Islamic New Year

Islamic New Year begins on 1 Muharram, opening a new Hijri lunar year. The calendar counts from the Hijra, Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, an event that shaped the early Muslim community and provides the reference point for Islamic dating.

In Bahrain, the day is a public holiday that many people observe quietly through family time, prayer and reflection rather than a single universal public celebration. It also signals the start of the Muharram season, which carries particular religious significance for Shia communities. Its Gregorian date changes every year because Bahrain follows the Hijri lunar calendar. This calendar supplies a planning date only: Bahrain’s official moon-sighting and public-holiday announcements should be checked before booking leave, travel or appointments.

The Hijri era was adopted as a calendar reference after the Prophet’s lifetime, during the caliphate of Umar, with the year of the Hijra chosen as its starting point. That history is different from saying that the calendar began operating on the migration day itself. Bahrain’s 2026 public-sector circular identified Tuesday, 16 June as 1 Muharram 1448 and closed ministries and public institutions on that date. The annual circular confirms the civil date for administration; future dates remain planning estimates until Bahrain’s religious and government authorities announce them. The day is not normally associated with fireworks, midnight countdowns or an exchange of gifts.