Eid Al Adha 2025: Will UAE residents get an extra day off for the weekend overlap?

The UAE has officially announced the dates for the Eid Al Adha 2025 public holiday. Following the moon-sighting committee’s confirmation on Tuesday, May 27, the holiday begins on Thursday, June 5 with Arafat Day, and continues with Eid Al Adha on Friday, June 6, Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8.This results in a four-day long weekend for both the public and private sectors across the UAE, allowing many residents to enjoy extended time with family, travel, or leisure activities.

No additional day off for weekend overlap

Though the Eid holiday includes Saturday and Sunday, already part of the regular weekend, the UAE Labour Law does not mandate a compensatory day off when public holidays fall on weekends.According to the UAE Cabinet, “public holidays are not carried forward if they fall on another public holiday or during the weekend.”Imran Khan, a Dubai-based legal consultant, explained that employers are not legally obliged to give an extra day off in such cases:“An employer and employee can reach an agreement for a separate day off by mutual understanding, but nothing is mentioned specifically related to it in the UAE Labour Law,” he told Gulf News.Priyasha Corrie, Partner at Keystone Law Middle East LLP, further clarified that the position is in line with the current Labour Law.

“Under Article 29 of the new UAE Labour Law, employees are entitled to 30 days of annual leave. If a public holiday falls on the days of his annual leave, then the public holiday is counted towards the annual leave of the employee. So, the employee does not get any additional days off,” Corrie told Gulf News.She added that if an employee’s weekly day off coincides with a public holiday, no replacement day off is granted.“If a public holiday coincides with an employee’s weekly day off, then the employee does not get an additional day off,” she said.Employees required to work during the official Eid holiday must be compensated appropriately. Corrie noted:“If an employee has to work during any official holiday, then the employer has to compensate him or her with another holiday or pay the employee the salary for that day plus an increase of not less than 50 per cent of the basic salary for that day.”

What are Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha?

Arafat Day, observed on the ninth day of Dhu Al Hijjah, is a key day in the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage and is marked by fasting and spiritual reflection for Muslims who are not in Mecca doing the pilgrimage This year, it falls on Thursday, June 5.Eid Al Adha, the “Festival of Sacrifice,” begins on the tenth day of Dhu Al Hijjah and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion and willingness to sacrifice. It is the second of the two major Islamic festivals, the first being Eid Al Fitr.Celebrations typically begin with a morning prayer, followed by gatherings with family and friends, gift exchanges, and charitable giving. In Dubai, festivities include fireworks, live music, and other city-wide events.

Why public holidays change in the UAE every year

Islamic holidays such as Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are determined using the Hijri calendar, also known as the Islamic lunar calendar. This calendar is based on the phases of the moon, unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is based on the movement of the sun.This fundamental difference in timekeeping systems explains why the dates of Islamic events shift each year relative to the Gregorian calendar. The Hijri calendar is about 10 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian year, which causes Islamic observances like Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, and Eid Al Adha to move earlier by roughly 10 days annually in the Gregorian system.Because the Hijri calendar follows the lunar cycle, official Islamic holiday dates in the UAE are confirmed only after the crescent moon is sighted, typically by a government-appointed moon-sighting committee.

Summary of Key Dates:

Arafat Day: Thursday, June 5, 2025Eid Al Adha: Friday, June 6 to Sunday, June 8, 2025Total Days Off: 4 days (Thursday to Sunday)Compensatory Day Off for Weekend Overlap: Not applicable