Mashable: Public sector folks, time to schedule your vacation!

With the year finally launching in full force, people are already looking at their calendars to look for the best dates for their travel plans. With Ramadan around the corner, and Eid happening a month later, residents are counting the days to spend quality time with their families. With private and government sectors having released the dates of upcoming holidays, we have collated a list for various Middle Easter countries to aid your planning.

Let’s dive directly into it.

UAE 2023 Holiday Schedule
Several months after the New Year’s Day holiday, we directly get off on 20 April for Eid al Fitr. According to the government, the tentative dates for a four-day long holiday are 20, 21, 22, and 23 April. It means you get Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday off.
The next holiday is 27 June because of Arafat Day, which happens during the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage. Right after that is Eid al Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice, which means residents will get the 28, 29, and 30th of June as a holiday. From Tuesday (27) to Friday (30), residents can freely travel. If Ematatis can get the weekend off, too, they will have a six-day holiday.

The dates for Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha will be confirmed in Dubai after the sighting of the moon.
A month later is Muharaam, the first month of the Islamic year, which falls on 19 July on the Georgian calendar. It is a Wednesday.

Almost two months later is Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday, which is on 27 September and is a public holiday.

The last set of holidays on the Commemoration and National Day: 1, 2, and 3 December. It means Emaritis get Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as holidays.

The list includes:

January 1: New Year’s Day
April 20, 21, 22 and 23 are Eid Al-Fitr holidays
June 27: Arafat Day
June 28, 29, and 30 are Eid Al-Adha holidays
July 19: Islamic New Year
September 27: The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday
December 1: Commemoration Day
December 2, 3: National Day

Saudi Arabia 2023 Holiday Schedule
The first holiday of the year is Founding Day, recognised by High Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on 22 February, which fell on a Wednesday in 2023. After this, there are more holidays over the year, which has been confirmed by the government.

Following Ramadan, the first holiday residents get from 23 April to 25 April for Eid al-Fitr. It means they get Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off.

Depending on the moon sightings, the dates may change, meaning residents can get four days off instead of three.

Up next is Arafat Day, falling on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is 28 June, a Wednesday. It is one of the holiest days in the Islamic calendar.

Then is Eid al-Adha, and the tentative dates are 29 and 30 June and 1st July. There are chances that 2 July is also a public holiday. However, it depends on the moon sighting committee in Saudi Arabia.

The last public holiday of the year is 23 September, which is National Day.

The list includes:

April 23, 24, and 25: Eid al-Fitr
June 28: Arafat Day
June 29, 30, July 1: Eid al-Adha
September 23: National Day

Holidays for other Middle Eastern countries
Qatar

February 14: National Sports Day
April 20, 21, 22, and 23: Eid Al Fitr (tentative, depends on moon sighting)
June 27: Arafat Day (tentative)
June 28, 29, and 30: Eid Al Adha (tentative)
December 18: National Day
Kuwait
February 18: Al-Israa wal Miraaj (that is Prophet’s ascension)
February 25 and 26: National Day
April 20, 21, 22, and 23: Eid Al Fitr (tentative, depends on moon sighting)
June 27: Arafat Day (tentative)
June 28, 29, and 30: Eid Al Adha (tentative)
July 21: Hijri New Year that is Islamic New Year
September 29: Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday
What are you now waiting for? Get up and book your tickets!