Islamic New Year: What you need to know

The upcoming Hijri new year marking the start of the Muslim lunar calendar will fall during the second week of August.

The Islamic new year, or the Hijri new year, marks the start of the Muslim lunar calendar. This year, it is set to fall during the second week of August 2021. The calendar has been observed for more than 1,440 years and is used to date important Muslim events including the beginning of Ramadan (month of fasting), Eid al-Fitr and the start of the Hajj pilgrimage. Running for 354 or 355 days, it is approximately 11 days shorter than the solar, Gregorian calendar.