The Islamic New Year (Hijri New Year) 2027 in the UAE is expected to fall on Sunday, 6 June. It marks the start of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is a single-day public holiday. Like the Eid holidays on the UAE public holidays 2027 calendar, the date is provisional until moon sighting confirms it.
When is the Islamic New Year 2027 in the UAE?
The Hijri New Year is observed on 1 Muharram each year. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the date shifts roughly 10 to 12 days earlier each Gregorian year. For 2027, the expected date is Sunday, 6 June, based on astronomical calculation. It becomes official only once the UAE moon-sighting committee confirms the move from Dhu al-Hijjah into Muharram.
In this forecast, 6 June falls on a Sunday, which is already a weekend day in the UAE. So no extra working day off results, unless the Cabinet issues a separate transfer decision for the preceding Monday.
What does the Islamic New Year mark?
Muharram is the first month of the Hijri calendar and one of the four sacred months in Islam. The Hijri New Year commemorates the Hijra, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. That migration marks the starting point of the Islamic calendar.
What this means for UAE employers
This is a single-day holiday with a provisional date, so it needs less advance roster planning than the multi-day Eid holidays. Your payroll and attendance systems still need it flagged correctly once it is confirmed. A few points to plan around:
- Attendance calendar. Update the holiday in your attendance system as soon as the UAE Cabinet or moon-sighting committee confirms the date. It usually arrives with only a day or two of notice.
- Payroll timing. A single-day holiday rarely disrupts a payroll cycle on its own. Even so, exclude it from working-day counts for that pay period.
- Compensatory pay. Staff required to work on the confirmed date are owed a compensatory day off, or at least 50% additional pay above the basic rate for the hours worked. Pay it in AED and track it against actual attendance.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
Hijri New Year 2027: expected Sunday 6 June. A single day, provisional until moon sighting.
Because Islamic holiday confirmations arrive on short notice, an attendance system with a manually adjustable holiday calendar is more useful here than a static annual schedule. You can read more on UAE workforce planning on Tipsoi UAE hub page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Islamic New Year 2027 date confirmed in the UAE?
No. The forecast date (Sunday, 6 June 2027) is based on astronomical calculation. It becomes official only once the UAE moon-sighting committee confirms the start of Muharram, usually a day or two ahead.
How many days off is the Islamic New Year in the UAE?
One day, observed on 1 Muharram.
Is the Islamic New Year the same as Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha?
No. The Islamic New Year (Hijri New Year) marks the start of the Islamic calendar year. It is a separate one-day holiday from the two multi-day Eid holidays.
Does the Islamic New Year apply to private sector employees in the UAE?
Yes. It is a public holiday for both public and private sector employees across all seven emirates once confirmed.
Sources
- Khaleej Times: UAE holidays 2027 forecast: published 11 August 2026. rel=nofollow, live-checked 2026-08-17.
- UAE Government Portal (u.ae): Public holidays: Hijri New Year holiday-type reference. rel=nofollow, live-checked 2026-08-17.
This page will be updated once the UAE Cabinet/moon-sighting committee confirms the official Islamic New Year 2027 date.