With Eid Al Fitr now behind them, residents across the UAE are already looking ahead to the next break on the calendar.
That next pause from work is Eid Al Adha, one of the two major celebrations in the Islamic year and among the most significant events on the UAE’s annual holiday schedule. The festival marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Based on current predictions, the holiday is expected to run from Tuesday, May 26 through Friday, May 29, 2026 — four days beginning with Arafat Day on Dhu Al Hijjah 9, followed by Dhu Al Hijjah 10, 11, and 12. Because those dates land just before the weekend, residents are looking at a six-day break in total if the forecast holds.
It is worth noting that Islamic calendar-based holidays shift each year, so the confirmed dates will only be announced closer to the time.
For those tracking the rest of the year, the full list of UAE public holidays for 2026 is as follows: New Year’s Day fell on January 1; Eid Al Fitr ran from March 19 to 21 and has been confirmed; Arafat Day is predicted for May 26; Eid Al Adha from May 27 to 29; Islamic New Year on June 15 (with the official date of June 16 moved to the start of the week); the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday on August 24 (official date August 25, similarly moved); and National Day on December 2 and 3.
The shift of certain holidays to the nearest Monday — as seen with Islamic New Year and the Prophet’s Birthday — follows standard UAE practice of moving mid-week observances to avoid fragmented workweeks.
