The Asian country of Bahrain has officially declared Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as a public holiday to mark the Islamic Hijri New Year (1448 AH). The announcement was made on Thursday, June 11, 2026, by Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince and prime minister, who issued a circular confirming that ministries and public institutions across the kingdom will suspend operations for the occasion.
Government Circular and Holiday Details
According to the government circular, the holiday will fall on the 1st of Muharram, corresponding to Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The update was reported by Arabian Business and News of Bahrain. No comprehensive details were provided in the circular beyond the closure of government entities.
The announcement means that ministries and public institutions in Bahrain will be closed for the day in observance of the Islamic New Year. The holiday applies to employees in local councils and the public business sector.
Crescent Moon Sighting
An official crescent moon sighting (hilal) has been set for Monday, June 15, 2026, to confirm the start of the new lunar year. The sighting of the new crescent moon marks the beginning of each month in the Hijri calendar and determines key Islamic observances.
Bahrain is a Muslim-majority country, with Islam established as the official state religion. This Muharram 1 marks 1448 lunar years since the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in Saudi Arabia, known as the 'Hijra'.
Hijri Calendar Converter
The Hijri (Islamic) calendar is fundamentally governed by the sighting of the new crescent moon. People can convert dates between the Hijri 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.
Egypt Also 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's government official media and information authority, the country's Dar Al-Iftaa 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.
