Private and public sectors in the UAE will be granted a 4-day holiday for the Eid Al Adha Festival

As per the astronomical calculations, the festival of Eid Al Adha, which is marked on Zul Hijjah 10, will fall on Saturday, July 9. That being said, during Zul Hijjah, Muslims perform the annual Haj, which culminates in the celebration of Eid Al Adha on the 10th day of the pilgrimage.

As announced by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, the Eid Al Adha holiday for federal ministries and entities will start on Friday July 8, and will finish on Monday July 11. As a result, work for all federal entities and ministries will resume on Tuesday July 12. It is also worth noting that according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization, employees working in the private sector will have a holiday during the same dates.

As the UAE is striving to keep its residents and visitors safe from the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has revealed the COVID-19 safety protocols for Eid Al Adha. Prayer halls and mosques will be open after the dawn prayers on the day of Eid, and the duration of the Eid prayer and ceremony should not be more than 20 minutes. There will be physical distancing stickers placed across the area surrounding the mosque.

The entry and exit of worshippers will be controlled by imams, volunteers and police patrols, in order to maintain order and prevent overcrowding. Worshippers are to wear masks at all times, keep a physical distance of 3 ft and use personal/single-use prayer mats. It is recommended that residents avoid gatherings, physical greetings and handshakes, and opt for verbal greetings.

As a rule, dazzling fireworks take place during many UAE celebrations, in particular during Eid. Nevertheless, this year (2022), due to the soaring temperatures, several venues have cancelled these events, such as The Pointe by Nakheel, The Galleria Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, as well as all the operators on Al Seef and Bluewaters Island in Dubai. The 2 destinations that have confirmed they will host firework displays are Dubai Festival City Mall and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. That being said, Festival Bay in Dubai will treat its visitors to a single show on July 10 at 8pm, while Yas Bay Waterfront in Abu Dhabi will put on fireworks for all 4 days of the long Eid weekend, at 9pm.

The Eid holiday coincides with Dubai’s annual summer sale, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Called Dubai Summer Surprises, the event provides shoppers with the opportunity to benefit from discounts of up to 75% across 800 brands, with 3,500 outlets in malls across Dubai participating. Over the Eid Al Adha weekend, you can win AED 1M (USD 272K) in cash when spending AED 50 (USD 13) on www.idealz.com or via the Idealz app. Other prizes include an apartment in Dubai, a Tesla Model Y, 1M Emirates Skywards miles, as well as smaller cash amounts varying between AED 100K and AED 500K (USD 27K and USD 136K).