents still have two public holidays left: Prophet's Birthday and UAE National Day.

This holiday falls on Rabi Al Awwal 12.
Holiday date: Dependent on moon sighting. The likely date is August 25.

Subject to an official Cabinet decision, the leave is transferable, potentially giving residents another long weekend.

The UAE will celebrate its 55th National Day in 2026 with a two-day break. On December 2 and 3, Wednesday and Thursday, residents across the country will get the last leave of 2026.

This means Sharjah government employees and schools in Sharjah will get a 5-day break, if the holiday is not transferred.

If officially transferred, the last public holiday of the year could become a 4-day break for all the emirates.

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