Mashable: UAE residents will get the next break on Arafah Day

Mark your calendars!

Emiratis recently enjoyed a four-day Eid al-Fitr break from Thursday, April 20, 2023, to Sunday, April 23, 2023.

Residents of the United Arab Emirates are back at work as the Eid Al Fitr break came to an end yesterday.

After enjoying the first long weekend of this year, many might be wondering about the next big holiday break in the UAE.

Did the four-day Eid Al Fitr break that came to an end yesterday, felt short? Here’s when we can expect the next holiday break.

As per Khaleej Times, experts have revealed the dates for the next holiday break in the United Arab Emirates based on astronomical calculations.

The next big break is coming up in just a few months, and it is expected to be longer than the first long weekend of the year.

According to the Emirates official calendar of public holidays, residents can expect the next break on Arafat Day which will be followed by Eid al Adha 2023.

Known as the Holiday of Sacrifice, Eid al Adha is one of the most significant public holidays. The festival is celebrated in Islam every year and comes after Arafat Day which is the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage.

As per the Islamic calendar, the holiday will begin on Zul Hijjah 9 to 12, which is a four-day long break.

However, depending on the moon sighting, the break could fall right before the weekend. So there are possible chances that the residents could get a break of up to six days.

The news outlet also reported that earlier, Astronomy expert Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomical Society revealed the Islamic month of Zul Hijjah is expected to start on Monday, June 19, 2023, based on calculations.

So, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, will likely mark the first day of Eid Al Adha and Arafah Day, which is observed a day before, might fall on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

The UAE residents could get a six-day holiday break from Tuesday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday being the weekend.