Islamic New Year holiday date in UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Pakistan

Islamic New Year 2019:The Islamic New Year is also called Arabic New Year or Hijri New Year, and is 11 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian year. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)

Islamic New Year Holiday: Muharram is the first month of the Islamic New Year. It is the second-most holy month of the Islamic year, after Ramadan. The new year has been observed since 622 AD, when it is believed Prophet Mohammed migrated from Mecca to Yathrib (now known as Medina), to escape religious persecution.

While the date may vary — largely because of the time difference between countries — the Islamic New Year will begin on the evening of August 31.

Sometimes the exact dates differ, because some Islamic organisations rely on local moon sightings to determine the new month date, while others — including Saudi Arabia — use astronomical calculations for new moon.