Islamic New Year around the world in 2023



  How long until Islamic New Year?
Islamic New Year
  Dates of Islamic New Year around the world
2024 Various Jul 8, Jul 10
AlgeriaMon, Jul 8National Holiday
BahrainMon, Jul 8National Holiday
Bosnia and HerzegovinaMon, Jul 8Regional Holiday
BruneiMon, Jul 8National Holiday
ComorosMon, Jul 8National Holiday
DjiboutiMon, Jul 8National Holiday
EgyptMon, Jul 8National Holiday
IndonesiaMon, Jul 8National Holiday
IraqMon, Jul 8National Holiday
JordanMon, Jul 8National Holiday
KuwaitMon, Jul 8National Holiday
LebanonMon, Jul 8National Holiday
LibyaMon, Jul 8National Holiday
MaldivesMon, Jul 8National Holiday
MauritaniaMon, Jul 8National Holiday
MoroccoMon, Jul 8National Holiday
NigerMon, Jul 8National Holiday
OmanMon, Jul 8National Holiday
PalestineMon, Jul 8National Holiday
SomaliaMon, Jul 8National Holiday
SudanMon, Jul 8National Holiday
SyriaMon, Jul 8National Holiday
TunisiaMon, Jul 8National Holiday
United Arab EmiratesWed, Jul 10National Holiday
YemenMon, Jul 8National Holiday
2023 Various Jul 19, Jul 21
AlgeriaWed, Jul 19National Holiday
BahrainFri, Jul 21National Holiday
BruneiWed, Jul 19National Holiday
ComorosWed, Jul 19National Holiday
DjiboutiWed, Jul 19National Holiday
EgyptWed, Jul 19National Holiday
IndonesiaWed, Jul 19National Holiday
IraqWed, Jul 19National Holiday
JordanFri, Jul 21National Holiday
KuwaitFri, Jul 21National Holiday
LebanonWed, Jul 19National Holiday
LibyaWed, Jul 19National Holiday
MaldivesWed, Jul 19National Holiday
MauritaniaWed, Jul 19National Holiday
MoroccoWed, Jul 19National Holiday
NigerWed, Jul 19National Holiday
OmanFri, Jul 21National Holiday
PalestineWed, Jul 19National Holiday
SomaliaWed, Jul 19National Holiday
SudanWed, Jul 19National Holiday
SyriaWed, Jul 19National Holiday
TunisiaWed, Jul 19National Holiday
United Arab EmiratesFri, Jul 21National Holiday
YemenFri, Jul 21National Holiday
2022 Various Jul 29, Jul 30, Jul 31, Aug 1
AlgeriaSat, Jul 30National Holiday
BahrainSat, Jul 30National Holiday
Bosnia and HerzegovinaSun, Jul 31Regional Holiday
BruneiSun, Jul 31National Holiday
ComorosSun, Jul 31National Holiday
DjiboutiSun, Jul 31National Holiday
EgyptSat, Jul 30National Holiday
IndonesiaSat, Jul 30National Holiday
IraqSun, Jul 31National Holiday
JordanSat, Jul 30National Holiday
KuwaitSun, Jul 31National Holiday
LebanonSun, Jul 31National Holiday
LibyaSun, Jul 31National Holiday
MaldivesSun, Jul 31National Holiday
MauritaniaSun, Jul 31National Holiday
MoroccoSun, Jul 31National Holiday
NigerSun, Jul 31National Holiday
Nigeria Jul 29, Aug 1
BornoMon, Aug 1Regional Holiday
KanoMon, Aug 1Regional Holiday
KebbiMon, Aug 1Regional Holiday
OyoMon, Aug 1Regional Holiday
SokotoMon, Aug 1Regional Holiday
YobeMon, Aug 1Regional Holiday
OsunFri, Jul 29Regional Holiday
OmanSun, Jul 31National Holiday
PalestineSun, Jul 31National Holiday
SomaliaSun, Jul 31National Holiday
SudanSun, Jul 31National Holiday
SyriaSun, Jul 31National Holiday
TunisiaSun, Jul 31National Holiday
United Arab EmiratesSat, Jul 30National Holiday
YemenSun, Jul 31National Holiday
2021 Various Aug 8, Aug 9, Aug 10, Aug 11, Aug 12
AlgeriaTue, Aug 10National Holiday
BahrainTue, Aug 10National Holiday
Bosnia and HerzegovinaTue, Aug 10Regional Holiday
BruneiTue, Aug 10National Holiday
ComorosTue, Aug 10National Holiday
DjiboutiTue, Aug 10National Holiday
EgyptThu, Aug 12National Holiday
IndonesiaWed, Aug 11National Holiday
IraqMon, Aug 9National Holiday
JordanTue, Aug 10National Holiday
Kuwait Aug 8, Aug 9
KuwaitMon, Aug 9National Holiday
KuwaitSun, Aug 8National Holiday (additional day)
LebanonTue, Aug 10National Holiday
LibyaTue, Aug 10National Holiday
MaldivesTue, Aug 10National Holiday
MauritaniaTue, Aug 10National Holiday
MoroccoTue, Aug 10National Holiday
NigerTue, Aug 10National Holiday
Nigeria Aug 9, Aug 10
OyoTue, Aug 10Regional Holiday
SokotoTue, Aug 10Regional Holiday
BornoMon, Aug 9Regional Holiday
JigawaMon, Aug 9Regional Holiday
KanoMon, Aug 9Regional Holiday
KatsinaMon, Aug 9Regional Holiday
KebbiMon, Aug 9Regional Holiday
OsunMon, Aug 9Regional Holiday
YobeMon, Aug 9Regional Holiday
OmanTue, Aug 10National Holiday
PalestineTue, Aug 10National Holiday
SomaliaTue, Aug 10National Holiday
SudanTue, Aug 10National Holiday
SyriaTue, Aug 10National Holiday
TunisiaTue, Aug 10National Holiday
United Arab EmiratesThu, Aug 12National Holiday
YemenTue, Aug 10National Holiday
2020 Various Aug 20, Aug 21, Aug 23
AlgeriaThu, Aug 20National Holiday
BahrainThu, Aug 20National Holiday
Bosnia and HerzegovinaThu, Aug 20Regional Holiday
BruneiThu, Aug 20National Holiday
ComorosThu, Aug 20National Holiday
DjiboutiThu, Aug 20National Holiday
EgyptThu, Aug 20National Holiday
IndonesiaThu, Aug 20National Holiday
IraqThu, Aug 20National Holiday
JordanThu, Aug 20National Holiday
KuwaitThu, Aug 20National Holiday
LebanonThu, Aug 20National Holiday
LibyaThu, Aug 20National Holiday
MaldivesThu, Aug 20National Holiday
MauritaniaThu, Aug 20National Holiday
MoroccoThu, Aug 20National Holiday
NigerThu, Aug 20National Holiday
Nigeria Aug 20, Aug 21
KebbiFri, Aug 21Regional Holiday
ZamfaraFri, Aug 21Regional Holiday
JigawaThu, Aug 20Regional Holiday
KanoThu, Aug 20Regional Holiday
KebbiThu, Aug 20Regional Holiday
OsunThu, Aug 20Regional Holiday
OmanSun, Aug 23National Holiday
PalestineThu, Aug 20National Holiday
SomaliaThu, Aug 20National Holiday
SudanThu, Aug 20National Holiday
SyriaThu, Aug 20National Holiday
TunisiaThu, Aug 20National Holiday
United Arab EmiratesSun, Aug 23National Holiday
YemenThu, Aug 20National Holiday
  Summary

