So, when is Eid Al Fitr 2022 expected to fall?

It’s only a couple of weeks away…

If you’re already dreaming of a long weekend, there’s only a few weeks to wait, as it looks like Eid Al Fitr is expected to fall on Monday May 2. The Eid holidays will be from Ramadan 29 until Shawwal 3, based on the Islamic calendar.

Ramadan officially began in the UAE on Saturday April 2, and after the month of Ramadan comes the first Eid holiday of the year, to mark the occasion of Eid Al Fitr. If Monday May 2 does mark the first day of Eid, then it looks set to be a five-day weekend for those that follow the new UAE weekend, with public and private sector residents off for their regular weekend on Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1, as well as three additional days from Monday May 2 to Wednesday May 4. Work is then expected to resume on Thursday May 5.

The exact dates will be dependent on the sighting of the moon closer to the time, as Holy Month of Ramadan follows the lunar calendar, and is the ninth month of the Hijri year.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset. Non-Muslims as well are obliged to respect the fasting practices in public, so if you do have to leave the house for any reason during the day, please ensure you refrain from any of the above activities.

Ramadan marks the time when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Traditionally, extra tarawih prayers are performed throughout Ramadan and each evening 1/30th of the holy book is recited. 

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of the religion. The pillars are the framework by which Muslims everywhere live, and Ramadan is considered the holiest time in the Islamic calendar. It is a time for prayer, reflection and religious devotion, to cleanse past sins and to focus on Allah through good deeds.

Images: Getty