Midnight is where the Gregorian date changes, and in the Emirates it is worth remembering that it is not the only date in play. The Hijri day changes at sunset rather than at midnight, so from the evening onwards the two calendars are already showing different days — a detail that matters if you are reading a document dated by one and planning by the other.
Counting to midnight here is usually about a deadline. Online government applications, renewal windows and competition entries close on the stroke, and the difference between 11:59 pm and 12:01 am is the difference between submitted and not.
Once a year the same moment becomes the largest public event in the country, with the fireworks at the Burj Khalifa and along the coast synchronised to it precisely. The countdown resets every twenty-four hours, so it is never pointing more than a day ahead.
Common questions
Which midnight does this countdown target?
The very next one — the moment today's date becomes tomorrow's, rather than any particular calendar day.
Does the Hijri date also change at midnight?
No. The Hijri day changes at sunset, so from the evening onwards the two calendars show different dates.
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