The Holy Month will be followed by a long Eid break…

Ramadan 2023 is expected to fall on Thursday March 23 this year, according to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the board of directors of the Emirates Astronomical Society.

Of course the exact date is dependent on the sighting of the moon closer to the time: the Holy Month of Ramadan follows the lunar calendar, and is the ninth month of the Hijri year. Moving back roughly 10 days each year, Ramadan is typically 29 or 30 days long, and is then followed by a public holiday, Eid Al Fitr.

When is the Eid holiday in the UAE?

In 2023, Eid Al Fitr is expected to fall from Friday April 21, and the Eid holidays will be from Ramadan 29 until Shawwal 3, based on the Islamic calendar.

If Friday April 21 does mark the first day of Eid, then it looks set to be a four-day weekend for those who have adopted the new UAE weekend, with public and private sector residents off for their regular weekend on Saturday April 22 and Sunday April 23, as well as Monday April 24. Work would then resume on Tuesday April 25, which again remains to be confirmed by UAE Government.

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