A Long Weekend Is Around The Corner!

Eid al-Adha holidays in September seem so far away already and many of us in the UAE have returned to our daily work and life routines. However despite such a long time, we are again on the threshold of an upcoming public holiday. Starting Friday, September 30^th, citizens and residents of the UAE can look forward to a three-day long weekend to celebrate Al Hijri, the Islamic New Year.

Though the official public announcement has not been done yet, the national holiday for state employees, as well as the private sector is expected to fall on Sunday October 2nd. Most likely, this date will be officially confirmed in the coming few hours.

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is the widely recognized international calendar, in particular for residents in Christian-oriented countries, the classic Islamic calendar is completely independent from the position relative to the sun. It is based solely on the changing phases of the moon, therefore its months "float" based on the lunar cycles. To determine at what time of year or particular date an Islamic event occurs, it is required to carry out special calculations based on the moon position and its appearance around the Earth.

This means that, unlike the international calendar, in which the year extends through 365 days, the Islamic calendar is shorter by 11 days, usually lasting 354 or 355 days. As the New Year heralds the first day of the Islamic month of Muharram, which coincides with the journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra, the new Islamic calendar will therefore start on 3^rd October 1438.

The celebration on Sunday, October 2nd, will add one extra day to the weekend, and therefore the working week will start on Monday, October 3rd.

The beginning of the New Year usually takes place smoothly and very quietly. This is the time for Muslims when they think about the passage of time, their own life and death. On this occasion, Muslims attend various religious events and gather in mosques for special prayers and readings.