August 21 – Arafat Day
Arafat Day is the second day of the annual haj (or pilgrimage). The holiday takes place the day before the start of Eid Al Adha. At dawn, Muslim pilgrims make their way from Mina to a nearby hillside called Mount Arafat and a plain called the Plain of Arafat.
In 2018 Arafat Day falls on a Tuesday.
The date is subject to moon-sighting and could change.
August 22 – Eid Al Adha
Eid Al Adha translates to the “festival of sacrifice”. The holiday honours Ibrahim and his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail for Allah. Ismail is happy to oblige before Allah sends his angel, Jibra’il, to inform Ibrahim that he has already accepted the sacrifice from his heart.
Goats are sacrificed and divided into three parts: one part for the family, one part for relatives, and one part for the poor. The holiday begins on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijja – the last month of the Hijri calendar.
In 2018, Eid Al Adha is expected to begin on Wednesday, August 22. A two day holiday for Eid Al Adha, including a one-day holiday for Arafat Day on Tuesday, ensures a (very) long weekend in August.
September 11 – Al Hijri – Islamic New Year
Al Hijri is the Islamic New Year. Expected to fall on Tuesday, September 11 in 2018.
The date is subject to moon-sighting and could change.
November 20 – Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) Birthday
The birthday of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is celebrated on the 12th day of Rabi Al Awwal. In Arabic, the holiday is referred to as Eid Al Mawlid an Nabawi.
In 2018, November 20 falls on a Tuesday.
The date is subject to moon-sighting and could change.
November 30 – Commemoration Day
Commemoration Day (sometimes referred to as Martyr’s Day) is a public holiday on November 30. The day was declared by His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in 2015 to honour Emiratis who have died for their country.
The remembrance will fall on a Friday in 2018.
December 2 – UAE National Day
The UAE’s National Day is fixed on December 2 each year. Although the UAE – or the Trucial States as it was known until 1971 – was never part of the British Empire, it was a British Protectorate. The protectorate treaty was withdrawn on December 1 1971, paving the way for the federal unification of the Trucial States.
Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah made up the original UAE, with Ras Al Khaimah joining in a year later in 1972. 2018 will be the UAE’s 47th birthday.
One or two days are granted as public holidays, and as December 2 is a Sunday, we could enjoy a long weekend.
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