Muharram 2025 Date: July 6 Or July 7, When Is Ashura? From Schools To Banks, What Will Be Closed?

The Islamic calendar is based on 12 lunar months, and Muharram is the first month. Muharram will begin with the sighting of new moon, and is expected to take place at Friday, June 27. While Ashura will be observed on Sunday, 6 July 2025. However, the official date is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, government has announced nationwide public, school holiday on July 7.

When is Muharram 2025?

As per the Islamic Relief Org based in the UK, Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar (also known as the Lunar or Hijri calendar). The Islamic calendar is based on 12 lunar months, the sighting of a new moon determines the start of a new month.

In 2025, Muharram is expected to begin on Friday 27th June 2025. This date is subject to change based on the sighting of the moon. The Islamic Relief Org said, "During this blessed month, the rewards for our good deeds are multiplied, and any wrongdoing is more serious."

Day of Ashura (10th Muharram):

Ashura is observed on the 10th Muharram, holding immense significance to Muslim community across the world. As per Islamic Relief, the Day of Ashura is the day in which the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) in the Battle of Karbala took place. It also commemorates when the Prophet Musa (AS) and the Children of Israeel were freed by Allah from the Pharaoh and his army.

Before the 10th Muharram, Muslims practice fasting on the 9th Muharram leading up to Ashura, while the 11th Muharram can also be used as fasting if the 9th Muharram is missed.

Muḥarram Significance:

For Sunni Muslims, the day marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses and the salvation of the Israelites, celebrated through supererogatory fasting and other acceptable expressions of joy. By contrast, Ashura is a day of mourning for Shia Muslims, who annually commemorate the death of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia imam. Husayn was killed, alongside most of his relatives and his small retinue, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE against the army of the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya (r. 680-683). The Shia rituals span the first ten days of Muharram, culminating on Ashura with mourning processions in Shia cities, as per Wikipedia.

What Is Closed On Ashura?

The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced a nationwide holiday for both public and private offices on July 7. Also, schools will be closed on this day. However, it needs to be noted that Ashura will be held depending upon the sighting of the moon. Special events will take place in major metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

Also, RBI has declared bank holidays across major cities of India on July 7. These cities are Agartala, Aizawl, Belapur, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Imphal, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Shimla, Srinagar, and Thiruvananthapuram.