Marks Islamic New Year and the Prophet's journey from Mecca to Medina in 622AD.

  Which countries observe Islamic New Year in 2023?
National Holiday Regional Holiday Not a public holiday Govt Holiday

When is Awal Muharram?

Awal Muharram or Hijri New Year is celebrated by Muslims as the day symbolises two important events in the Islamic year.

Awal means beginning in English and Muharram is the name of the first month in the Muslim calendar. The first day of Muharram is therefore the Islamic New Year's Day and on this date the Hijra, the historic journey from Mecca to Medina began.

The Islamic Calendar

Islam has a calendar based on the revolutions of the Moon rather than the sun. Thus, it is only 354 days long. Islamic New Year is celebrated on the first day of Muharram, the first Islamic month.

Compared to Western calendars, the Islamic year goes backwards by about 11 days every year.

The date shown on this page is the date that most countries will observe. The date in some countries may vary by up to two days, as some countries use a lunar sighting basis to determine the date. Because of this, the official dates may not be announced until close to the actual day.

Islamic New Year

This day is a public holiday in most Islamic countries and this year's date for New Year in each country along with the name of the day in that country is shown in the table of countries to the right.

Islamic New Year represents the starting point of the Muslim era as it coincides with the Hijrah, the Prophet's journey from Mecca to Medina on the first of Muharram in 622 CE.

Prophet Mohammed needed to relocate because somebody had intentions to execute him. Consequently, the Prophet chose to go to a town known as Yathrib, some 320 km north of Mecca. Yathrib is known today as Medina, in modern-day Saudi Arabia, which translates to 'the city'.

Hijrah gave freedom from suffering for the Muslims in Mecca. When the Prophet emigrated to Medina, Muslims there were indirectly saved from further persecution by the Meccan pagans.

After the Hijrah, it was then declared by the Prophet in the Constitution of Medina that Muslims are a universal brotherhood with a unique identity in faith and ideology.

Umar ibn Al-Khattab, a close companion of Prophet Muhammad and the second caliph, subsequently adopted Hijrah as the reference point for the Islamic calendar, either in 638 CE or 639 CE.

The customs of Awal Muharram vary from country to country, though they generally involve attending various religious activities, spiritual singing and religious meetings. The traditions and customs for Muharram also vary between Shia and Sunni Muslims.

For both, the marking of the beginning of the new year is usually quiet, unlike New Year's celebrations associated with other calendars. It is a time for Muslims to reflect on the passing of time and their own mortality.

To mark Muharram, Muslims will recite Koranic verses and hold special prayers and sermons at public halls and mosques.

The New Year itself is known to Muslims as Maal Hijra.

Muharram is the second most holy month of the Islamic year, after Ramadan.

The first 10 days of Muharram hold considerable significance for Muslims – especially Shia Muslims – who mourn the death of Husayn Ibn Ali al-Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

The death of al-Hussein took place on the 10th day of Muharram, known widely as Ashoura. It is commemorated by Shia Muslims in several ways, including with public expressions of mourning, taking part in a remembrance parade called 'Matam'. and visiting the shrine of al-Hussein in Karbala, Iraq.

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