UAE set for September public holiday marking Prophet’s Birthday

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The UAE will soon mark Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH) with a public holiday in September, offering residents and businesses additional time off as summer winds down.

The holiday falls on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi’ Al-Awwal. This year, astronomical predictions suggest it will land on Friday, September 5, 2025, though there is a possibility it could fall a day earlier on Thursday, September 4, if the month of Safar ends after 29 days.

In line with the UAE’s public holiday law introduced earlier this year, if the date is confirmed as Thursday, the holiday is expected to be officially observed on Friday, September 5, creating a three-day weekend. The adjustment mechanism, which allows holidays to shift to the start or end of the week, is designed to provide longer breaks while ensuring smoother business and workforce planning.

Read: Planning your next break? Here’s the list of UAE public holidays in 2025

For companies, the timing of the holiday offers both operational and commercial considerations. Sectors such as hospitality, retail, and travel are likely to benefit from increased domestic demand, with long weekends often driving higher hotel occupancy, retail footfall, and short-haul travel bookings. At the same time, corporate planners and HR teams will need to factor the holiday into workforce scheduling, payroll, and project timelines.

The Prophet’s Birthday is widely recognised across Islamic nations, and in the UAE, it represents not only a moment of cultural and religious significance but also a reminder of the country’s evolving approach to aligning traditional observances with modern work-life balance policies.

With confirmation expected closer to the date, businesses are already preparing to adjust operations around the holiday, while employees look forward to an extended weekend break.