Muharram crescent moon spotted in Abu Dhabi, UAE announces Islamic New Year holiday
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The crescent moon marking the beginning of Muharram 1446 was photographed from Abu Dhabi on Saturday, July 6. The UAE's Astronomy Centre shared images of the faint crescent captured by the Al-Khatim Astronomical Observatory at 3:00 PM and 7:26 PM UAE time.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre) declared a public holiday on Sunday, July 7, in observance of the Hijri New Year, marking the start of the new Islamic year 1446 AH.
Along with UAE, Oman also announced a holiday for the Hijri New Year on July 7 for both public and private sector employees, resulting in a long weekend for many.
Following the Hijri New Year, UAE residents can anticipate a holiday for the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) birthday, as outlined in the country’s official 2024 holiday calendar.
The final public holiday of the year will be a long weekend celebrating UAE National Day. These public holidays are in addition to the 30 annual leave days available to employees in the UAE.