The Eid Al Fitr break may now be over, but there are still more public holidays to look forward to in the UAE this year.
Employees enjoyed an extended weekend after it was confirmed the Islamic festival would begin on Sunday, with public and private sector workers given paid leave from Sunday, March 30 to Tuesday, April 1.
The next public holiday on the calendar will be Arafat Day. This is to be followed directly by Eid Al Adha.
Arafat Day, the second day of the week-long Hajj pilgrimage, falls on Dhu Al Hijja 9 in the Islamic calendar. This is likely to correspond with June 5. If this comes to pass, Eid Al Adha – which falls on Dhu Al Hijja 10 to 12 – will run from June 6 to June 8.
As with Eid Al Fitr, the exact dates will be confirmed according to the relevant Moon sightings closer to the time.
When are the next public holidays in the UAE?
What is Eid Al Adha?
Eid Al Adha – which means “festival of the sacrifice” – commemorates how the Prophet Ibrahim was asked by God in a dream to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a test of his faith.
As with other religious holidays in the Emirates, it is a time for friends and family to gather, often over meals, and reflect on their lives and faith.
It is customary for a family to have a goat or sheep butchered at an abattoir and to share the meat between themselves, their relatives and the underprivileged.
How long is the public holiday?
Both public and private sector employees will have days off work for the holiday this year.
If initial predictions are accurate and Arafat Day falls on June 5, employees look set to have a four-day weekend. This is because June 5 is a Thursday, so the following three days will be set aside to mark Eid Al Adha, amounting to two working days off.
It means the public holiday is likely to run from Thursday, June 5 and conclude on Sunday, June 8, with employees returning to work on Monday, June 9.
What is Hajj?
Large numbers of Muslims travel to Makkah to perform Hajj each year, with many also heading further north to the city of Madinah.
All Muslims able to do so are required to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in their lifetime. Hajj and the other four pillars of Islam form a foundation of life in Islam. The event is a deeply spiritual experience.
Eid Al Adha 2024 honoured around the world - in pictures
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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