- A five-day public holiday could be coming for Eid
- Public and private to share holidays in hopes of boosting the national economy
- Astronomers continue to help out with moon sightings, at the expense of tradition
- The private sector is granted the same number of holidays as the public
The UAE Cabinet has taken to Twitter to announce a merger of the public and private sector holidays.
The general idea is that it would achieve harmony between both sectors, both of which are huge parts of what makes the UAE successful. The move also hopes to increase the number of Emiratis entering the private sector.
This would take place starting this year’s Eid Al Fitr – likely to fall on June 5th – which marks the 30 days of Ramadan. So that would be three work days and two days of holiday combining to one excellent Eid break.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, and the holy month for Muslims who believe it is when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.
Traditionally, the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia observe Eid on the same dates – while Oman calls Ramadan independently of the rest of the Arabian Gulf.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims do not consume any food or drinks between fajr (dawn) and maghrib (sunset) prayers. Non-Muslims are asked to behave respectfully during this time, remembering to dress conservatively and never eat or drink in public during daylight hours.
The Moon Sighting Committee will reconvene on August the 9th to search for a glimpse of the new crescent moon. When spotted, the following morning is announced as Shawwal – the first day of the 10th month.
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