The UAE has officially announced that Sunday, September 15, will be a public holiday in honour of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday for the public sector. But, before you start planning a long weekend, there’s a catch. If you’re hoping for an extended break, you’ll need to press pause on that excitement, work resumes as usual on Monday, September 16. This year’s holiday lands on a Sunday, and there’s no bonus day off.
Public Holiday Rules In UAE Have Changed, But Not Yet!
أصدرت الهيئة تعميماً إلى الوزارات والجهات الاتحادية بشأن عطلة المولد النبوي الشريف في الحكومة الاتحادية للعام 1446هــ. وبناءً على قرار مجلس الوزراء بشأن أجندة العطلات الرسمية المعتمدة للقطاعين الحكومي والخاص للعام 2024، تكون عطلة المولد النبوي الشريف يوم الأحد 15 سبتمبر pic.twitter.com/hztTTxN2xY
— FAHR (@FAHR_UAE) September 7, 2024
For those unfamiliar with how public holidays work in the UAE, here’s a quick refresher. Public holidays that land on weekends do not automatically get switched to a weekday. So, sadly, this means UAE residents won’t get to enjoy an extra day off this time around.
Starting next year, a new rule under UAE Cabinet Resolution No.27 of 2024 will change how holidays work. If a public holiday falls on the weekend, it might get moved to the beginning or end of the week. Yes, you read that right! Imagine a Saturday holiday being carried over to Friday or a Sunday one shifting to Monday. Now that’s something to look forward to! However, this won’t apply to all holidays the decision is based on a Cabinet decision. Special holidays like Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha remain unaffected by this new rule.
Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday
Celebrated on the 12th of Rabi Al-Awwal, Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday is one of the most significant dates in the Islamic calendar. As the Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, the date shifts every year, much to the confusion of those more used to the sun-based Gregorian calendar. The UAE, along with many other Gulf nations, marks this day with a public holiday. While the celebrations vary, it’s a day of reflection and honouring the teachings of the Prophet.
With the new resolution in play, we could be looking at long weekends and more extended breaks. So, while this year’s Prophet Muhammad’s birthday holiday might feel a bit short-lived, the future holds plenty of promise! Keep your eyes peeled for 2024’s holiday schedule!
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Stock Images
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