April 14, 2024
It has only been a few days since Eid ul Fitr holidays ended in the United Arab Emirates and the country is already preparing for Eid ul Adha holidays.
Astronomers in UAE have predicted when the next public holiday will fall in the country as Eid ul Fitr 2024 comes to an end, the Caterer Middle East reported.
The Islamic lunar calendar ends with Zil Hajj, the month when Muslims from around the world visit Saudi Arabia for Hajj or the annual pilgrimage to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and other locations in the city including Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.
Muslims around the world celebrate Eid ul Adha on the 10th day of Zil Hajj or Hajj pilgrimage, hence the need for public holidays surrounding this time of the year.
The Emirates Astronomy Society has said that the Day of Arafat or the ninth day of Hajj will fall on Sunday June 16, which means that Monday June 17 will mark the start of Eid ul Adha and a three-day public holiday in the UAE.
According to Time Out Dubai, Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society, confirmed that they also predict that Thursday June 20 will likely be the end of the Hajj season.
The Day of Arafat marks the start of the Eid ul Adha holiday.
In the UAE, long weekends and public holidays are declared at the start of the Gregorian calendar year.
However, since many of the holidays are Islamic, they are subject to the lunar cycle and cannot be confirmed with absolute certainty until much closer to the date.