Dubai: Eid Al Adha may be less than a couple of days away, but experts are already calculating when residents can expect the next long weekend.
Eid Al Adha falls on August 21, the Saudi Supreme Court announced on Saturday.
Earlier Kuwait having announced their Eid holidays. And it is only a matter of time before UAE residents get to know when their next public holidays are going to be.
Arafat Day takes places on the ninth day of the Islamic lunar calendar, corresponding to August 20, 2018, and Eid Al Adha takes place on the 10th day of the Dhu Al Hijja month.
Ttraditionally two days are given as Eid Al Adha holidays.
If this is the case, employees in the private sector could either get a four-day weekend (if you work on Saturdays) or a five-day long Eid weekend.
Residents could go for staycations in the UAE (starting at Dh143 per person) or travel abroad. Here's our blogger-approved list of staycations under Dh1,000 to try this Eid.
About Eid Al Adha
During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Ebrahim. Eid Al Adha, which means the “festival of sacrifice”, is the second of two Islamic holidays and is celebrated every year by Muslims around the world.
The holiday honours Ebrahim and his willingness to sacrifice his son Esmail as an act of obedience to Allah’s command. But before the son is sacrificed, Allah’s angel Jibra’il provides Ebrahim with a male goat instead.
What is done?
Muslims must prepare for the Sunnah, which includes a morning ablution followed by Salat Al Fajar prayers. They must then clean themselves and put on their best clothing. Eid prayers are offered in the morning when the sun has completely risen, and in congregation while repeating “Labaik Allah Huma Labaik”.
To commemorate Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice Esmail, it is customary for Muslims to sacrifice an animal, which is usually a goat or a sheep. The meat is then divided into three parts: one part for the family, one for friends and relatives, and the final part for the poor and needy.
Eid Al Adha is an important time for charity, and those who can afford it make an effort to ensure they help those less fortunate.
**With inputs from Yousra Zaki, Guides Deputy Editor
