Prophet Muhammad's Birthday 2026: Date and National Holiday Schedule

The commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW) in 2026 falls on Tuesday, 25 August 2026. This date coincides with 12 Rabiul Awal 1448 Hijriah and has been designated as a national holiday.

The determination is listed in the Indonesian Hijri calendar published by the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag). In that calendar, the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday is recorded on 25 August 2026.

The date is also included in the list of 2026 national holidays established by the government through the Joint Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs, the Minister of Manpower, and the Minister for State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform Number 5 of 2025. Consequently, the Indonesian public will receive a national holiday on 25 August 2026 to observe the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday.

Maulid Nabi is the observance of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. In the tradition of Muslim communities in Indonesia, the commemoration is generally filled with religious activities such as recitations, shalawat chanting, sermons, and social events. The implementation of Maulid Nabi activities can vary from one region to another. Several communities also hold local traditions as part of the observance.

The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday on 25 August 2026 is one of the national holidays in the government’s 2026 calendar. This provision differs from collective leave. In the Joint Ministerial Decree, the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday is listed as a national holiday, not collective leave. Therefore, workers who follow national holiday regulations do not need to apply for leave to get the day off.

The Hijri calendar is based on the lunar cycle, resulting in differences between the Hijri and Gregorian calendars. For official purposes in Indonesia, the public can refer to the Indonesian Hijri Calendar published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and government decisions regarding national holidays. Based on the 2026 Indonesian Hijri Calendar, Rabiul Awal 1448 H begins on Friday, 14 August 2026. Subsequently, 12 Rabiul Awal, which is the date of the Prophet’s Birthday, falls on Tuesday, 25 August 2026.

Thus, the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday 2026 is observed on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, or 12 Rabiul Awal 1448 H. The date is a national holiday based on the Joint Ministerial Decree on National Holidays and Collective Leave for 2026. The public can utilise this moment to participate in various religious activities and commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.