The long weekend is approaching…

Ramadan is officially ending this week, which is immediately followed by Eid Al Fitr 2023. This means that we can expect the first long weekend of the year in the UAE.

If you’re wondering how many days off we’ll get for Eid Al Fitr, the break runs from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 on the Islamic Calendar (Hijri).

Ramadan 29 corresponds to Thursday April 20 on the Gregorian calendar, meaning this is the first day of the Eid public holiday. So for those that have a Saturday – Sunday weekend, we definitely know the public holiday this weekend will be at least four days, from Thursday April 20 until Sunday April 23. If Ramadan is confirmed as 29 days, work will resume on Monday April 24. But, if Ramadan lasts 30 days, the public holiday will be five days, and work will resume on Tuesday April 25.

Whether it’s a four- or five-day weekend depends on the sighting of the moon. The UAE Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Thursday April 20 to look to the skies for the crescent moon. It’s only after this that they will declare whether Ramadan will be 29 or 30 days.

So, stay tuned to whatson.ae for the official confirmation.

What other public holidays will we have in 2023? Visit this link here to find out.

What is Eid al Fitr?

Eid al Fitr is also known as the ‘Festival of Breaking of the Fast’ and is one of two official holidays celebrated in Islam. It is celebrated by Muslims worldwide and marks the end of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which is 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.

You can learn more about Ramadan here.

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