Islamic New Year 2026
Islamic New Year is a national public holiday in 5 of the countries covered here in 2026, on two different dates: 16 June 2026 in 4, 17 June 2026 in 1. Nowhere is the day off moved to another day this year.
| Country | Date | Weekday | Day off taken |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egyptرأس السنة الهجرية | Tuesday | Same day | |
| IndonesiaTahun Baru Islam | Tuesday | Same day | |
| Nigeria | Tuesday | Same day | |
| United Arab Emiratesرأس السنة الهجرية | Tuesday | Same day | |
| MalaysiaAwal Muharram | Wednesday | Same day |
Why the date is what it is
Islamic (Hijri) calendar. The date follows the Hijri lunar calendar, which is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, so the holiday moves roughly 11 days earlier each year. The final day is confirmed by moon sighting, so no future Hijri date is ever fully fixed and it can move by a day in either direction.
That is why Islamic New Year does not land on the same day everywhere in 2026. Countries applying the rule against a different calendar, a different observation, or a different official announcement arrive at neighbouring dates. Where the difference is one day it is almost always a sighting or an announcement rather than a mistake, and each country page names the authority that fixed it.
Frequently asked questions
When is Islamic New Year in 2026?
It depends on the country. Islamic New Year falls on 2 different dates in 2026 across the 5 countries that observe it: 16 June 2026 in four countries, 17 June 2026 in one country.
Which countries have a public holiday for Islamic New Year in 2026?
Five of the countries covered here: Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia. This counts national public holidays only, so a country observing it in some regions only is not listed.
Why does the date of Islamic New Year change?
Islamic (Hijri) calendar. The date follows the Hijri lunar calendar, which is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, so the holiday moves roughly 11 days earlier each year. The final day is confirmed by moon sighting, so no future Hijri date is ever fully fixed and it can move by a day in either direction.
Islamic New Year in other years
This page counts national public holidays only. A country that marks Islamic New Year without granting a nationwide day off does not appear, and neither does one that observes it in some regions only. The full list per country is on each country page, and the same data is available as JSON.