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UAE holidays in 2017: The year of long weekends

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Dubai - January 1, 2017 fell on a Sunday, and the UAE started the new year with a three-day weekend.

Published: Mon 19 Dec 2016, 12:37 PM

Updated: Wed 29 Mar 2023, 11:31 AM

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This is the year of long weekends in the UAE, and we all got our first long weekend on January 1, which fell on a Sunday.

Now, schoolchildren in Dubai are on a short break, and the holy month of Ramadan is round the corner.

After January 1, the next holiday will be the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, scheduled to fall on May 27, a Saturday, subject to moon sighting.

The next month will see another holiday, with Eid Al Fitr falling on June 24, a Saturday, again subject to sighting of the moon.

Two months later, on August 31, will be Arafat (Haj) Day, which falls on a Thursday.

The following month, on September 21, a Thursday, will be the Hijri New Year's Day, subject to moon sighting.

Commemoration Day, which is observed on November 30, will also fall on a Thursday. Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (PBUH) is likely to fall on the same day, subject to moon sighting.

Bonus: December 31, 2017 will fall on a Sunday, and January 1, 2018 is a Monday. So if you take the Sunday off, you can enjoy a four-day-long weekend.

Here's the list of UAE's expected public holidays in 2017:

OccasionDateDayDuration (No. of Days)
New Year's DayJan-01Sunday1
Isra Wal Mi'raj*Apr-24Monday1
Beginning of Ramadan*May-27Saturday0
Eid Al Fitr*Jun-24Saturday2
Arafat (Haj) Day*Aug-31Thursday1
Eid Al Adha*Sep-01Friday2
Hijri New Year's Day*Sep-21Thursday1
Commemoration DayNov-30Thursday1
Prophet Muhammad's Birthday* (PBUH)Nov-30Thursday1
UAE National DayDec-02Saturday1

*Islamic holiday exact dates are subject to moon sighting and may differ from the date given.



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