Hijri New Year: UAE to mark Islamic event with public holiday

Government and private sector workers will have an extended weekend next week

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is both a significant place of worship, and somewhere for visitors to learn about Islam. Getty Images

On day two of the UAE papal visit in February 2019, His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, took a tour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Ministry of Presidential Affairs

The message of tolerance is shared at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque as the UAE marks the Year of Tolerance. Wam describes the mosque as "a lighthouse of civilization calling for tolerance and moderation". Wam

People walk through Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at night in January 2019. AFP

Two Etihad and Emirates planes, followed by the Al Fursan aerobatic team, perform a display show over the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to celebrate the UAE's 47th National Day and the Year of Zayed, in 2018. AP

The sun rising over the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque's qubba, or domes, during Ramadan 2019. Victor Besa / The National

A look at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at sunrise during Ramadan 2019. Victor Besa / The National

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque's entrance in the morning. Reem Mohammed / The National

A view of the mosque in a white sandy haze. Victor Besa / The National

The full grandeur of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Reuters

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is often lit, or dimmed, for world events, such as Earth Hour, as pictured. Wam

A father and his son greet each other after performing morning prayers on the first day of Eid-Al Fitr at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in 2019. Leslie Pableo / The National

A look at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the morning. Victor Besa / The National

Inside the mosque. Victor Besa / The National

People visiting the mosque during Ramadan. Victor Besa / The National

During Ramadan, people gather to break their fast outside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Pawan Singh / The National

A glimpse inside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. AFP

Public and private sector employees will enjoy a long weekend next week to mark the Islamic, or Hijri, New Year.

Authorities announced that Sunday, August 23, would be a public holiday for all staff. Work will resume on Monday, August 24.

The holiday marks the beginning of the new Islamic year 1442. It marks the day on which the Prophet Mohammed migrated from Makkah to Madinah.

The islamic calendar is lunar, which is why it does not correspond with the Gregorian calendar.

Muslims do not mark Islamic New Year with public celebrations or events. Hotels and bars are typically asked to refrain from serving alcohol and hosting live entertainment.

How many holidays are left in 2020?

The next public holiday the UAE will celebrate is likely to fall on October 29, to mark the Prophet Mohammed's birthday.

There will also be a three-day break in December, starting with a public holiday to mark Commemoration Day on Tuesday, December 1, followed by days off on December 2 and December 3 to celebrate National Day.

Last year, the UAE Cabinet issued a stipulation that the public and private sectors would have the same number of holiday days.

Previously, people employed in the public sector had more days off than those working for private companies.

The move was part of long-standing efforts to encourage Emiratis to move away from government jobs, where the vast majority of citizens work.