The Saudi Supreme Court officially declared Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as the first day of Muharram 1448 AH, marking the formal beginning of the Islamic New Year. The announcement followed successful crescent moon sightings reviewed by the country’s Crescent Sighting Committee. The confirmation establishes the baseline for the upcoming Hijri calendar year across the region and clarifies the observance date for the Day of Ashura, which will fall on Thursday, June 25. For the regional workforce, the confirmation allows private and public sector human resource departments to align operational schedules, as several neighboring Gulf nations utilize this timeline to determine single-day civic holidays for expatriate and local employees before the peak summer shutdown.
