Iraq's Sunni Endowments Office declares Tuesday start of Muharram 1448 AH

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Sunni Endowments Office announced that Tuesday will mark the first day of Muharram, the opening month of the Islamic year 1448 AH. The office said the commission responsible for determining the start of Hijri months confirmed the entry into Muharram based on Sharia evidence, and that Tuesday, June 16, 2026, will be counted as Muharram 1. The Prime Minister's General Secretariat declared the following day a public holiday in observance of the Hijri new year and the start of Muharram. All government institutions will observe the holiday on Tuesday. The new Hijri year is widely observed across the Muslim world as a period of religious significance. The Endowments Office's announcement formally reconciles the corresponding dates on the Gregorian and Hijri calendars.