The UAE government has officially announced Eid Al Adha 2026. Holidays for public employees have been declared for workers with longer breaks this month.
The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAGB) has decided that the holiday schedule is from Monday (25 May 2026) until Friday (29 May 2026). The government offices in the country are set to restart work on Monday, June 1.
With the holiday co-occurring with the already-holiday weekend of Saturday and Sunday, this year may be good for many public sector workers to get a set of 9 days off.
Sharjah Employees to Receive a Longer Break
Sharjah’s government workers will get an even longer vacation. The emirate observes a 4-day work week with weekends falling on Friday, Saturday and Sunday which means that employees in the emirate may get a 10-day holiday during the Eid Al Adha and Arafah Day celebrations.
Moon Sighting to Confirm Official Dates
The moon-sighting committee of the UAE is set to hold its meeting on May 17 to witness the moon’s appearance, which will mark the beginning of the Islamic calendar’s final month, Dhul Hijjah.
Based on the latest astronomical calculation, Dhul Hijjah might start on Monday, 18th May, 2026. But the official moon sighting will be the final confirmation.
The announcement will announce the exact days for important Islamic events like Arafah Day, Eid Al Adha Festival, among others.
Expected Date of Eid Al Adha 2026
With the current forecasts, Arafah Day could be on Tuesday, May 26 and the celebration of the Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid Al Adha) is expected to commence on Wednesday, May 27.
Like the other Islamic festivals, the dates are dependent upon the official moon-sighting announcement.
Eid Al Adha falls right around the time for the yearly Hajj pilgrimage, when Muslims worldwide, including millions of people from Yemen, journey to Makkah to travel to the holy city to perform one of the most important of the pillars of Islam.
How the Moon Calculation Works
Astronomers explained that the 29th day of Dhul Qadah is expected to fall on Sunday, May 17. On that evening, religious authorities will search for the crescent moon of Dhul Hijjah.
- When the moon is seen on May 17th, then Dhul Hijjah will commence on Monday, May 18th.
- If the crescent is not seen, then Dhul Qadah will be determined as 30 days, and Dhul Hijjah will be the 19th of the month, Tuesday.
If there is any change in the lunar calendar, Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha will also change their days.
The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology, in the University of Sharjah, earlier stated that the UAE Eid Al Adha is most likely to start on Wednesday, May 27, after conducting astronomical studies.
