Planning for Public Holidays in the UAE: Eid Al Fitr 2025
As we eagerly approach the end of another year, it’s essential to keep track of public holidays in the UAE to effectively plan your time off. Following the New Year celebrations, the first significant public holiday will be Eid Al Fitr in 2025. The UAE government has officially announced that there will be at least three days off for Eid Al Fitr, with the possibility of an additional day if Ramadan lasts for 30 days.
After enjoying a generous nine-day weekend in 2024, there are high hopes for a similarly extended break next year. Many public holidays in the UAE are determined by the moon-sighting committee, as religious holidays adhere to the Islamic Hijri calendar.
In July, astronomers forecasted that the crescent moon of Ramadan will appear on Friday, February 28, 2025, making Saturday, March 1, 2025, the first day of Ramadan. With this information, we can also estimate when the Eid Al Fitr break will occur.
Projected Days Off for Eid Al Fitr 2025
Since the Hijri calendar is based on lunar sightings, the exact days off will not be confirmed until the day before the holiday begins. If Ramadan is a 29-day month, the Eid Al Fitr break will start on the first day of the Hijri month of Shawwal, which is expected to be Sunday, March 30. This scenario would provide us with Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday as public holidays, resulting in a delightful four-day weekend.
Conversely, if Ramadan extends to 30 days, the Eid Al Fitr break will commence on the final day of Ramadan and continue through the first three days of Shawwal. In this case, we would enjoy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off, culminating in a five-day weekend when combined with the weekend.
In 2024, the UAE government announced a public holiday spanning from Ramadan 29 until Shawwal 3, which is why we experienced such an extended holiday period. For 2025, the cabinet confirmed that the public holiday would begin on Ramadan 30 (if Ramadan is 30 days), indicating one day less off compared to 2024. The official dates will be verified closer to the holiday based on moon sighting for the corresponding Islamic calendar dates.
Understanding Eid Al Fitr
Eid Al Fitr is one of the two principal festivals celebrated by Muslims globally. This significant event marks the conclusion of the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan. The term itself translates to “feast of breaking the fast,” and it falls on the first day of the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, Shawwal.
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