Wednesday, 5 September 2018

Oman announces holiday for Islamic new year

Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud al-Busaidi, Omani Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court and Chairman of the Civil Service Council, has announced that a holiday for the Prophet (ﷺ)'s Hijra anniversary and the advent of the new Islamic year, 1440, the Oman News Agency has reported.

The 1st day of Muharram, the first Islamic month, of 1440 is to be an official holiday for the employees of the ministries, public authorities and other departments of the state's administrative apparatus. A moon sighting ceremony will be declared by the authorities for Muharram, with a new moon being sighted marking the next day as 1 Muharram. If the moon is not sighted, the following day will be 1 Muharram instead.