Important update for UAE public sector employees…

According to astronomical calculations, the holy month of Ramadan 2024 is expected to commence in just over a week’s time, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

During Ramadan, both the private and the public sector work reduced hours.

Private sector employees

The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced that there will be a reduction of two working hours per day for private sector employees during Ramadan.

In a statement on X, the government entity added that “companies may apply flexible or remote working patterns within the limits of the daily working hours during Ramadan.”

Public sector employees

Employees (fasting and non-fasting) of ministries and Federal government entities will work from 9am to 2.30pm from Monday to Thursday, and for three hours from 9am to 12pm on Fridays. As soon as we get an update on the work timings for the private sector, we will update this article, so be sure to bookmark it.

Because the Islamic Calendar is based on lunar months — it means that for the official start date of Ramadan to be confirmed in the Gregorian calendar (the traditional January to December version), there has to be a sighting of the moon in a very specific phase. We will have to wait for confirmation on these dates closer to the time from UAE officials. Stay tuned to What’s On for updates.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It’s a time when Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset.

Lasting around a month, it marks the time when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Extra tarawih prayers are performed throughout Ramadan and each evening 1/30th of the holy book is recited. By the end of Ramadan, many observers have read the entire Qur’an.

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.

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