What is Islamic New Year?
Islamic New Year is the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Hijri calendar.
It marks the beginning of a new Islamic year and is connected with the Hijra, the migration from Mecca to Medina that anchors the Hijri era.
Compared with Eid holidays, observance is often quieter and more reflective, but it remains important for understanding the Islamic calendar.
Calendar meaning
The Hijri calendar is lunar. Its months move through the Gregorian seasons because a lunar year is shorter than a solar year.
For Ethiopian users, this creates a three-calendar planning situation: Hijri, Ethiopian, and Gregorian dates all need to be visible.
EtCal makes this easier by listing Islamic New Year with Ethiopian and Gregorian equivalents.
Connection to Muharram and Ashura
Muharram is one of the sacred months in Islam. Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, follows soon after the Islamic New Year.
Because these dates are close together, EtCal links Islamic New Year and Ashura as related Muslim observances.
Users can check both in the Muslim filter and add them to a personal calendar where available.
Using EtCal
EtCal Web provides quick lookup, while the mobile apps are useful for annual reminders and offline Hijri holiday access.
The Ethiopian date shown beside the Hijri observance helps users place the holiday inside the local Ethiopian calendar year.
Sources and further reading
This page is written as original English EtCal content and cross-checked against trusted Ethiopian calendar, cultural, Orthodox, Islamic, and public-holiday references.
Related Holiday Info
Continue with related Ethiopian, Orthodox, Muslim, and cultural/regional holiday pages.
Frequently asked questions
When is Islamic New Year?
It is 1 Muharram in the Hijri calendar.
What does it mark?
It marks the beginning of the Hijri year.
Is it the same date every Gregorian year?
No. It follows the lunar Hijri calendar and moves through the Gregorian year.
What holiday follows soon after?
Ashura follows on 10 Muharram.