:: Saudi Arabia has announced that Tuesday marks the start of the Islamic New Year.

The Islamic New Year, or Hijri New Year, marks the first day of the month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.

A statement by the Supreme Court announced that courts and moon-sighting committees said the crescent of the new month was not sighted in the Kingdom on Sunday, the 29th of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic year.

Accordingly, it was decided that Monday will be the last day of Dhul Hijjah, and that Muharram will commence on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the new Islamic year, 1440.

The name Hijri refers to the Hijra, or the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Makkah to Madinah.