UAE Residents May Get 4 or 5 Holidays for Eid al-Adha

Residents of the UAE are expected to get 4 or 5 holidays, which means a long weekend for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha. The exact duration of the Eid al-Adha holiday will be either four or five days, depending on the moon-sighting process set for Thursday, June 6.

Eid Al Adha marks the holiest day in Islam, Arafah Day (one day off), followed by the festival itself (three days off). The Islamic calendar, based on the moon’s phases, determines the start and end of months by sighting the crescent moon.

On June 6, the crescent moon will be observed to mark the end of the Hijri month Dhul Qa’adah. If the moon is sighted, the next month, Dhul Hijjah, will begin on June 7. If not, Dhul Hijjah will start on June 8. The holiday schedule is as follows:

• If the Moon is sighted on June 6: Dhul Hijjah starts on June 7, with Arafah Day on June 15 and Eid Al Adha on June 16. The holiday break will be from Saturday, June 15, to Tuesday, June 18, giving residents two weekdays off.
• If the Moon is not sighted on June 6: Dhul Hijjah starts on June 8, with Arafah Day on June 16 and Eid Al Adha on June 17. The holiday break will be from Sunday, June 16, to Wednesday, June 19, giving residents a five-day break including the weekend.

Astronomical predictions suggest the moon is unlikely to be seen on June 6, meaning a five-day break is expected.

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