Eid Al Adha holidays 2022 announced for public sector workers

Government workers will enjoy a long weekend to celebrate festival

Public sector workers will enjoy a long weekend for the Eid Al Adha holiday. The National

Public sector workers will enjoy a long weekend to mark Eid Al Adha.

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources said the holiday would run from Friday, July 8 until Monday, July 11.

Work will resume on Tuesday, July 12.

Eid Al Adha, known as the festival of the sacrifice, will begin on Saturday, July 9.

The Dhu Al Hijja crescent moon was sighted on Wednesday evening by Saudi Arabia’s Tumair Observatory, according to the kingdom's Supreme Court.

The sighting of the Moon marks the beginning of the Dhu Al Hijja Islamic month in which the Hajj pilgrimage is performed, followed by Eid Al Adha, which begins on the 10th day of the month.

This year, Eid Al Adha falls shortly after schools finish up for the summer holidays and airlines anticipate hundreds of thousands of people travelling during that period.

The next potential long weekend off for residents will probably be in December, for Commemoration Day and National Day.

Commemoration Day will be on November 30, with UAE National Day celebrated on December 2.

The official days off for these dates are listed as being from Thursday, December 1 until Sunday, December 4.

What is Eid Al Adha?

Eid Al Adha is one of the most important festivals in Islam. It means “festival of the sacrifice” and coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah, which all Muslims are required to make at least once in their lives if able to do so.

The sacrifice the holiday commemorates is explained in the Quran, which tells how the Prophet Ibrahim was asked by God in a dream to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a test of his faith.

Ibrahim dismissed the dream at first, but it recurred several nights in a row.

He grappled with the decision but ultimately decided to fulfil God’s command, even though the Devil tried to dissuade him. Ibrahim threw rocks at the Devil in response; pilgrims at Hajj re-enact this by throwing stones at symbolic pillars.

The worshippers pelt three walls in one of a series of rituals that must be performed by those who make the journey.

Just as Ibrahim was about to carry out the command, God replaced his son with a goat and told him to sacrifice the animal instead.

Muslims now celebrate the holiday by eating the meat of a sacrificed animal.

Eid Al Adha 2021 around the world – in pictures