Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday expected to bring an official day off next month, with the potential for a shifted long weekend under UAE Cabinet rules.
DUBAI, UAE – July 15, 2026: Public and private sector employees across the United Arab Emirates are looking forward to the next official public holiday, which is projected to fall next month in observance of Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH).
According to the official UAE Cabinet resolution on public holidays, the significant religious occasion is expected to fall on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. This corresponds to the 12th day of Rabi Al Awwal in the Islamic calendar. As is customary with Islamic holidays, the precise date remains subject to official confirmation by the UAE moon-sighting committee closer to the month of August.
Under the current administrative framework outlined in Article 2 of the UAE Cabinet resolution, specific mid-week public holidays—excluding the major Eid observances—may be legally transferred to the beginning or end of the working week via a formal Cabinet decision.
If authorities apply this public holiday transfer protocol, the mid-week holiday could be moved to create an extended weekend for residents. In this scenario, while the spiritual and cultural celebrations would remain on Tuesday, August 25, the official public day off would likely be observed on Monday, August 24, giving employees a three-day weekend when combined with the regular Saturday-Sunday break.
Following the August break, UAE residents can look forward to the final official public holidays of the year in December. The UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) celebrations are scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, and Thursday, December 3, 2026. Because these dates lead directly into the standard Friday-Saturday weekend, public and private sector employees will automatically receive a four-day holiday period to close out the calendar year.
