When is Isra and Mi’raj?
In 2026, Isra and Mi’raj falls on Friday, January 16, 2026. It is an observance rather than a federal holiday, so federal offices and most businesses follow their normal schedules.
History of Isra and Mi’raj
Isra and Mi’raj recalls the Night Journey and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad. It is observed on 27 Rajab in the Hijri calendar and has a place in Yemen’s official list of religious occasions that may be celebrated without an automatic statutory holiday.
For many people, the date is a moment for religious reflection, sermons and community teaching. Its visible form varies widely: some mosques offer special talks or recitation, while many families observe it privately. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the civil date moves each year and should be confirmed through official announcements.
Law No. 2 explicitly places 27 Rajab among occasions celebrated without official leave, so the page classifies Isra and Mi’raj as an observance rather than inventing a paid public holiday. The 2026 planning date is Friday, January 16. Religious calendars and local announcements should still be checked because Hijri dates are confirmed through observation or the method accepted by the relevant authority, and practice differs among Yemen’s Sunni, Zaydi and other Muslim communities as well as individual families.
How Isra and Mi’raj is observed
A recognised 27 Rajab observance without statutory leave under Law No. 2; January 16 is the 2026 planning date, pending local confirmation.
Traditions of Isra and Mi’raj
Religious teaching
Mosques or community groups may hold sermons about the Night Journey to Jerusalem and the Ascension, including their meaning for Muslim prayer.
Prayer and recitation
Individuals may devote additional time to prayer, Quran reading or reflection, while practice differs between schools of thought and households.
Ordinary work with local events
Because the statute grants no automatic leave, most people plan around normal work while checking any mosque programme or local notice.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Yemeni official and legal guidance. Lunar dates, current government notices and local-service schedules should be confirmed against official notices.
History sources: Yemen National Information Center: Law No. 2 of 2000 on official holidays, United Nations in Yemen: internationally recognised government and Sana’a de facto authorities, Sana’a Center: public memory and competing narratives around Yemen’s national dates.
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