We’ll know the official start date of Eid Al Fitr by tonight…

Ramadan will come to an end tonight if the first glimpse of the new moon is sighted in the UAE’s skies.

The UAE’s moon sighting committee will hold a meeting after maghrib prayers tonight (around 7.12pm) at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.

Sharia courts all over the country have also been called on to look out for the crescent moon and inform the committee of any sightings.

If the crescent moon is spotted tonight, Eid Al Fitr will begin on Friday. If the new moon cannot be seen, Eid Al Fitr will by default begin on Saturday.

ALSO READ: 20 things to do in Dubai over Eid weekend

Earlier in the week the UAE government announced that the holiday would begin on Thursday for public sector workers, lasting until the third day of Shawwal (the month that follows Ramadan on the Islamic calendar).

The holiday announced for the private sector was the first and second days of Shawwal, but the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation also specified the days off would be Friday, June 15 till Saturday, June 16.

This means most people with a normal Friday-Saturday weekend will likely not receive any extra days off (though we recommend checking with your HR department as some companies are giving workers the Sunday off to be on the safe side).

Last year, private sector workers had a four-day weekend from Thursday June 22 to Monday June 26.

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