Islamic New Year 2025: UAE declares June 27 a private sector holiday

The UAE has officially declared Friday, June 27, 2025, as a paid public holiday for the Islamic New Year — giving residents across the country a welcome long weekend.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced on Monday that the private sector would observe the day off, following an earlier confirmation from the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources for public sector employees.

The holiday marks the beginning of the Islamic year 1447 AH and commemorates the Hijrah — the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE — a defining moment that signifies the start of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Though the Islamic New Year, or Ra’s As-Sanah Al-Hijriyah, is not traditionally celebrated with the same prominence as Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha, it remains a significant spiritual occasion and is recognised as an official public holiday in the UAE.

With the day falling on a Friday, many in the country will enjoy an extended weekend.

Looking ahead, the next expected public holiday will be Mawlid Al Nabawi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), likely to fall on Thursday, 4 September 2025 — subject to official moon-sighting confirmation.

The UAE’s final public holidays for the year will be Commemoration Day and National Day, observed on 2 and 3 December respectively.