UAE declares public holiday for Prophet's birthday

Dubai: The UAE Government Media Office announced that Friday, August 28, 2026, will be a paid public holiday for employees in the federal government and private sector to mark the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Mawlid Al Nabawi).

With the holiday falling on a Friday, employees in the federal government and private sector who observe the standard Saturday-Sunday weekend will enjoy a three-day break from Friday, August 28, through Sunday, August 30, before returning to work on Monday, August 31.

Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, known as Mawlid Al Nabawi, is observed by Muslims around the world on the 12th day of Rabi’ Al Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

The occasion commemorates the birth of Prophet Muhammad and is marked in many countries with religious gatherings, Quran recitations and sermons reflecting on his life and teachings. As the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, the date of Mawlid shifts each year on the Gregorian calendar.