UAE to shift Friday prayer time to 12.45pm from 2026, prompting early closures at schools

The UAE will introduce a nationwide change to Friday prayer timings from January 2, 2026, as part of a broader move to standardise schedules and support the country’s Year of the Family initiatives. The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat has confirmed that Friday sermons and prayers will begin at 12.45pm across all emirates, replacing the current fixed timing of 1.15pm introduced in 2022.

The new directive marks the second major adjustment to Friday routines since the UAE transitioned to a Monday–Friday working week nearly four years ago. At the time, the shift aligned the country with global markets, prompted half-day schedules for many public-sector employees, and led schools nationwide to revise classroom timetables.

With the upcoming change, education providers across the UAE are preparing for another round of timetable adjustments. Most schools are expected to shorten the academic day on Fridays to ensure pupils and staff can attend the sermon and prayer, though they await formal guidance from the relevant education regulators.

In its circular announcing the revised timing, the authority called on all worshippers “to take care to adhere to the new timings” and confirmed that the changes apply nationwide from the first Friday of 2026.

Sharjah, which adopted a four-day working week in 2022 and did not adjust Friday prayer timings at the time, is expected to follow the new 12.45pm nationwide schedule unless otherwise specified by local authorities.