2026 Hijri New Year Public Holiday Declared by Government
- The Asian country of Bahrain declared June 16, 2026, a public holiday for the Islamic Hijri New Year observance
- An official crescent moon sighting has been set for Monday, June 15, to confirm the start of the new lunar year
- The upcoming public holiday will affect government ministries and public institutions, leading to office closures and adjustments to normal working hours
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience reporting on national and regional news from Lagos, with a strong focus on Nigeria, Africa and broader international affairs.
Manama, Bahrain - Bahrain has announced an official public holiday to mark the Islamic Hijri New Year (1448 AH), with government entities set to close on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
As reported on Thursday, June 11, by Arabian Business, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince and prime minister, issued a circular announcing the holiday and confirming that ministries and public institutions across the Kingdom will suspend operations for the occasion.
Source: Twitter
Bahrain declares Hijri holiday
The update concerning the work-free day in Bahrain was also reported by News of Bahrain.
According to the government's circular, the holiday will fall on the 1st of Muharram, corresponding to Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
No comprehensive details were provided in the circular.
The announcement means ministries and public institutions in Bahrain will be closed for the day in observance of the Islamic New Year.
Bahrain is a Muslim-majority country, with Islam established as the official state religion.
Legit.ng reports that this Muharram 1 marks 1448 lunar years since the Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in Saudi Arabia, known as the “Hijra”.
The public holiday applies to employees in local councils and the public business sector.
Source: Twitter
Hijri calendar converter
The Hijri (Islamic) calendar is fundamentally governed by the sighting of the new crescent moon (hilal).
People can convert dates between the Hijri (Islamic) and Gregorian calendars, allowing them to view both systems side by side and compare dates with ease.
Because the Hijri calendar is lunar, it shifts backwards by about 10 to 11 days each Gregorian year.
For accurate conversion from Gregorian to Hijri dates, users can rely on online tools based on the official Umm al-Qura calendar, which is primarily used in Saudi Arabia.
Read more on Hijri New Year:
- Islamic New Year holiday 2026 to be announced in Nigeria, list of states emerges
- Saudi Arabia, Sultan confirm date for new Islamic calendar year 1447 AH
Egypt announces New Year holiday
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Mostafa Madbouly, the prime minister of Egypt, declared Thursday, June 18, 2026, as a public holiday in observance of the Islamic Hijri New Year (1448 AH).
According to the State Information Service (SIS), Egypt government official media and information authority, the country’s Dar Al-Iftaa (an Islamic institution or council responsible for issuing formal legal rulings and religious verdicts known as fatwas) is expected to sight the crescent moon for the first month of Muharram on June 15, which corresponds to the 29th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar, marking the beginning of the new lunar year.
Source: Legit.ng
