Get your planning calendars out UAE, the longest public holiday of the year is less than a month away. Residents could enjoy up to nine days off in April to celebrate Islamic festival Eid Al Fitr, which is marked after the holy month of Ramadan. That means employees in the UAE — from both private and public sectors — can enjoy a long break without touching their 30-day annual leave.
Contrary to astronomical calculations, the crescent Moon — which signals the start of a month in the Islamic Hijri calendar — was sighted in the UAE on Sunday evening (March 10). March 11, thus became the first day of Ramadan.
Like all Islamic calendar months, Ramadan will last either 29 or 30 days depending on when the Moon is sighted. Eid Al Fitr is celebrated on the first of Shawwal, the month that comes after Ramadan.
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As per the list of holidays announced by the UAE government for public and private sectors, residents will get a break from Ramadan 29 till Shawwal 3 to celebrate Eid Al Fitr. If Ramadan lasts 30 days, Eid is on April 10. If the month lasts 29 days, the Islamic festival is on April 9.
Here is how the holiday will pan out in both scenarios:
If Ramadan lasts 30 days: The Eid break is from Monday, April 8 (Ramadan 29), till Friday, April 12 (Shawwal 3). If you factor in the Saturday-Sunday weekends before and after the break, that’s a total of nine days off. The break then is from Saturday, April 6, till Sunday, April 14.
If Ramadan lasts 29 days: If this is the case, residents will get six days off, including the weekend. The Eid break will be from Monday, April 8 (Ramadan 29), till Thursday, April 11. If you include the Saturday-Sunday weekend before the break, that’s a total of six days off. The break then is from Saturday, April 6, till Thursday, April 11.
The Eid break will be the second public holiday this year after the one for New Year on January 1. The next break will be to mark the Islamic festival of Eid Al Adha, which will see residents get four days off excluding the weekend in June. Holidays for Islamic New Year on Muharram 1 in July and Prophet Muhammad’s birthday in September will follow. The last public holiday is to mark the UAE National Day on December 2 and 3.