Kuwait Announces Islamic New Year Holiday for Public Sector
Kuwait Announces Islamic New Year Holiday for Public Sector, Granting Another Long Weekend
- Publish date: Tuesday، 17 June 2025
Kuwait announced the official holiday for the Islamic New Year (Hijri) for the country's public sector.
The Cabinet announced during its weekly meeting on Tuesday that public sector employees will have a holiday on Thursday, June 26, and work will resume on Sunday, June 29.
The public sector will get a three-day weekend, which is another long weekend after the recent Eid Al Adha holidays.
The Hijri, or Islamic New Year, marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar and commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s migration (Hijrah) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE.
Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Hijri year is based on lunar months, making it shorter by about 11 days.
The New Year begins with the month of Muharram, one of the four sacred months in Islam. While it is a time of reflection and renewal for many Muslims, the observance is generally more spiritual than festive, with a focus on prayer, gratitude, and remembrance.