Islamic New Year (Muharram) in the Philippines 2026

The Islamic New Year falls on the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is observed by Filipino Muslims, primarily in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro region, marking the start of a new Hijri year.

The new year commemorates the Hijra — the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, the event from which the Islamic calendar counts its years. The tenth of Muharram (Ashura) is a further day of fasting and remembrance for many.

Observance is generally quiet and reflective — mosque prayers, family gatherings, and charitable acts in communities across Cotabato, Lanao, Sulu, and Maguindanao. It is not a Philippine national holiday (unlike Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha).

Because it follows the lunar calendar and depends on the moon sighting, the date moves each year — falling on June 16 in 2026.