UAE public holiday 2023: Prophet Muhammad’s birthday sets up a long weekend in September

In the UAE, the latter half of the year brings a series of much-awaited public holidays.

For employees in the public and private sector working in the UAE, the next upcoming holiday is the commemoration of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday in September.

Public holiday to mark Mawlid Al-Nabawi

Known as Mawlid Al-Nabawi, this sacred occasion, translating to ‘birthday of the prophet,’ falls on the 12th day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

As per the Gregorian calendar, the date for Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is on September 29.

This date aligns with a Friday, which has set up an extended three-day weekend towards the end of September, especially for those who enjoy the traditional Saturday-Sunday weekend format.

Long weekend in September

As is customary, the official declaration of the public holiday is contingent upon the announcement from UAE government officials such as the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Typically, this announcement occurs about a week before the holiday itself, keeping us in suspense until the confirmation arrives.

Recalling 2022, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) declared the day a public holiday, albeit it fell on a Saturday. Consequently, individuals accustomed to a Saturday-Sunday weekend were unable to relish an extra day off.

However, as per the holiday schedule released by the UAE government media office at the start of the year, September 29 is most likely to be a holiday for public and private sector employees in the UAE.

#مجلس_الوزراء يعتمد أجندة العطلات الرسمية للعاملين في القطاعين الحكومي والخاص للعام 2023 pic.twitter.com/mgZiXfbaby

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) November 27, 2022

UAE Holiday for Commemoration Day

December ushers in yet another occasion to anticipate a rewarding long weekend at the month’s outset. December 1 marks Commemoration Day, previously known as Martyrs’ Day in the UAE, with this year’s date landing on a Friday.

The UAE then consecutively revels in National Day on December 2 and 3, a Saturday and Sunday. This alignment culminates in a potential three-day weekend, promising a grand finale for the year’s long weekends.