UAE Declares Public Sector Holiday for Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday

It was announced in the official UAE newspaper that Sunday September 15, 2024 holiday will be given for all public sector employees in the country as it is prophetic birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). But most of the UAE residents will not get a long weekend as the holiday comes in the weekend and the working week resumes on Monday, September 16.

For now, there are public holidays in the UAE during the weekends which do not change the weekend meaning that there will be no extra day off. Nevertheless, this picture is to be changed in 2025. Actually a new regulation, UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 regulates that if a public day coincides with a weekend it may be shifting on a weekday by the decision of the Cabinet. This will be operative with most of the holidays, but not in Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha holidays.

Islamic festivals depend on the lunar calendar and Prophet Muhammad’s birthday takes place on the 12th of Rabi Al-Awwal. This day is not only celebrated in the UAE; other nation in the gulf region also celebrate this day as national holiday.

Moving forward in the future, December is something that will come with a four-day weekend in celebrating the UAE National Day. Commemoration Day is on Saturday, 30 November while National Day activities are from Sunday, 1 December to Tuesday, 3 December. People working with the public sector will be given off on the 2nd and 3rd of December, meaning that in combination of the weekend, there will be a long holiday break.

To organize the future vacations, the UAE has 12 non-working days in 2025, which makes it possible to have long vacations and staycation.