Get ready for an extended weekend this June, as UAE has just announced the Eid Al Adha public holiday dates.
Residents of the UAE can look forward to an extended weekend of six days for the occasion of Eid Al Adha, right before schools close for a two-month summer break.
When is Eid Al Adha 2023 in UAE?
The crescent that signals the start of the Islamic month Dhul Hijjah was sighted by the UAE Moon Sighting Committee on Sunday. The first day of Eid Al Adha 2023 will be on Wednesday, June 28, as it traditionally falls on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah. Arafat Day, the day before Eid, would then fall on Tuesday, June 27.
Thus, reisdents of UAE can look forward to a delightful stretch of public holidays from Tuesday, June 27, to Friday, June 30. Notably, for those fortunate enough to have a weekend that falls on Saturday and Sunday, the holiday bliss will stretch even further, with a return to work postponed until Monday, July 3.
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What is Eid Al Adha?
Eid Al Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice” is celebrated to mark the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to Allah’s command. At the very time of sacrifice, Allah replaced Ismail with a ram, which was to slaughtered in place of his son.
On Eid Al Adha, Muslims performs the act of slaughtering an animal (Qurbani) as a sacrifice to mark this occasion in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice for his creator. In the Islamic lunar calendar, Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah.
The commemoration of Adha, which is Arabic for sacrifice, occurs on the final of the Hajj pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam. This year, Hajj is expected to begin on June 26.
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When is the next public holiday after Eid Al Adha?
After Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha, the next public holiday to look forward to is Hijri New Year. This holiday is expected to occur on Friday, July 21. For those who typically have Saturday and Sunday as their days off, this will result in a delightful three-day weekend.
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