Moon sighting in UAE (Photo: Khaleej Times)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a holiday on September 5 for government employees on the occasion of the Prophet’s Birthday.
With the holiday declared on September 5, government employees in the UAE will enjoy a long weekend. The nation follows a five-day work week. The announcement comes after the non-sighting of the Rabbi al Awwal Moon on August 23.
According to Khaleej Times, the UAE’s Astronomy Centre confirmed that the month of Safar will last for 30 days. While Rabbi Al Awwal commenced on August 25, Rabbi-Al Awwal 12 will coincide with September 5.
In a rare occurrence, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will not be celebrating the Prophet’s birthday on the same day as the Kingdom sighted the Moon a day before the Emirates. The Hijri
calendar is based on Lunar sighting, where the phases of the moon decide the month.This post was last modified on August 26, 2025 4:26 pm