Islamic New Year (Hijri New Year)

The Islamic New Year, also called Ras as-Sanah al-Hijriyah, falls on the first day of Muharram — the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Hijra, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, an event so transformative that the second caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab established it as the starting point of the Islamic dating system in 638 CE. Unlike the Gregorian New Year, the Islamic New Year is observed with quiet reflection rather than celebration. Muharram is one of the four sacred months explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an in which warfare is traditionally prohibited and good deeds are multiplied in reward.

Sunni Muslim communities mark the day with dua and reflection on the Hijra, often visiting mosques for short lectures on the lessons of the migration. Many families read accounts of the Prophet's journey with Abu Bakr through the desert, the night spent in the cave of Thawr, and the welcoming reception in Medina. Voluntary fasting is recommended throughout Muharram, with particularly heightened reward attributed to the fast of Ashura on the tenth day. Some communities issue formal Hijri calendars, refresh charitable pledges, and renew commitments to the Five Pillars.

In Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Bahrain, Shia communities begin the Muharram majalis — gatherings of mourning that lead to Ashura on the tenth day. Indonesian and Malaysian villages hold quiet remembrance evenings sometimes accompanied by Sufi-style dhikr circles. In Egypt and the Levant, special breads and fruit baskets are distributed to neighbors. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates observe Muharram 1 as a public holiday with no festivities to maintain its solemn character. South Asian Muslims often hold Khatm al-Qur'an readings dedicated to the souls of the early companions of the Prophet.