DUBAI // The five-day Eid Al Fitr holiday for the public sector will begin from Sunday, August 28.
The announcement, made by the Ministry of Labour yesterday, noted that all public sector employees will be given the week off and return to work on Sunday, September 4.
MORE UAE NEWS: Our pick of today's top local news stories
Dh20 a day fine for not having Emirates ID card
Expatriates will be fined if they do not get their Emirates ID cards, a new regulation says.
[ Read article ]
[ MORE UAE NEWS ]
The Minister of Labour, Saqr Ghobash, also released a decree stating that the first and second day of the month of Shawwal - which marks the start of Eid Al Fitr - will be a paid holiday for all private sector employees.
The start of Shawwal is dependent on the sighting of the moon, but it is widely expected to fall on August 30.
Traditionally, the Eid holiday has been scheduled from the first day of Shawwal.
This year the break begins at least two days before then.
Nezar Sallam, the 31-year-old Yemeni who is the owner and creator of the UAE's first mobile observatory, said he will be near Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi a week from today to see if he can spy the first crescent of the new moon.
"The moon will be born at 7am UAE time on Monday, so there is no way to see it at night, even with telescopes," he said. "Even so, we still go out for the moon sighting on the 29th because it is a religious ritual."
According to Mr Sallam's calculations, Eid will probably start on Wednesday, August 31.
osalem@thenational.ae
